Building Trust, Working Together, and Even Having Fun: The Keys to Successful Nonprofit Board Engagement Year-Round

At its core, a strong nonprofit board of directors can be one of the greatest allies for an organization’s mission, strategic vision, and even fundraising. They are the volunteers who staff leadership relies on, turns to, and collaborates with on carrying out the critical work of the organization.

They are advocates, activists, and even cheerleaders who work together—and may even enjoy doing so!—in an entirely volunteer capacity.

But as a nonprofit leader, what’s the best way to ensure such engagement (and enthusiasm) remains strong, year after year?

Leading resources such as BoardSource point to three pillars of successful board involvement: the right people, the right partnership, and the right process.

While it may not always be easy, consistent collaboration and an agreed-upon path forward are the first steps to seeing success among board members.

The Right People

Consider each board member (and even board member prospect) and their willingness and capacity to serve the organization.

Don’t just stop at where they work or who they represent. Have meaningful conversations with each person and identify agreed-upon tasks for the coming year.

A few questions to consider asking: In what prior board service roles did they thrive and enjoy? Which ones proved to be not the best fit? What excites them most about the organization?

The Right Partnership

Ongoing board engagement traditionally falls on the nonprofit’s CEO or executive director, but it needn’t always be that way. A strong, close, and trusted relationship between the leader and the board president offers fertile ground for a unified message and a successful year.

Donor prospect identification and cultivation, donor engagement, and even celebrating staff wins (small and big alike) can be shared asks of the board by both the board president and the nonprofit’s executive director. As a team, the duo can bring different but complementary energy to the board’s work.

The Right Process

Onboarding is key to making this whole formula work, especially if you add board members throughout the year and not all in the same month. One approach to consider: pair new members with current members in the first year, making matches between “rookie” board members and “veterans” who’ve served for several years (or even longer).

Give the board a chance to celebrate their own successes at board meetings – and even highlight the work of a fellow board member.

Board meetings are known for having “mission moments” that focus on the work of the nonprofit organization. Add another key “moment” to your board meeting agenda: discuss and celebrate board member wins. These brief agenda items can also serve as a natural way to set goals for the next few months.

Some of the best board meetings should provide a feeling of shared focus and energy, a clear purpose, and a smooth process.