Stop Talking About Capacity

I spend a lot of time talking about and thinking about nonprofit board members.

I think about how organizations benefit from engaged, passionate volunteers. I think about boards that seem stuck in habits and traditions that no longer serve the mission.

And I think about the beliefs that are keeping most of our board members from feeling like they can truly help the mission of the organization.

You see, once upon a time, nonprofits believed that the most important attribute of a board member was wealth. Preferably personal wealth, but access to wealthy people would do in a pinch.

And that belief colored everything, from board recruitment to board evaluation. And slowly, board members began to believe that not only was their wealth the most important thing, but that wealth needed to be front-and-center for anyone they would connect to the organization.

So, board members look at the upcoming nonprofit event and think "I can't invite anyone to this because I don't know anyone who can give a gift of $X."

Or, when asked to brainstorm about people they could invite to an event, a tour, etc., they go blank. Because they are filtering their mental contact through some sort of wealth screening.

And this leads to frustration on both the staff and the board side.

But when we talk about passion or values alignment ahead of wealth, we start to have different conversations. Then, the criteria for inviting someone to an event doesn't include a mental wealth assessment, but a thought about the mission - and which people might care about it.

With that in mind, wealth doesn't become the prime factor in a board member. Passion for the mission and cause jumps to the top of the list, followed closely by network. A board member who cares about the mission and is connected to various groups (professional, community, etc.) can make a huge difference on a board.

Of course, there are ways to help board members tap into their network. Because while it's true that we're usually poor judges of giving capacity, it's also true that our board members know more people than they think they do.

Respond to this post to set up a call so we can chat about your board - and how we can get them aligned and accelerated around you mission!

PPS - Washington folks, I'll be talking about board fundraising at the Nonprofit Leaders Conference in Ocean Shores on April 16 & 17. Hope to see you there! https://www.nonprofitleaders.info/

I'll also be presenting as part of the Washington State Nonprofit Conference on May 7. Register today: https://nonprofitwa.org/washington-state-nonprofit-conference/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_nuqueiIHI