Fundraising Tip: 6 Tips for Your New Nonprofit Board Members

Your nonprofit needs them. These tips will help them be of great service to your organization.

Those of us in nonprofit fundraising have a great opportunity to build our relationships and fundraising by working with our board of directors. Joining a nonprofit board of directors can be an exhilarating and life-changing experience. Not only does one get to work with others who share a similar
passion for making the world a better place through the organization’s mission, but you can also support the mission in many ways.

Here are six action items to consider for those newly joining your nonprofit board of directors:

First, since you are reading this on social media, have them add this new volunteer experience to their LinkedIn profile. Let their professional network know they are on your nonprofit’s board.

Next, have them send a note to the ED/CEO and ask them to coffee or lunch. They have probably already met them, and this is their opportunity to get to know them better and see where they see them best fitting.

Next, do the same with their head of fundraising. In some cases, this may be the same person! Nonetheless, get to know them as well, and find out how best they can assist with fundraising for the nonprofit. This meeting will be welcomed by the head of fundraising, and they will most assuredly have some action items for them.

Now connect them with the CFO or whoever handles the finances and budget. If they don’t already have a copy of the current budget (by this I mean the full budget, not a limited version of one), ask for one. Then ask if they can attend the next finance committee meeting. The idea here is for them to get to know the budget, why this is that and that is this, and have a better understanding of the organization. The main thing is to have them ask questions around any uncertainties. They will do the nonprofit a huge service if they fully understand the budget.

Have them commit to attending 100% of the board meetings. These are typically scheduled for the year, and whether they can be there in person or join via phone or Zoom, their presence as a board member is critical, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Keep in mind that many foundations expect a certain percentage of board members to attend board meetings, and your organization could miss out on grants if that percentage is not high enough. Board meeting attendance is also just part of being a board member, and whether they can make meetings or not would be part of deciding whether they should join the board.

Lastly, create some type of “elevator speech” about the nonprofit which includes why they are on the board. This part is important when sharing with friends and colleagues as their passion with purpose for the mission of the organization will affect how or if they want to support the cause. Of all the nonprofit boards they could have joined, why this one? Their first two meetings with staff from above can be help create this language.

Thank them for volunteering to join your board of directors. Invite them to have fun and make good trouble. Wish them the very best!

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Take a risk. Be of service. Support your colleagues. Be kind.

New! As an avid reader, I have been sharing what I am currently reading on other platforms and decided to begin adding it here!

I’m currently reading “Our Immigrant Souls” by Héctor Tobar.