I'm still surprised when someone asks me, "How do I get my board members to give?"
You mean they don't already?
According to a 2024 NonProfit PRO fundraising study, 29% of surveyed nonprofits don't require their board members to make a financial contribution. Perhaps that explains why we're still having this conversation.
I once worked with a nonprofit that reported 100% board giving on a grant application. There was just one problem: not every board member had given. Rather than confirm the gifts, the organization checked the box and hoped the funder wouldn't verify the information.That's not a fundraising strategy. That's a failure of accountability.
A few years ago, I served on the board of an organization whose mission was to promote philanthropy. At nearly every meeting, we discussed the same problem: we hadn't achieved 100% board giving. Twice, I offered to personally follow up with members and get everyone across the finish line. Twice, my offer went nowhere.
And last week, I watched another board repeat the same mistakes.
Here's what happened:
The board chair didn't attend, having missed half of the board meetings.
The vice chair stepped in without context for the agenda.
The executive director announced that the board was $8,000 short of its fundraising goal.
Several board members were surprised. They didn't know there was a goal.
Leadership referenced earlier communications about reporting gifts, but nobody seemed clear about the expectations.
Confusion, apologies, and misdirection followed.
A significant portion of the meeting was consumed by a problem that should have been resolved months earlier.
This Isn't a Fundraising Problem. It's an Accountability Problem.
BoardSource recommends that nonprofit boards engaged in fundraising strive for 100% participation in personal giving. They don’t need to give the same amount but every one of them should make a personally meaningful investment in the mission they agreed to lead.
This expectation should be established before someone joins the board, not negotiated six months into their service. The board chair should lead by example. Expectations should be clear. Commitments should be documented. Someone should be responsible for following up.
None of this is particularly complicated.
Imagine What Your Board Could Accomplish Instead
I've worked with organizations that approach board giving differently.
Leadership communicates expectations early. Board members understand why their participation matters. The board chair makes a personal commitment and invites others to do the same. Within two weeks, everyone has participated. There are no repeated agenda items or awkward surprises. No one is scrambling to figure out who gave what, when or for what amount.
The board can get back to the work it was actually assembled to do.
A Nonprofit Research Collaborative study found that 60% of organizations with board members actively involved in fundraising met their fundraising goals, compared with 53% of organizations without that involvement. Board members who invest personally can become advocates who open doors, build relationships, and connect others to the mission.
Stop Making the Easy Part Hard
I understand that talking about money can be uncomfortable. It requires skill, patience, and practice. But your board members have already agreed to champion your mission. They should be among the most invested people in your organization.
If you continually have to convince them to participate, ask a more fundamental question:
Do we have a fundraising problem, or do we have a board leadership problem?
Because if you spend every board meeting trying to get the people closest to your mission to support it, imagine how much energy you're taking away from engaging everyone else.
Your board should make fundraising easier, not harder.
Raise More. Stress Less. Start with your Board.