Voluntary organizations engaged in development efforts are usually immersed in very demanding work in unhelpful conditions. This leaves them little time to come to grips with the specialized demands fof management development. Adding to the difficulty is the prevailing tendency in many non-profits and NG's to distance themselves from the world of m̀anagement.̀ However, the need for effective management in their work is often greater than in commercial ventures of a similar size. In this context, the governing board can play an important role in the effective management of voluntary organizatio.