There are many styles of Boards of Directors, ranging from very involved to very uninvolved. Some styles include:

• Rubber Stamp – these are boards that simply follow the lead of the executive. They are generally very hands-off and leave decisions to the executive director or, in the case of cooperative or hybrid organizations, other decision-making bodies stipulated in the organization’s bylaws.
• Governance Board – a governance board completes all of the most essential tasks of a BoD but leaves most decisions and planning to the organization’s managers.
• Program Board – program boards are generally made up of people who are experts or are interested in the day-to-day program operations at an organization. These boards tend to be very hands-on, and members often volunteer to provide agency services.
• Operations Board – operations boards are generally more hands-on in the operations and planning of the organization, including supporting the executive director or managers and defining long term organizational goals.
• Donor Board – donor boards almost exclusively work toward building the organization’s donor base and soliciting funds. Donor boards often have a requirement that members donate a specific amount each year. Although rare in harm reduction organizations, donor boards are common in the arts.