Three Keys to a Fundraising Board

Just like that, we’re in mid-May. If you listen closely, you can hear my fellow consultants pulling together LinkedIn posts about starting your year-end fundraising campaign work NOW!!

But that’s a side issue. I want to talk (as I so often do) about board giving.

The most successful and engaged boards I’ve worked with approached fundraising as a team effort. Some members were networkers – opening doors and making introductions. Others were stewards – sending personal messages of thanks and impact to donors. And some members asked their friends and networks to support the organization.

The least successful boards? They were hands-off when it came to fundraising.

It’s not a hot take to suggest that board engagement in fundraising is a key factor in nonprofit success. But sometimes, we lose sight of what constitutes a powerful and effective fundraising board.

When building an effective fundraising board, nonprofits should look closely at:

Diversity – a diverse board has diverse networks. And a diverse network is a key to fundraising success

Expectations – the best board members know what is expected of them (and what they can expect from the staff).

Purpose – why does your board exist? A board with a clear sense of purpose can focus on doing more for and with the community they serve without getting caught up in minutia.

Of course, there’s more.

And I’ll be talking about ways to create your board’s fundraising potential on June 13 at  AFP Advancement Northwest’s 2025 Annual Conference, “Fearless Fundraising For the Future.”

During this in-person session, I’ll share stories from the nonprofit field, highlighting mindsets that keep board members from succeeding and identifying tools and strategies that can help address those challenges.

Click here to register: https://afpadvancementnw.org/2025-annual-conference/

If you can’t make it, but still want to talk about ways to get your board excited about fundraising, then let's get started!