Nonprofit Board Fundraising Toolkit

The single greatest challenge in nonprofits is to get boards to stay engaged with fundraising. Staff can’t do it alone and boards technically “own” the nonprofit so they are responsible for revenue too! While these tools are great individually, taken together, the Board Fundraising Toolkit will help your board get focused and on track…with fewer excuses.

• The board agreement is my favorite tool, hands down. A board agreement is the first step to clarifying fundraising and other expectations with your board members. The informal contract insists that board members have great attendance, stay engaged, avoid conflicts of interest, and fundraise. In exchange, the organization provides insurance, financial transparency, and staff support.

• The board fundraising worksheet is my favorite tool for getting board members to write a plan and commit to action. “Fundraise or get off the pot!!!”

• Boards of advisors are too often mis- or underutilized. They should not be required to fundraise or make meetings, but their reputation can help create the conditions for fundraising success. The Board Fundraising Toolkit lays out how board members can lead this type of initiative.

• Boards need a dedicated committee to keep their fundraising on track. The Board Fundraising Toolkit provides a charter to show what the committee actually does. Couple this with the “Ways to encourage boards to fundraise” and you have clear steps you can take to get your board fundraising ASAP. In fact, I have compiled a list of over 100 tasks that board members can engage in to help with fundraising without having to solicit donations.

• As your organization grows, you’ll need to have standards on what gifts you’ll accept. A board-approved gift acceptance policy — included in the Board Fundraising Toolkit — will give you, your board, and your donors confidence.

• Are your board members shy about asking for money? Everyone is on Zoom nowadays. Your board members can use this simple background image to spark conversation. Hopefully, people will say, “Tell me about your nonprofit,” which will then lead to interest, engagement, and growth! You never know where your next major donor will come from. It could be your board member’s Zoom meeting with friends or colleagues!

• Finally, in the Board Fundraising Toolkit, you’ll learn to tackle board excuses with confidence and ease. You’ll also get insider tips on how to talk to board members about their responsibilities to the organization, including fundraising It may be the catalyst you need to build a better board!