What is Leading with Intent?
Leading with Intent (LWI) is BoardSource’s signature research initiative on nonprofit board leadership since 1994. BoardSource provides data and trends on board composition, structure, practices, and leadership dynamics across the sector.
We are pleased to share that the 2026 Leading with Intent Survey is now open and we are seeking participation from nonprofit board chairs and chief executives. The data will inform briefs, reports, and practical governance resources for the sector.
Join us in shaping the future of nonprofit board leadership.
Most Recent Data
Our latest findings from the 2023 survey are presented in a way that is more dynamic and responsive. We moved from a single comprehensive report to a focused series of briefs. The shift to briefs is a direct response to nonprofit leaders’ need for relevant and practical insights that support board effectiveness and engagement that are more easily digested.
Explore the Participant Profile and Methodology briefs now to understand who serves on the board and what nonprofit organizations are represented in the last survey. Discover dashboards and insights you can use right now.
Participants
This Participant Profile brief provides an overview of who is around the boardroom table (tenure and demographics) and the types of nonprofits represented in the 2023 survey (mission areas, regional distribution, financial size, and service models).
Methodology
The Leading with Intent survey has been carefully designed, distributed, and analyzed. The research has been complemented by external data sources which strengthened the dataset. In the Methodology brief, you can find more information on our survey collection process, data sources, strengths, and gaps.
Data Book
What the Data Book Offers
The Data Book provides all the responses from the Leading with Intent survey. It includes the original tables and figures as reported by boards and executives throughout the sector. You can view distributions, percentages, and comparisons directly, without any added interpretation.
Potential uses for the data:
- Explore patterns that matter to your work
- Check assumptions about board behavior
- Understand variation across organization size, budget, subsector, or leadership role
- Build internal analyses that answer questions specific to your context
Recognition & Thanks
BoardSource’s Research Advisory Council shared valuable input on the survey questions, key analysis areas, key findings, and the development of this report. Learn more about our Research Advisory Council.
The Leading with Intent study would not be possible without the many other individuals, members, consultants, researchers, organizations, and partners that provided valuable input on both the survey instrument and key findings. There are too many to include, but we appreciate all of you for your valuable input!
Finally, BoardSource thanks the following organizations for their generous support of our leadership work: Annie E. Casey Foundation, Barr Foundation, Chicago Community Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Northwest Area Foundation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.