Governance and rainbow boards

This page shares resources for people serving on the boards and governance committees of rainbow organisations. We want to increase knowledge, connection and sustainability in our governance work across the rainbow support sector.

Rainbow governance report

The Rainbow Governance Report shares insights from board members and staff of rainbow support organisations in Aotearoa. It identifies common governance challenges, and suggests some potential solutions. The report aims to provide useful insights to people in rainbow governance roles, and to help funders and other non-profit capability-building organisations to better understand the needs of rainbow boards.

Rainbow support organisations in Aotearoa are mostly small nonprofits, developed from community-led volunteer networks. Most of our governance roles are unpaid, and depend on volunteers who connect with the kaupapa and history of an organisation, but may not have governance experience. Some organisations are youth-governed, and are often offering board members their first governance role.

Read Rainbow Governance Report: An exploration of the experiences, opportunities and challenges in the governance of Rainbow Support organisations in Aotearoa, by Claire Black, published by Rainbow Support Collective.

Governance training, toolkits & other resources

• Charities Services: the official government website for registered charities in New Zealand. Provides information on compliance, financial reporting, governance best practices, and fraud prevention.

  • Congratulations, you are the officer of a registered charity is a good starting place for new board members.

  • The resources database is searchable by topic.

  • Te Ao Māori – resources for charities with a kaupapa Māori focus.

• Community Governance NZ: a nonprofit organisation that focuses on supporting community governance. Offers resources, training, and networking opportunities to improve governance in community organisations. Includes toolkits for board members, governance courses, and research.

  • Good Governance Board Service – a training package designed to support boards by offering governance training and mentorship.

  • Good Governance Code - a set of six principles that define what is good governance for community organisations in Aotearoa.

  • Māori Governance Video Toolkit – a series of training resources for Māori trustees – focused on whenua Māori governance boards, but relevant to other board members thinking about Māori principles and processes in governance.

• Institute of Directors New Zealand: a membership organisation that provides a professional body for board members in Aotearoa. Offers courses, events, and services on governance for different sectors. Membership and training have a cost

  • Not-for-profit governance hub includes articles and resources for non-profit boards

  • Te Ao Māori resources including Hautū – a free app to support development of Māori cultural intelligence

• LEAD Centre for Not for Profit Governance & Leadership offers a range of training and capacity building services for nonprofit boards, including some free events and programmes.

  • Pasefika + LEAD events and programmes for Pacific leaders

  • Events including a regular free Chairs’ Forum for not-for-profit board chairs and vice-chairs

• Community Resource Kit: a free hub for governance resources, including templates, guides, and case studies. Covers topics such as organisational structures, financial management, policies, advocacy and board effectiveness.

  • Guidance about developing a Te Tiriti o Waitangi policy

• Governance guides from Sport NZ: resources, guides and practical advice to support sports organisations to strengthen their governance practices. Many resources are also relevant to other community-based organisations.

  • Nine Steps to Effective Governance

  • Resources – searchable database

  • Governance 101 – free e-learning course for board members

• NZ School Boards Association Help for Boards: a resource centre focused on School Boards, with some resource that are useful for other community boards

  • Giving Effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• SociaLink governance resources: collected resources from a collaborative charitable trust based in the Western Bay of Plenty

  • SociaLink Governance Document - a summary of governance resources and advice, including a chapter of information for Māori organisations

• Wellington Community Law Community Toolkit: a practical legal resource offering guidance for governance, compliance, and running a community organisation.

  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi guidance

• Centre for Social Impact: supports nonprofits with evaluation, research and strategic advice to achieve impact and to learn.

  • Centre for Social Impact - YouTube - A video resource hub featuring webinars and interviews on governance and social impact.

  • Building community governance capability and capacity – information about the National Action Plan for Community Governance.

  • Te Pūaha o te Ako – searchable database of learning resources.

• Hui E! Community Aotearoa: an organisation supporting and advocating for the community and voluntary sector in New Zealand. Their website provides governance toolkits, sector research and networking opportunities.

  • Toolkits & resources on governance and the non-profit sector

  • Tātou tātou podcast – community leaders talk about hauora / wellbeing

• Tick for Governance: an online governance training programme developed by Community Networks Aotearoa  - costs $100 per board member, but the first module (Te Tiriti and Relationships with Māori) is free.

• Ngā Rerenga o Te Tiriti: a resource from the Treaty Resource Centre to support community organisations in Aotearoa engaging with the Treaty.