Board giving

One of the most important roles of a board is to provide financial support. Every single board member must give a meaningful gift. I define a meaningful give as one that reflects each board member’s capacity to give. I am a firm believer that 100% board giving is critical. A few other tips to keep in mind when talking about development with boards:

  • Create structure around the conversation. Normalize the topic and discuss it at every board meeting. There should be no surprises.
  • Onboarding is an opportunity to clearly lay out expectations for new board members and serves as a nice opportunity to remind current board members about why giving is an important expectation.
  • On the tactical front, it is incredibly helpful to secure board gifts early on in your fiscal year. Request that board members pay their pledge within the first quarter.

Board member selection

Boards vary in size and not one size fits all. But all boards need to be strategic in selecting new members. Boards should bring together people with different skills, experiences, and networks. The whole should be stronger than the sum of its parts. In selecting board members, think about what your board needs and evaluate prospective board members through that lens. Also consider age, gender, race and ethnicity when identifying board members. Remember, it’s not only about giving, but creating a cohesive board that will support your organization’s growth over time.

Also think about how you present board service to both prospective and current members. Serving on a board should be viewed as a prestigious opportunity to support an organization and engage with leaders, just not another time or giving commitment.

Expectations and Engagement

Clearly lay out what is expected from board members before someone formally joins the board. Provide written guidelines centered around “time, talent, treasure” and create meaningful opportunities for the board members to participate and learn. Provide insider content, create a forum for discussion, use the board to problem solve, and leverage individual expertise. A few other tactical tips for engagement:

  • Send materials well ahead of time so that board members and guests have the chance to review.
  • Spend the board meetings focused on discussion and problem solving, rather than committee reports which should be captured in pre-read materials.
  • Use board meetings as a time to create a sense of community. Routinely share your story of why you are involved and encourage others to do the same. Carving out time at each meeting to hear from board members creates a deeper connection to one another and the organization’s mission.

Remember, managing and working with boards is hard. Progress takes time. Check out the article from AFP I referenced earlier to dive even deeper. I love working with organizations and boards to strengthen development efforts. Please be in touch if I can help you with this process.