Understanding Your Board

Your Board members play a crucial role in supporting your organization. They likely serve on your Board for one or more of the following reasons:

They helped found the organization.
They were invited by the CEO or another Board member.
They have financially invested in the organization and hold a vested interest.
They bring valuable connections and contacts to support growth.
They believe in your mission and want to contribute their time, talent, or resources.
They see Board service as a professional development opportunity.
They have yet to be asked to step down.

Understanding these motivations can help you effectively engage them in your recurring giving initiative.

Assessing Board Engagement

Are your Board members actively involved in your organization? An engaged Board can be a strong advocate for your fundraising initiatives. Consider the following:

Do they attend meetings regularly?
Do they actively participate in discussions and decision-making?
Do they contribute financially without being asked?
Do they attend annual events?
Do they volunteer their time?
Do they refer others to support your mission?
Do they help with fundraising efforts and donor outreach?

If your Board is engaged, that’s fantastic! But if not, there are steps you can take to strengthen their involvement.

To watch a webinar on this topic, visit our Webinar Library

Strategies to Engage Your Board

1. Gain Leadership Buy-In

Your CEO and Board Chair should champion your fundraising initiatives. They should be the first to commit to financial support and communicate its importance to the rest of the Board.

2. Define the Ask Clearly

Before approaching Board members, clarify what you need from them. Are you asking them to participate in a particular type of giving (ex: monthly or event sponsorship)? Set a measurable goal, such as achieving 75% Board participation within the next month.

3. Make Giving Simple

Eliminate barriers to participation. Instead of requiring Board members to navigate multiple pages to donate, provide direct Harness campaign links and text-to-give keywords in meeting agendas, emails, or presentations. Make donating as seamless as possible.

4. Be Strategic with Timing

If your Board already has significant commitments—such as mandatory event attendance or annual giving requirements—be mindful of when and how you introduce this new initiative to avoid "ask fatigue."

5. Anticipate Questions and Resistance

Change can be met with hesitation. Be prepared to address questions about new processes and how your fundraising/other initiatives benefits the organization. Provide clear and concise responses to ease concerns.

6. Demonstrate the Impact

Show Board members why your requested fundraising initiatives like recurring giving matters. Use real numbers to illustrate how small contributions add up over time. Example: “If just X number of us sign up, we will surpass our investment in this initiative within X months and generate an additional $X,XXX in sustainable revenue.”

7. Offer Incentives

Consider highlighting participating Board members in a public-facing feature, such as a social media post or newsletter interview. Showcase their leadership and commitment, which may inspire others to follow suit.

8. Lead with Enthusiasm

Your excitement will be contagious! If you’re passionate about the program, your Board will be more likely to engage and advocate for it.

Once you’ve laid the groundwork for Board engagement, it’s time to put these strategies into action. The next step is to communicate directly with your Board members, ensuring they understand the initiative and their role in its success. Below is a sample email you can use to introduce the recurring giving program and encourage participation.

Engagement Template

Sample Board Engagement Email

Subject: Be a Champion for [Your Organization] – Join Our New Giving Initiative

Dear [Board Member],

We are grateful for your leadership and dedication to [Your Organization]. Your commitment to [cause/mission] makes a lasting impact, and we appreciate your support.

We’re excited to introduce a new giving campaign, [Campaign Name], designed to engage [new donors, lapsed donors, younger supporters, etc.] and strengthen our organization’s long-term financial stability.

This initiative provides donors with [unique benefits, such as ease of giving, community impact, etc.]. It will help us achieve [strategic goal], making it easier than ever for our supporters to contribute in a meaningful way.

Before we launch to the public on [date], we’d love for you to be among the first to participate. Your involvement will help us refine the donor experience and set an example for our community.

Join us today by donating here: [Harness fundraising link].

If you have any questions, please reach out to [contact person] at [phone/email].

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Best,

[Your Name]

[Your Organization]

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