National Club Association Publishes Guide to Governance for Private Club Boards
Author: National Club Association
Published on: June 11, 2026
Best Practices for Club Leaders offers concise reference to club governance for volunteer leaders
The National Club Association (NCA) today published Best Practices for Club Leaders, a reference on effective private club governance for club board members. The book is a companion piece to Private Club Governance: A Handbook of Principles and Best Practices, published by NCA and the Club Management Association of America (CMAA), now in its second edition; that book is considered the gold standard in club governance practices.
“Private Club Governance, generally referred to as the governance handbook, is the industry’s comprehensive reference on governance best practices,” said NCA President & CEO Joe Trauger. “Best Practices for Club Leaders distills its most relevant points into a more concise format for use by club presidents and board members. It’s a starting point for newly elected board members and guide for effective board governance throughout their time on their boards.”
Written by governance expert Fred Laughlin, principal author of Private Club Governance, Best Practices for Club Leaders includes sections on:
“Private Club Governance, generally referred to as the governance handbook, is the industry’s comprehensive reference on governance best practices,” said NCA President & CEO Joe Trauger. “Best Practices for Club Leaders distills its most relevant points into a more concise format for use by club presidents and board members. It’s a starting point for newly elected board members and guide for effective board governance throughout their time on their boards.”
Written by governance expert Fred Laughlin, principal author of Private Club Governance, Best Practices for Club Leaders includes sections on:
- The role and duties of the board.
- The role of board officers.
- Elections.
- Committees.
- Best practices for board meetings.
- Evaluating club governance.
Additionally, several appendices provide references and more in-depth information into the book’s topics.
Both books are available to NCA member clubs at nationalclub.org
About the National Club Association
The National Club Association (NCA) has been the advocate for the private club industry in Washington, D.C., for more than 60 years. As the voice of private clubs on Capitol Hill, NCA ensures that club concerns are forefront when legislative and regulatory issues affecting the industry are being decided. In addition, NCA provides club leaders an outstanding array of resources on club industry trends, governance best practices, legal and operational matters and ways to strengthen club leadership.
