What expectations should fundraising have of the board?

My conversation today with Gretchen reminded me of some of the observations that I have made concerning boards and fundraising. Throughout my career I have noticed two consistent yet disparate themes that I suspect those with even a brief tenure in fundraising will be familiar with. The first is what we might call “board knows best”: board members whose inclination is to always assume the existence of expertise that the fundraiser doesn’t have and therefore they must provide. The second theme, perhaps a defense mechanism in response to the first, is what we might call “blame the board” which is the tendency of nonprofit leaders and their fundraisers to scapegoat the board for all the reasons fundraising isn’t working. Neither storyline is particularly helpful, and I am hopeful that our listeners have the benefit of working for organizations that have matured beyond both of them. 

Today’s deliberation of board dynamics with Gretchen was much enjoyed. Perhaps a bit uncertain of where we were going at first, we arrived at an ideal where the board is advancing rather interfering with our fundraising efforts. We compared notes on where we have seen board members contribute in meaningful ways and where all they can seem to do is get in the way. If your organization is trying to reconcile the expectations you have (and don’t have) of board members when it comes to fundraising, don’t miss today’s conversation on The Fundraising Talent Podcast.

As always, we are especially grateful to our friends at CueBack for sponsoring The Fundraising Talent Podcast. And, a special thank you to Erica Yaeger and her team at the North Texas Food Bank for hosting our roadshow earlier this week. Your partnership is very much appreciated.