In widely accepted non-profit corporate law dealing with the responsibilities of board members, governance is described as three duties:

• Duty of Care — stating that a board member must exercise reasonable care when making decisions as a steward of the organization.
• Duty of Loyalty — expressing undivided allegiance to the organization, thereby never using information obtained as a board member for personal gain.
• Duty of Obedience — demanding faithfulness to the organization's mission and central goals, particularly with the use of donated funds.