Board Governance Training
Interactive training helps trustees understand fiduciary duties, governance boundaries, committee roles, accountability, and the habits that support a high-performing board.
Build a more confident, aligned, and accountable nonprofit board with engaging training and skilled facilitation from IdeaGuides. Our sessions help trustees clarify governance responsibilities, strengthen board-staff partnerships, improve meeting practices, and make thoughtful decisions. Available on-site or remotely for organizations across the United States, each program is tailored to your mission, current challenges, and desired outcomes.

Practical training and facilitation that helps nonprofit boards govern confidently, collaborate effectively, and move mission-critical work forward.
Interactive training helps trustees understand fiduciary duties, governance boundaries, committee roles, accountability, and the habits that support a high-performing board.
A neutral facilitator guides focused board retreats that build trust, surface priorities, resolve tensions, and create shared commitments around the organization’s mission.
Structured planning sessions help boards and staff reflect, set a clear direction, define priorities, and turn broad aspirations into actionable goals and tactics.
Facilitated board meetings create space for meaningful participation, disciplined discussion, clear decisions, and practical follow-through without losing sight of governance responsibilities.
Collaborative workshops equip boards to examine complex choices, weigh options, build consensus, and document viable decisions that leaders can implement with confidence.
Tailored team development strengthens communication, trust, role clarity, and constructive conflict skills so board members can work together in service of the mission.
Effective nonprofit boards need more than good intentions; they need shared expectations, focused dialogue, and practical governance tools. IdeaGuides designs highly participatory training and facilitation that turns important board conversations into clear decisions and accountable next steps. Whether your board is onboarding trustees, navigating change, planning for growth, or improving its meetings, we create a respectful process where every voice contributes and mission priorities stay central.

See how structured, inclusive facilitation helps groups align, decide, and take meaningful action.
Experienced guides bring structure, participation, and practical momentum to important board conversations.
Since 1999, IdeaGuides has guided organizations through high-stakes conversations, planning, and collaborative decisions.
Our facilitators understand nonprofit missions, governance dynamics, and the need for productive board-staff partnership.
Highly interactive sessions invite every trustee into the discussion, building ownership of decisions and next steps.
Over 150 clients and 250 projects inform focused processes that produce clear, actionable outcomes.
Experienced facilitators for focused, inclusive board conversations.
Chief Executive Facilitator & Master Trainer
Bruce E. Honig is the founder and Chief Executive Facilitator & Master Trainer at IdeaGuides, bringing over 30+ years of professional facilitation and training experience to organizations across California and nationwide. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Bruce leads the IdeaGuides team with a deep commitment to collaborative idea generation and productive decision-making. He has guided more than 150 clients through strategic planning, team alignment, and innovation sessions. Bruce is also a prolific author, having written over five books on innovation, team building, and meetings, making him a recognized thought leader in the facilitation industry.

Master Facilitator & Trainer
Adam Shames serves as a Master Facilitator & Trainer at IdeaGuides, bringing deep expertise in team development, innovation, and collaborative group processes to clients across California and the nation. With a strong foundation in experiential learning and creative facilitation, Adam designs and leads highly engaging sessions that inspire teams to think differently and work more effectively together. He is the author of Teambreakers, a book focused on innovation and team building, reflecting his passion for helping organizations break through barriers and unlock their collective potential. Adam's facilitation style emphasizes participation, creativity, and practical outcomes that teams can immediately apply in the workplace.

Facilitator
Michael Wong is a Facilitator at IdeaGuides with a specialized focus on supporting non-profit organizations through facilitated meetings, strategic planning sessions, and collaborative decision-making processes. His understanding of the unique dynamics, missions, and challenges that non-profits face allows him to design sessions that are both deeply relevant and highly productive for these organizations. Michael brings professional rigor and genuine dedication to every engagement, helping non-profit teams build alignment, clarify goals, and move forward with confidence. As part of the experienced IdeaGuides team, Michael upholds the firm's core values of collaboration, involvement, and creativity in every session he leads.

Senior Facilitator & Trainer
Jeanne-Marie Grumet is a Senior Facilitator & Trainer at IdeaGuides, contributing her extensive experience and professional expertise to help teams and organizations achieve greater alignment, engagement, and productivity. As a senior member of the IdeaGuides facilitation team, she brings a polished, skilled approach to strategic planning sessions, offsites, retreats, and team building workshops. Jeanne-Marie is committed to creating inclusive, participatory environments where every voice is heard and every participant contributes meaningfully to outcomes. Her work reflects IdeaGuides' mission of guiding clients toward collaborative and productive idea generation and decision-making across a wide variety of industries and organizational contexts.

Expert Facilitator & Trainer
Alice Cochran is an Expert Facilitator & Trainer at IdeaGuides with a distinguished background in meeting facilitation and group process design. A published author of more than two books on meetings, Alice brings authoritative knowledge and practical wisdom to every session she facilitates. Her expertise helps organizations transform how they run meetings — making them more focused, efficient, and results-oriented. Alice's facilitation approach is grounded in best practices and years of hands-on experience guiding executive teams, senior leadership groups, and cross-functional teams toward clearer decisions and stronger collaboration. She is a trusted resource for organizations seeking to dramatically improve the quality and productivity of their group interactions.

Facilitator & Trainer
Ken Homer is a Facilitator & Trainer at IdeaGuides with specialized expertise in large group facilitation methodologies, including Open Space Technology and World Café. His deep knowledge of these powerful participatory approaches makes him an invaluable resource for organizations looking to engage large numbers of stakeholders in meaningful, self-organizing conversations that generate real insights and actionable outcomes. Ken's facilitation style is adaptive, inclusive, and highly effective at bringing out the collective intelligence of groups of all sizes. He works across a variety of sectors to help teams and communities explore complex challenges, build shared understanding, and move forward with clarity and commitment.

Master Facilitator, Trainer & Coach
Ray Madaghiele is a Master Facilitator, Trainer & Coach at IdeaGuides with deep expertise in strategic planning facilitation and organizational development. As the author of a book on strategic planning, Ray brings both scholarly depth and practical experience to his work with leadership teams, helping organizations clarify their vision, align around priorities, and build actionable roadmaps for the future. His coaching background adds an additional dimension to his facilitation, enabling him to support both group processes and individual leadership development simultaneously. Ray is known for his ability to guide organizations through complex strategic conversations with clarity, structure, and lasting impact.

Treasure Hunt Maven & Team Building Facilitator
Dave Blum is IdeaGuides' Treasure Hunt Maven & Team Building Facilitator, bringing a uniquely creative and energizing approach to team engagement and collaboration. As the author of Dr. Clue Build-A-Treasure-Hunt, Dave is a recognized expert in using experiential treasure hunt activities to build team cohesion, communication, and camaraderie in a fun and memorable way. His programs are designed to break down silos, strengthen relationships, and foster the kind of trust and teamwork that translates directly back to the workplace. Dave's innovative facilitation style makes him a go-to resource for organizations looking for dynamic, out-of-the-ordinary team building experiences that deliver real results.

Master Facilitator
Lee Gimpel is a Master Facilitator at IdeaGuides, bringing a high level of skill and professionalism to every meeting, workshop, and retreat he facilitates. With a command of advanced facilitation techniques, Lee helps teams and organizations move through complex discussions with focus and efficiency, ensuring that every session produces meaningful outcomes and that participants feel heard and engaged throughout the process. His work spans a wide range of industries and organizational contexts, from strategic planning and alignment sessions to innovation workshops and leadership offsites. Lee embodies IdeaGuides' commitment to guiding groups toward their best ideas and most important decisions with expertise and care.
Commonly recognized board responsibilities include defining mission and purpose; selecting and supporting the chief executive; planning; monitoring and strengthening programs; ensuring adequate financial resources; protecting assets and providing financial oversight; building a competent board; ensuring legal and ethical integrity; enhancing the organization’s public standing; and assessing the board’s own performance. Specific duties should also reflect your bylaws and applicable laws.
Speak with an experienced facilitator about your goals and format.
IdeaGuides supports nonprofit boards on-site, off-site, and remotely across California and throughout the United States.
Nationwide Support
Service Area
25+ Years
Experience
On-Site or Remote
Delivery Options
Tell us about your board’s priorities and preferred format.
Facilitation experience since 1999
Trusted across diverse organizations
Practical facilitation delivery experience
Share your board’s goals, challenges, and preferred format. An IdeaGuides facilitator will help identify a productive next step.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at 1.415.479.2028. You can also send us a quick email at bruce@IdeaGuides.com.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at 1.415.479.2028. You can also send us a quick email at bruce@IdeaGuides.com.