ONLINE BOARD TRAINING PROGRAM
Get Your Board On Board - For RealBuild a board that knows its role, works well together, and stays focused on your organization’s mission.
The Canadian Nonprofit Academy partners with nonprofit boards across Canada to strengthen governance, decision-making, and leadership capacity—over time, not just in one workshop. Proudly Canadian. Serving the nonprofit sector since 1980.
Does this sound familiar?
You care deeply about your organization’s cause, but board work feels harder than it should.
→ Meetings drift into operations or personal agendas.
→ Directors micromanage the Executive Director or CEO.
→ New directors take months to find their footing.
→ Tension or disengagement slows the decision-making.
→ The Executive Director spends too much time “managing the board” instead of leading the organization.
This usually means that directors haven’t been supported to work as a high-functioning governance team.
Why governance matters more than ever?
Canada’s nonprofit sector plays a vital role in the health, well-being, and economic stability of our communities. Boards oversee mission, strategy, and significant public trust—often while volunteering their time.
Yet most directors step into the role without a map. Good people, unclear roles, long meetings, thin outcomes. A high-functioning board of directors has:
✔️ A shared understanding of governance
✔️ Clear boundaries between oversight and operations
✔️ Confidence in how to contribute effectively
When governance isn’t working, it quietly drains energy from the whole organization.
Strong governance doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built together.
Ensure all your board directors understand their roles, legal obligations, and fiduciary responsibilities.
Your investment in exceptional governance for extraordinary times
A Package to Fit
Depending on your budget, level of maturity and specific training needs, Canadian Nonprofit Academy offers three training tiers – essential, professional and premium
ESSENTIAL PROGRAM
$1,995.00 plus HST
The ESSENTIAL PROGRAM is for organizations that :
- Have reduced financial resources and need to be budget-conscious.
- Are primarily working boards and have no staff to assist them.
- Have a bunch of new board members and need to get them trained fast so that they can fully participate as board directors.
- Have short-term board training needs.
It is not well-suited for:
- Larger organizations that have staff and/or complex committee structures
- Organizations with issues related to board engagement or board dysfunction
What is included:
- CNPA Flagship Generic Course of 5 modules
- Champion Mini Course to support all board directors completing the program
- Enrolled all board members by CNPA
- maximum number of 15 seats in the program, additional seats at $250.00
- Monthly progress reports until 90% of the board members are complete
- Technical support for board directors for our learning management system
- One-year access to the training program with th e option to renew at the end of one year. Please contact us for renewal options.
Program Modules
Module 1 – Introduction and Orientation
Module 2 – Mission and Purpose,
Module 2 – Volunteer Leadership and Good Governance
Module 3 – Structural Backbone of Nonprofits –
Module 4 – Your Governance Tasks and Five Critical Functions
Module 5 – Effective Meeting Management
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM
$3,995 plus HST
(best value)
The PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM is for organizations that:
- Know that board training is essential to having a well-run organization that focuses on its mission and impact in its community
- Are committed to the long-term health and well-being of the board of directors.
- Have a core value of ongoing governance maintenance, because they understand the importance of good governance
- Want easy and available access to board training for all new board members as soon as they are elected, so that they are ready for the first board meeting
- Want a long-term partner to help support the professional development of the directors and to support the development of the organization’s governance
- Know that working with the CNPA, their organization increases its maturity, governance competence and improves board effectiveness
What is included:
- CNPA Flagship Course created specifically for your organization, tailored to your organization, customized content, lessons, modules, and branding
- Organizations that achieve 95% completion rate achieve the distinction of being a Canadian Nonprofit Academy-certified board
- Champion Mini Course to support your board champion or the board chair to support board members through the program.
- Maximum number of 25 seats with additional seats at $250.00.
- Organizations in this program can select two additional 30-minute workshop modules for their organization if they are relevant: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Charity and Fundraising, Board Engagement, How to Read Financial Statements, Committee system, and training for Committee Chairs -for no additional fee.
- Discounts of up to 50% for facilitated board retreats and longer strategic board discussions.
- Conducting Excellence – Mastering the Role of a Board Chair: a self-paced online learning program for the organization’s chair to accelerate their ability to lead the board to where it wants to go; subsequent seats are at a 50% discount.
- One-hour live call or specialized training with your board of directors with Christina Becker, including any governance questions that you have
- Monthly Progress reports of the director training until 90% of the directors have completed. Individual follow-up for directors who lag.
- Enrollment of all board directors into the program by our staff
- Technical support for board directors in our learning management system
Program Modules
Module 1 – Introduction and Orientation
Module 2 – Mission and Purpose,
Module 3 – Orientation Materials and Governance Assessment
Module 4 – Structural Backbone of Nonprofits –
Module 5 – Leadership Roles and Good Governance
Module 6 – Your Governance Tasks and Five Critical Functions
Module 7 – Effective Meeting Management
PREMIUM PROGRAM
Starting at $6,000.00 plus HST
The PREMIUM PROGRAM offers a customizable curriculum tailored to your organization’s specific needs. This is for larger and complex organizations that need advanced training for their board. This program includes a board orientation module created specifically for your board, 6 training modules on effective meeting management and the role of the board chair, a comprehensive governance assessment and report, additional customizable modules, and administrative privileges for key staff. Recordings of all Canadian Nonprofit Academy webinars are automatically loaded into your course.
Overall Satisfaction of the Canadian Nonprofit Academy Governance Training Program
Our governance leadership program consistently has exceptionally high satisfaction rates. Over 96% of students said their ability to be an effective board member improved after the training. Our results showed that directors have a clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities (board member, chair, and ED/CEO), and that they feel “energized” and “better equipped” to support mission delivery.
Directors highlighted that they had:
✅ More confidence to speak up and keep boards on track
✅ Felt more cohesive as a team
✅ Stronger meeting practice (Roberts Rules, motions, agendas, decision-making discipline)
✅ Shared language and alignment across the whole board (“we’ll all be on the same page”)
✅ A practical onboarding/refresher tool people expect to revisit
Testamonials
This program was an excellent learning experience — clear, practical, and directly relevant to my role on the board. I gained a stronger understanding of governance, board responsibilities, and useful tools to apply in real situations.
The focus on mission and purpose, especially the “Golden Circle” concept, really stood out. It reinforced how starting with why can inspire others, unite a team, and help organizations overcome structural challenges. I finished the course with greater clarity, confidence, and a deeper connection to our shared mission of empowering women in the fire service.
I’m very grateful for the opportunity to take this program and would highly recommend it to anyone serving on a nonprofit board.
As an organizational consultant, Christina Becker has a deep understanding of the structural underpinnings of organizational dynamics and conflict. She helped our Jungian Psychoanalytic Society navigate through a complex Ethics situation involving our Executive Committee, Training Committee, Ethics Committee and Ethics Appeals Committee. Her remarkable ability to understand the interplay of the structure of our bylaws, ethics policy and the various responsibilities and charges of each committee expertly steered our Society through the situational equivalent of class VI whitewater rapids which had the potential to wreck our group. And she did with humour and grace!
I think the course covered all the information that board members need. I liked the fact that it could be completed when I had time available.
Going through each of the modules has been extremely helpful to understand the governance structure of the board of a nonprofit organization.
I found this course to be very valuable. As a physician who has primarily focussed on clinical medicine and research, I have had a little formal training in this and have had to learn these skills as I went along. It was helpful to have all of it organized and presented together as it helped consolidate my learning as well as made room for reflection as I went along. Very well done.
Christina Becker, the founder of the Canadian Nonprofit Academy, came to the rescue. Our organization was in desperate need to revisit the way we do business, to interact with each other and with our membership. We were rapidly becoming irrelevant to our community and financially unsustainable. When Christina was called upon, she took a good look at our structure, sent out surveys to our members, collected and analyzed the responses, spent quality time with each Board and staff member. She created a space where everyone was able to express their thoughts openly and honestly. Christina challenged us all to think outside the box and was determined to ensure that CASC will become the ultimate Spiritual Care Destination to go to in Canada. Christina conducted all her meetings in the most professional fashion. Her extensive knowledge and experience, and most certainly her sense of humour, were apparent and highly appreciated in all interactions. The vision and mission became clearer for all. People started working together and thanks to Christina, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I very strongly recommend Christina if you are serious about positive results. Our organization and I personally have the highest respect for Christina.
The Canadian Nonprofit Academy guarantees results. We guarantee that your organization will have a high-functioning board of directors or we will work with you until that happens. Conditions apply.
Governance and Board training is not a one-and-done course that you can do once.
Board and governance training is not a one-and-done course because governance itself is not a static skill set—it’s a living practice that evolves as organizations, people, and contexts change.
Boards change. New directors join, experienced ones rotate off, Chairs step into leadership with varying levels of preparation. Each transition subtly reshapes how decisions are made and how power, responsibility, and accountability are held. Without ongoing training and shared refreshers, boards slowly drift—often without realizing it—back into old habits, unclear roles, or operational overreach.
The environment also changes. Regulatory expectations shift. Funding landscapes tighten. Public scrutiny increases. What constituted “good governance” five years ago may be insufficient today. Ongoing learning helps boards stay current, responsive, and grounded in best practices rather than relying on outdated assumptions.
Most importantly, governance shows up in behavior, not knowledge alone. Knowing fiduciary duties is different from practicing them under pressure—during conflict, crisis, or high-stakes decisions. Boards need regular opportunities to reflect, recalibrate, and strengthen how they work together, not just what they know.
Treating governance training as ongoing acknowledges a simple truth: strong boards are built over time. They are supported through learning, conversation, and practice—embedded into the rhythm of board life—so that governance becomes a shared culture, not a checkbox completed once and forgotten.
Details
How Does It Work?
One size doesn’t fit all organizations. Basic training doesn’t answer every governance question.
We tailor our curriculum to your organization by creating customized online training. Your board’s training is built for your organization and tailored to equip your board members with the governance policies and practices relevant to your nonprofit. Generic board training doesn’t work for every organization.
We create a private online learning space using the Canadian Nonprofit Academy platform.
Your directors learn governance fundamentals that matter most to your structure, size and stage of maturity. The course takes board members through everything they need to learn to become effective and confident board members and valuable members of your board team.
Convenience of On-Demand Online Training
Your board members train at their own pace and at times that are convenient for them, given their busy schedules. There is no need to spend months scheduling time when everyone can attend a live board training workshop. Invariable a board member misses out on the valuable training.
The course includes short video lessons of easily digestible material, explicitly created for adult learners. No lesson is more than 5 to 10 minutes. Board members can expect to invest about 2 to 3 hours to complete the training.
Research has proven that knowledge retention for self-paced learning can be as high as 60%. Directors can tailor their pace of learning to their schedules and review complex material several times as long as they remain on the board.
Ongoing support beyond the one-year access
Initial access is for one year. This can be extended for a reasonable ongoing investment. Investing in governance and board training ensures the board remains high-functioning despite rotating chairs and members for years to come.
Dedicated Governance Coach/Consultant
You receive a part of your Board on Board course, a dedicated governance expert to accompany your board through every aspect of the training. Your coach/consultant is your guide and mentor through the program. They can participate in the online discussion forum attached to the course, which is available for any questions you might have about your organization and governance policies.
We are committed to your success.
Everyone at the Canadian Nonprofit Academy is committed to your success. We provide key support to a board member to ensure the learning material is brought back to the boardroom table. We call this person “the champion” and have created a specific course to support the champion and the board to complete the program. We provide monthly progress reports to key leaders in the organization so they can track progress and follow up with directors who haven’t made progress. If your organization is 100% complete, you will become a CNPA-certified board for the following year.
Exclusive Discussion Board
The confidential discussion board will be a place where each student an opportunity to talk about the course material, share governance experiences and ask questions of the Governance Coach/Consultant as if they were in a workshop setting.
Free Participation in the Canadian Nonprofit Roundtable
Every student is eligible for membership in the Canadian Nonprofit Academy LinkedIn group. This group is dedicated for volunteer and staff leaders looking to improve the effectiveness of their nonprofit’s governance and strategy , as well as to learn, share, and advance the objectives of their organizations and careers.
Completion Certificates
Upon successful completion of short quizzes to test the learning material and a complete review of the lessons, each student will receive a certification of completion.
SAMPLE
Curriculum
course overview
Board on Board online courses teach nonprofit directors the necessary skills and knowledge needed to be fully contributing member of your board team including
- Why good governance is essential to a mission-driven and high-functioning board of directors?
- What is volunteer leadership?
- what are the components of sound governance policies and practices?
- What are the roles and responsibilities of individual board members and the board as a whole?
- How to have effective and intentional board meetings?
- What are the best practices standards for nonprofit organizations?
module 1 – governance
Governance is defined as the policies and practices that allow an organisation to set its direction and manage its operations to achieve its outcomes and fulfill its accountability obligations. Your board members will learn the importance of good goverance in achieving your mission, and the signs of dysfunction when governance policies and practices are not in place.
module 2 – structural backbone
The structural elements of good governance involve the articles of incorporation, by-laws, policies, and procedures. Board members will learn the importance of each element and when and how to use them in the running of your organization.
module 3 – roles & responsibilities
module 4 – governance functions
Every board has six functions that need to be performed to carry out their oversight responsibility – governance, strategic direction, the culture of foresight, program and services oversight, and personnel management. Students will learn the tasks involved in each function.
module 5 – effective meeting management
optional modules (available for premium)
- Diversity
- Volunteer Leadership
- Virtual Board Meetings
- Staff
- Best Practices
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does my organization have access to the course?
Every member of the board and committees have access to the course for 1 full year upon registration. At one year, your organization has the option to renew for another year at 50% of the original investment.
How long does the course take to complete?
The course takes between 2 to 3 hours to complete. Each lesson is constructed in such a way as to support adult learners. They are no more that 10 minutes long and come with audio and written versions.
How much is to renew?
The renewal fee is 50% of the first year’s investment.
Get In Touch
Find out which package is right for your nonprofit organization and get some free governance advice with a free 30-minute call with Christina.
Call: 416 483-4317
or fill out the form to send an email.