The Hidden Fundraising Force Sitting in Your Boardroom

As increasing government cuts pressure nonprofit organizations to diversify their fundraising, you may be wondering where else to look. Everyone around you says major gifts, recurring revenue, grants, and dozens of other avenues in which to raise revenue, but you may be missing one key demographic that’s right in front of your eyes.  

Why Board Engagement Matters Now More Than Ever  

Your board members are an untapped resource that has the potential to be donors, fundraisers, and trusted advisors for important investments, such as your technology. You may see your board members as the final stamp of approval for any large decision, but their influence on your day-to-day operations can have a drastic impact on your fundraising efforts.  

You know how sometimes you can’t see a problem that’s staring right at you? Board members are working with nonprofits daily, but because their responsibilities surround areas of the organization aside from fundraising, they may not be able to see the granular impacts of economic changes and regulations on your fundraising efforts.

Educating them on the realities of today’s fundraising will encourage them to expand their roles beyond oversight.  

Equip Your Board with the Right Tools for Fundraising 

Every battle is best fought armed with the right tools, and fundraising is no different.  

By giving your board members easy-to-use tips and tricks to engage in fundraising efforts, they’ll serve as an extra set of hands and be set up for success. 

Here are some tools you can equip your board members with for a smooth transition into fundraising:  

• Donor Talking Points: Persuasive language that board members can use in conversations with donors around challenges, solutions, and impacts of donations will ensure smooth dialogue when making an ask. 
• Elevator Pitches: Provide board members with simple yet effective elevator pitches on your mission and why there is an urgency for donations.  
• Shareable Collateral: Physical content, such as a one-pager describing your organization and mission, provides your board members with an easy tool to spark conversation and keep your organization at the forefront of your donors’ minds.  

Segment Your Board Members Where They Work Best 

When deciding where exactly to place your board members within the fundraising team, consider segmenting your board members by their strengths into three categories: 

• Connectors: These board members excel at creating relationships with their personal and professional networks and are comfortable making introductions. You can ask them to host small donor events or even create a short list of potential donors that can be introduced to your organization.  
• Funders: These board members have personal wealth or high degrees of influence with individuals or foundations and are likely high-capacity givers themselves. Consider inviting these members to a matching campaign, or involving them in proposals where credibility matters.   
• Strategists: These board members thrive on problem solving and planning, and value efficiency and measuring impact. Utilize these board members in your planning process for new fundraising campaigns or when vetting CRM platforms.  

People thrive in situations where they can capitalize on their strengths, and your board members are no different. Allowing them to contribute to fundraising in areas where they excel will not only provide the best results for your campaigns, but also make them feel considered and valued in their participation.  

Involve Your Board in CRM Evaluation 

Selecting a nonprofit CRM for your organization can be daunting (trust us, we know!), and presenting your findings to the board for them to make the ultimate decision can be the scariest step in the process.  

But what if your board members were involved from the start?  

Nonprofits often wait until the end of the decision-making cycle for board members to make the ultimate decision, giving them a simple overview of different vendors and their functionalities.  

Consider involving your board members in the selection process from the very beginning to further their engagement. They can sit in on demos and conversations with different vendors and provide their feedback in the earlier stages of the process as opposed to the final decision.  

If your board members are hesitant to be involved in the process, be sure to reiterate the importance of choosing the correct CRM solution. The right nonprofit CRM is a tool that will unlock better donor engagement, higher revenue retention rates, and transparency in reporting and forecasting.

Selecting the right CRM is the next step to scalable and sustainable fundraising opportunities and communicating this to board members will help them be all the more interested in investing in the process.  

The Power of Your Board 

Recent economic and regulatory changes can seem daunting for any nonprofit organization, but times of discomfort can lead to a positive catalyst for growth. Your board members have the capacity to engage with your organization in far more than just decision making, and equipping them with the right tools can unearth a resource you had yet to consider.