This document discusses strategies for engaging and empowering nonprofit boards of directors. It notes that effective communication is key, and boards are most engaged when members understand how their specific contributions further the organization's mission and impact. The presentation recommends asking board members why they joined the organization and board to understand their motivations, and connecting their passions to the work being done to maximize engagement. Overall it provides tools and best practices for listening to board members and helping them feel successful in advancing the nonprofit's goals.

1. The Cool Table, How to Build and
Empower Your Board for Long
Lasting Financial Success!

2. Rebecca Gordon, CFRE
rebecca@rebeccagordon.org
www.rebeccagordon.org
573-338-3773
Twitter
@rgordongor6
Facebook
The Rebecca Gordon Group

3. Welcome!
Who Is Here?

4. Where Are We Heading Today?

5. ENGAGED:
Strategies to Engage and
Energize Your Board of
Directors
On the Board vs. On Board

6. Though many people are not aware of
it, the nonprofit industry is an
enormous contributor to the American
economy. Nonprofits employ over
13.5 million individuals, roughly 10%
of the country’s workforce and in
2011, charitable giving totaled over
346 billion dollars, a 7.5% increase
over 2010.
To provide a comparison, more people
work in the nonprofit sector than in the
finance industry, including insurance
and real estate combined.
From the Independent Sector and Atlas of
Giving

9. • What are the biggest challenges with
your board?
Building?
Engaging?
Empowering?

10. Service:
Contribution to the welfare
of others. The act of serving
or a helpful act.
Source – Merriam-Webster
dictionary

11. The total process by which
an organization increase
public understanding of its
mission and acquires
financial support for its
programs.
- Source: AFP Fundraising
Dictionary

12. The Secret to Engaging YOUR Board.

13. “ Feeling good
is what
nonprofits sell.”
Seth Godin, Author

14. Communication is KEY to cracking the
secret!
Communication Includes:

15. “The single biggest problem in
communication is the illusion that it has
taken place”
George Bernard
Shaw

16. The Channel of Communication –
Who is communicating?
•Staff
•Board Peer
•Community Members

17. What are the Channels
of Communication?
•Board Meetings
•Newsletters
•Email
•Social Media
•Phone
* Communication is personal…

18. Information Seeking Behavior
Where do we seek our information?

19. Intervening Variables………
•Thousands of Messages
•Deadlines
•Competing Interests
•Family
•Work
•Other issues

21. Top of Mind Awareness – Created and
Reinforced by the organization and its
leadership.
First position is important because the
business that is in the first position is 2X more
profitable than the business in 2nd position and
4X more profitable than the business in 3rd
position.
Mark Dahl
Accountable Marketing Research Group

22. Okay, that’s
marketing –
but how do
we translate
this to
engaging
our board?

23. Powerful contributions are made
when: People are in touch with
their purpose, their vision and with
the difference they make.
When it is clear that a board
member’s goals are clear and
ATTAINABLE – they are engaged
to succeed!
Lynne Twist – Fundraising From the Heart

24. Your Communication:
You have an opportunity to empower people
to feel like a super hero.
To cause a connection
that deeply aligns with
that person’s highest
ideas and values.

26. So What Does All of this Mean?
Have you ever asked your board
members…………
WHY THIS ORGANIZATION?
WHY THIS BOARD?
WHY NOW?

27. Listen to their responses:
Board Members are our
biggest donors, advocates,
sponsors, partners.
An engaged board starts with
board members who feel
successful and know how their
contributions impact the
organization.

28. Tools for Board Engagement
Success
Board Mentoring
Succession Planning
Board Elections
Term Limits
The Power of “Bless
and Release”

29. Pots of Gold!
Board
engagement is
about -
connecting a
board members
passion, their
motivations, with
our mission.

31. THANK YOU!
Rebecca Gordon, CFRE
rebecca@rebeccagordon.org
573-338-3773
www.rebeccagordon.org
http://twitter.com/rgordongor6