Board Engagement Opportunities

As a nonprofit leader, you know your board best! You know what strengths and connections your board members bring to the table, to help further your organization’s mission and have a stronger impact on your community. During your year-round fundraising efforts, you’ll need support and assistance from your board members to make it an all-around success.

Board Engagement Opportunities

This guide outlines the following tasks:

Community Partnerships & Outreach

Your board likely has several members who serve as important and active members of your community. Whether it’s a connection to local businesses or the ability to acquire sponsored or matching gifts, you’ll want to utilize these board members to help build a solid foundation for your campaign.

Tasks for these board members could include:

  • Reaching out to local businesses for potential partnerships: Partnerships can range from sharing your campaign page on social media, in-kind donations for any events you might host to promote the campaign, or utilizing what’s special about your community to promote your organization's mission and fundraising goals!
  • Acquiring sponsors for matching gifts or incentives: Offering donation matches provides a great opportunity to entice your donors to have a greater impact on your organization and your community! Having some extra funds to use as incentives for your donors can really motivate them to participate and further their impact.
  • Local promotion throughout the community: There are lots of creative ways you can engage with your community to promote your campaign! From flyers to road signs - this is a great opportunity to use the connections of your board to utilize local promotional opportunities!

Press & Promotion

Utilize your board members to make sure potential donors are aware of your campaign! While your staff members and volunteers will also be working on marketing and promoting this event, your board members can play a crucial role in educating those who otherwise may not have seen your messaging. Just by putting up a flyer in a local business or having a conversation with their co-workers, your mission has the potential to impact more people with the help of your board.

Tasks for these board members could include:

  • Getting the word out: Your board can play a huge role in getting the word out about your campaign. Whether it’s distributing flyers throughout your community or simply talking about it with their network both online and offline, encouraging your board members to promote your campaign will result in more connections and more donations for your organization!
  • Acting as Social Media Champions for your organization: With online giving, social media can play a crucial role in your success. The problem with social media is that you can spend all day crafting up perfectly engaging posts, but they aren’t going to really have an impact if nobody sees them! On social media, people are more likely to read and click on a post that their friend shares as opposed to a generic ask from an organization. Encourage your board members to support your organization by actively posting on social media. Provide them with a social media guide that they can use to help promote your organization!
  • Share their board story: Each of your board members is serving your organization for a reason. They care about your mission, your impact, and the community and people you serve. Having your board share why they are proud to be a part of your organization has the power to show your supporters and potential donors how your organization is rooted in the passion of those people helping to further your mission. Both you and your board members can use their stories (with their permission of course) in letters, emails, social media posts and beyond! True stories that highlight the impact of your organization and power of your mission can go a long way!

Donor Outreach & Follow Up

Letting all of your donors and supporters know about a campaign can be challenging. You’re going to want to send them emails, social media posts, and maybe even a direct mail appeal to get their attention and gain their support. Letting donors know that their impact is being celebrated is a great way to get them excited about the big day!

Tasks for these board members could include:

  • Personal letters to bigger donors: Before the start of a campaign, you should give your big donors some recognition, and let them know about your coming campaign while you do it! Whether it’s by way of a personal letter, note, email, or even a phone call - encourage your board to let your donors know how they have made an impact on your organization and your community. They will not only appreciate the recognition, but will be more likely to support your organization during your upcoming campaign!
  • Ask for Commitments to Donate: Before the start of your campaign, you can invite your supporters to make a commitment to donate to support your organization! Using free photo editing tools like Canva, you can create a custom social share image for your organization’s pledges, so they can let their network know that they will proudly be supporting your organization. This is also a great way to “secure” gifts before your that will have a greater impact!

Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers

Even if your board members aren’t required to make a contribution to serve your organization, they should never turn down an opportunity to support your mission and fundraise on your behalf. Acting as a peer-to-peer fundraiser, each board member can rally around your mission and collect donations as an ambassador and ally for your organization.

Tasks for these board members could include:

  • Create fundraisers on behalf of your organization: Your board members as well as any other key supporters can create their own personal fundraising pages to share out with their network to support your organization. Sharing their personal stories of why they support your cause and your mission will entice donors you would never have been able to reach to support you.
  • Host a FUNdraisers party: Invite your board members, volunteers, or best supporters to come together to learn about how they can rally around your cause for your campaign. All you need are some light refreshments and a few computers to get everyone set up with their own personal fundraising page. Check out this blog for tips on how to throw your own Fundraising Champion party!