There is a lot at play right now with last year’s tax law changes. No one knows how changes will affect giving this year. What we do know is that we need to talk to our donors about options for giving. More than likely, the terms and definitions offered below will be familiar to you… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Board Development
Lead Board Meetings That Ignite Passion and Engagement
Spring is a busy time in the nonprofit world. So many organizations host galas, golf tournaments, run/walks and other fundraising events. But before you become consumed by centerpieces and table assignments, consider this: How are you engaging your board? As you quickly approach the end of your fiscal year or prepare for annual meetings,… Read more »
How—and why—your board should self-evaluate
In my previous article “Five Steps to a Creating a High-Performing Board,” I offered this road map to ensuring your board knew what was expected of them and coaching them toward greater effectiveness: ?1. Ensure the nominating committee is considering your nonprofit’s unique needs at this point in its organizational development 2. Talk through responsibilities—including… Read more »
5 steps to create a high-performing board
Is your nonprofit’s board of directors living up to expectations? Do they even know what is expected of them? In our work with nonprofits, we’ve sometimes found that when staff and board leadership are disappointed in their board’s performance, it’s often because they have not made their expectations clear—particularly in fundraising. Therefore, to build a successful… Read more »
Wealth advisors on your board? Help them help you.
After two recent conversations with wealth advisors, who were also nonprofit board members and were wrestling with whether they should discuss their own philanthropic priorities with their clients, I began to give this topic some thought. These individuals understood that, as board members, they were expected to be connectors, but they were trying to balance… Read more »
Examining Your Board: Notes from the AFP International Conference
At this year’s Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference in San Antonio, I participated in two sessions on board leadership and how to create a dynamic, purposeful group of volunteers. Kay Sprinkel Grace, spoke passionately about the need to create an environment where there is permission to innovate. Board members and staff should be encouraged to… Read more »
Board Service: How Many Is Too Many?
Last week I led a class for the Board Development Academy hosted by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in Charlottesville, VA. The Board Development Academy is for engaged community leaders, people either early on in their board careers or those who have never been on a board, who want to learn how to effectively serve… Read more »
Engaging Board Members in Fundraising is Key to Success, Latest NRC Study Finds
The latest Nonprofit Research Collaborative (NRC) study on board member engagement in fundraising concludes, among other things, that board members serve two primary fundraising functions: helping the organization reach new prospective donors (access) and indicating the organization’s value to the community by their own association with the group (signaling). Here are some key findings: –… Read more »
Building a Strong Board: Tips From a Seasoned Veteran
Last week we attended the first of the 2012 AFP-Hampton Roads luncheon series. Susan Hirschbiel, philanthropist, community volunteer, and recipient of the National Philanthropy Day 2011 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, spoke on the topic of building a strong board. It’s not often that nonprofit professionals have the opportunity to hear about board service from an actual board… Read more »
Do Your Board Members Have the Arrows They Need?
Earlier this week Keith and I led a workshop during the Virginia Association of Museum’s Annual Conference. As part of our session, entitled Making a Successful Major Gift Ask, we recruited our friends and clients, Page Hayhurst, Executive Director, Carolyn Cuthrell, Director of Development, and Joe Witt, Board Member, from the Virginia Living Museum to… Read more »