Assessment of the Chief Executive (ACE)

Assessing the chief executive is one of the board’s primary governance responsibilities and is critical to the success of the chief executive and to the organization as a whole. According to Leading with Intent, chief executives who have formal, written performance evaluations are more satisfied with their jobs.

BoardSource’s easy-to-use Assessment of the Chief Executive (ACE) tool is designed to provide a window into how well the chief executive of your nonprofit organization is performing in several key areas: annual performance goals, core competencies, leadership qualities, and accomplishments & challenges.  By conducting this assessment, you are given the opportunity to clarify expectations, set future goals, improve weaknesses and/or build on past success. Failure to assess your chief executive on a regular basis (BoardSource recommends conducting a yearly assessment) can lead to mistrust, strained working relationships, ongoing poor performance, and even turnover.

Click here to learn more about what it takes to conduct an ACE with BoardSource. You can also explore more below around frequently asked questions, our process & timeline, and pricing.