It’s true. Board members – engaged ones – can mean the difference between a struggling philanthropy program and a thriving culture of philanthropy that yields strong donor relationships and even stronger results. At this week’s Philanthropy Panel for Board Members, we learned how. Here are key takeaways for you:
- Demonstrate board commitment. Invest time. Offer financial support. Take an active role in strategic leadership.
- Engage potential donors. Share strategy, budget, and program outcomes. Encourage healthy donor involvement in your organization.
- Communicate honestly. Be transparent about finances, programs, and development strategy. Be upfront about challenges and how your board is addressing them.
- Collaborate. Seek ways to work with similar organizations to achieve shared goals and avoid redundancies. Be proactive about this so you can communicate effectively with donors about when you collaborate (or don’t) and why.
There is no one size fits all. Donors are people. People are wired differently. You won’t know how your donors want to be stewarded unless you ask. Please ask! And then show you listened in how you communicate.
We are very grateful to the generous philanthropists who participated in the panel, and to board members who made time in their day to join us.
If you missed the Philanthropy Panel for Board Members, no worries! CNE has a variety of tools, trainings, and resources for board members. Visit out our Governance Matters webpages and learn about courses that cover a wide range of topics important to good governance. And don’t forget to check out our upcoming workshops: