Driving change: Board engagement
An effective board can be our best advocate, cheerleader, and connector—but a board must be more than that: Our boards must both reflect and center our communities.
In partnership with the George H. Heyman Jr. Program in Philanthropy and Fundraising, we brought together a panel of industry leaders to discuss how to drive more effective board engagement [watch the video]:
What makes good board leadership?
How can we tie board leadership to community-centric fundraising models?
What does an ideal board look like?
How can we inspire more philanthropic engagement?
Panelists included:
Timothy Higdon, President and CEO, Hearing Health Foundation (Moderator)
Bali Lambie-Boyer, Vice President of Development, Feeding Westchester
Jennifer Li Dotson, Board of Directors, AFP U.S. Foundation for Philanthropy
Laura Safran, Managing Director, Aperio Philanthropy
There is an industry-wide hunger for change when it comes to board engagement. So how can we make that happen?
Know what you need from your board
Having the community you serve reflected on your board is crucial to bringing equity to your organization. To do this, you need to do internal workaround board recruitment. “It’s important to ask where we are going, what are our needs, and what support do we need from a [prospective] board member,” Laura noted. Working internally with key stakeholders will provide the road map you need to begin.
Boards composed of individuals with diverse skills and perspectives will yield more creativity and innovation. To get there your organization needs to build authentic relationships with prospective board members and see how their personal commitments align with your mission. Create a space your prospective board members can bring their whole selves into your work, not just their identity and background.
Building this relationship is the vital foundation for effective boards.
Set clear expectations
With strong relationships in hand, you then need to set clear expectations for each member of your board. This is especially important in relation to philanthropy.
We all want 100% of our board giving financially to our organization. Set that expectation early and get written agreements from each board member for this commitment.
However, to get more meaningful philanthropic engagement from your board, you need to sell them on your mission.
An ideal board is one that is “courageous about being an ambassador for your organization,” says Jennifer. Take the time to talk with each board member about what their ambassadorship might look like. This can be making introductions, doing thank you calls, attending donor meetings, and more. On-going, meaningful conversations will create buy-in and accountability for your board members and yield better outcomes for all.
One powerful example of this came from Bali. She shared how her team was working to get a well-known figure in their community on the board. This person joined their board but did not have clear expectations of what their role should be. While they had a “great name in influence and affluence, we weren’t able to leverage it.”
By setting clear expectations, you will set your team and board members up for success.
Bring your board along for the journey
All non-profits are on a journey to be more diverse, more responsive to community needs, and more equitable. This includes your board. As Jennifer shared, “Your board is always going to be a work in progress but doing the work to ensure equity will be your greatest asset.”
Have ongoing, honest conversations with your entire board regarding your equity work. Don’t be afraid to ask for their feedback, thoughts, and suggestions. When your board walks alongside you in this work, you will yield better results.
“Your board members are your partners but you have to be clear with them. Have those conversations, be open and honest with them, and set expectations, set roles and responsibilities, and hold everyone accountable,” says Laura.
Parting wisdom
The conversations we have had throughout the fall in partnership with the Heyman Program have highlighted the need for honest conversations to change philanthropy. Jennifer’s closing remarks can guide all of us to start having them:
“The book of fundraising was being rewritten as we were doing this work. Fundraising is a profession that really is a group that leans in and supports each other… Board engagement is our greatest strength, our greatest joy, but can be our greatest sense of change. So let’s change this world together.”
Bekah Eichelberger
Bekah has been involved with nonprofit organizations since she was 10 years old.
After working in regional theatre in Washington, DC, she joined Planned Parenthood Keystone as a grant writer. She serves on the board of trustees for Touchstone Theatre in Bethlehem, PA.
