Fundraising is a responsibility of the entire nonprofit board. But that doesn't mean every board member needs to ask someone for a donation.
For many nonprofit organizations, board participation in fundraising is a persistent challenge. Board members care about the mission, attend meetings, offer expertise, and make thoughtful decisions. But when fundraising comes up, participation can become uneven.
Often, the problem isn't unwillingness. It's uncertainty about what fundraising actually involves and how individual board members can make a useful contribution.
The good news is that fundraising extends well beyond asking for money. It includes building relationships, expressing gratitude, making introductions, listening, sharing information, and helping people feel connected to an organization's mission.
Here are 15 practical ways nonprofit board members can contribute.
Building Relationships
1. Make a thoughtful introduction
Introduce someone in your network to the organization's executive director or development team. The introduction doesn't need to involve a request for financial support.
It might simply connect two people who share an interest in the mission.
Try this: "I know someone who is interested in the work we're doing. Would it be helpful if I introduced you?"
2. Invite someone to learn about the organization
Invite a friend, colleague, or neighbor to attend an event, visit a program, or meet a staff member.
An invitation to learn is a more natural starting point than an invitation to give.
3. Share why the mission matters to you
Board members have something no brochure can fully replicate: a personal reason for caring about the organization.
Sharing that perspective can make the mission more accessible and meaningful to others.
Try this: "One of the reasons I serve on this board is that I've seen how much of a difference this organization makes."
4. Help identify potential community partners
Think beyond individual donors. Board members may know businesses, civic organizations, professional associations, or community leaders whose interests align with the mission.
Identifying a possible relationship is a valuable contribution, even if someone else takes the next step.
5. Listen for opportunities to connect
Fundraising involves understanding what people care about.
Board members can listen for interests, ideas, and possible connections in everyday conversations, without turning those conversations into solicitations.
The objective is not to evaluate every relationship for financial potential. It's to recognize when shared interests might lead to meaningful involvement.
Expressing Gratitude and Strengthening Connections
6. Write a personal thank-you note
A handwritten or personalized message from a board member can reinforce the significance of a donor's support.
The note does not need to be elaborate.
Try this: "As a board member, I want to personally thank you for supporting our work. Your generosity means a great deal to our organization."
7. Make a thank-you phone call
A brief call with no financial request is a meaningful stewardship activity.
Staff should coordinate these calls and provide any relevant context so that donors aren't receiving duplicative or poorly timed communications.
8. Welcome someone new
At an event or gathering, board members can help new guests feel comfortable, make introductions, and answer questions about the organization.
Making someone feel included is a form of relationship building.
9. Reconnect with a longtime supporter
With staff guidance, board members can reach out to supporters they already know and ask how they're doing or what has interested them about the organization.
The goal is to maintain a genuine relationship, not to turn every interaction into a fundraising opportunity.
10. Celebrate a milestone
Help recognize a volunteer anniversary, a successful program, a community partnership, or a donor's longstanding involvement.
Thoughtful recognition helps reinforce the relationships on which nonprofit organizations depend.
Sharing Knowledge and Creating Opportunities
11. Share an approved organizational story
When the nonprofit publishes a meaningful update, board members can share it with their networks, adding a personal observation about why it matters.
Stories should respect the privacy and dignity of the people served.
12. Offer professional expertise
A board member may have experience in finance, communications, law, technology, business, or another field that can support the organization's development efforts.
The best contributions respond to actual organizational needs rather than creating additional work for staff.
13. Attend a gathering or event
A board member's presence at an event demonstrates organizational commitment.
They can greet guests, facilitate conversations, thank supporters, or simply listen and learn.
14. Help staff understand the community
Board members can share perspectives about emerging community needs, local relationships, or opportunities the nonprofit may not yet have considered.
Their role is to help staff see possibilities, not to make commitments on the organization's behalf.
15. Follow through on one small commitment
Sometimes the most valuable fundraising action is simply doing what you said you would do.
Send the introduction. Write the note. Attend the event. Share the information. Report back to staff.
Consistency builds trust - both within the organization and with the people it serves.
How to Turn These Ideas Into Regular Board Participation
The challenge isn't usually finding 15 things board members could do. It's turning those possibilities into actions that actually happen.
A practical approach is to start small.
Give board members clear choices. Not everyone has the same relationships, confidence, or available time. Offer different kinds of activities.
Make each action manageable. A five-minute thank-you note or a simple introduction can be an appropriate starting point.
Provide language and context. Board members should know whom they're contacting, why, and what they might say.
Coordinate through staff. Activities involving donors and prospective supporters should align with organizational priorities, privacy expectations, and existing relationships.
Recognize participation. Celebrate thoughtful engagement, not only money raised.
Make it a regular practice. Rather than conducting a fundraising training once a year and hoping something changes, incorporate small opportunities for participation throughout the year.
What About Board Members Who Are Uncomfortable With Fundraising?
Their reluctance may reflect how the organization has defined fundraising.
If fundraising is consistently presented as asking friends for money, some board members will disengage. They may lack wealthy networks, feel uncomfortable making solicitations, or simply believe that asking is outside their skill set.
But a board member who isn't comfortable requesting a donation may be excellent at thanking supporters, introducing people, sharing a story, or helping someone feel welcome.
That doesn't mean direct solicitation is unimportant. It means the organization can create multiple pathways for meaningful participation.
Board members should understand the organization's expectations for fundraising and personal giving. Within those expectations, there can be considerable flexibility in how individuals contribute.
The Bigger Picture: Participation Builds a Culture of Fundraising
A strong fundraising board isn't necessarily one in which every member is a skilled solicitor.
It's one in which members understand their role, participate consistently, and work alongside staff to strengthen the relationships that sustain the organization's mission.
Small actions are not a substitute for a comprehensive development strategy. They are a practical way for board members to contribute to it.
The objective is to move from occasional fundraising conversations at board meetings to an ongoing culture of engagement.
How BoardSpring Helps
BoardSpring is designed around a simple idea: nonprofit board members are more likely to participate when they have clear, manageable ways to contribute.
The platform helps nonprofit staff coordinate small fundraising-related activities, gives board members practical guidance and suggested language, and makes participation easier to track.
Rather than expecting every board member to become a solicitor, BoardSpring supports contributions such as gratitude, introductions, relationship building, and learning.
Explore BoardSpring at www.boardspringgroup.com to learn how small actions can become a regular part of board engagement.
