ESF is led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Currently, the goal is for 12 individuals to sit on the board. Some directors are scholars at universities in Canada and the U.S. All share a deep interest in issues concerning world language problems, language policy and planning, interlinguistics, Esperanto, linguistic technologies, global education, and related issue. Director profiles, including contact information, can be found in this section.

The full board meets quarterly via teleconference to review ongoing programs, new initiatives and to oversee operations. The ESF board also meets for an annual strategic planning session at least once a year. An Operations Committee, comprised of a core group of Board members and the Foundation's Executive Director, meets monthly to review the business affairs of the organization. The Operations Committee also reviews all submitted proposals.