Welcome to my blog! I’m excited to share a blend of insights from my years in the nonprofit world, along with lighthearted stories from my travels and everyday life. Whether you’re looking for practical tips, helpful resources, or simply a good laugh, you’ll find it here.
I hope these reflections and anecdotes will inform, inspire, and bring a smile to your face. Thank you for stopping by—I can’t wait to learn and grow together!
Why aren’t my board members fundraising?
With that out of the way, let’s talk about one of the most common fundraising requests we make of board members:
“Can you make some introductions?”
In my experience, this request often makes board members nervous. It can feel like we are asking them to monetize their friendships: I invite you to my favorite nonprofit event, and then when you ask me to join your favorite nonprofit event, I feel obliged to reciprocate.
So let’s think about this request (“introduce your friends to us”) a little differently. When we talk about making introductions, we aren’t suggesting that you bring your friend who’s never heard of the organization in to meet with the executive director, who then makes an ask for a gift. That’s just not great fundraising.
Data and Relationship Building: Unlikely Friends (But Better Together)
When people talk about relationship-based fundraising, they often picture chatting over coffee, heartfelt conversations, handwritten notes, and connecting at events. They don’t usually picture databases, fields, reports, or data entry. And yet, some of the strongest (and weakest) donor relationships I’ve experienced have been shaped quietly, behind the scenes, by how well an organization keeps its records.
Databases may not be the most exciting part of fundraising, but they are one of the most important tools we have for building and sustaining authentic donor relationships.
You Have a New Board Member - Now What?
You’ve recruited a new board member - congratulations!
But now what?
Too often, nonprofit leaders work hard to identify and recruit new board members, only to feel disappointed when those new members don’t dive in with energy and initiative. The truth is, board members - especially those new to your organization - need more than a seat at the table. They need orientation, engagement, and clarity about what success looks like.
This post is a companion to my earlier piece, “You’ve Joined a Nonprofit Board - Now What?”, which offered guidance to individual board members. This one is for those nonprofit staff and leaders who want to set their board members up for success from day one, increasing the efficacy of the board as a whole.
You’ve Joined a Nonprofit Board—Now What?
You’ve joined the board of a local nonprofit with the best of intentions. You want to give back to your community, and support an organization that does great work in a meaningful way.
Hopefully, you received an orientation and maybe even a job description. You almost certainly got a schedule of board meetings and upcoming events. But now what?
Here’s the thing: your organization likely values your time and may hesitate to ask too much of you. But the truth is, as a board member, you have a vital role to play. You’re not just a seat at the table—you’re a partner in advancing the mission.
You Have a Fiduciary Role—But That’s Just the Beginning…
Making Time for Meaningful Connections (Even When You're Swamped)
When I was the Director of Development at a mid-sized nonprofit, I wanted to make space for cultivating relationships with our supporters. I knew how important it was. But between meetings, managing staff, responding to emails, and juggling the never-ending to-do list, relationship-building often felt like an afterthought.
And yet, as fundraisers, we know that meaningful connections are among the most effective things we can do.
So why do they often fall to the bottom of the list?