For many organizations, the last two months of the year deliver between 30 and 50 percent of annual fundraising revenue. Despite this, many nonprofit boards remain passive during this critical time when they could be active fundraising partners.
Your board doesn’t need fundraising experts to be effective. But your board members do need clarity, alignment, and meaningful ways to participate. When nonprofit boards engage strategically, they unlock potential your development staff can’t tap into alone.
To make that happen, your board needs to have three specific conversations. But before diving into those conversations, it’s important to address what often goes unsaid.
Fundraising Doesn't Have to Be a Dirty Word
Ask any nonprofit leader what board members fear most, and fundraising often tops the list. Whether it’s fear of rejection, lack of confidence, or sheer discomfort, many board members hesitate to engage in fundraising activities.
It’s no wonder. Board members often assume “fundraising” means cold-calling strangers during dinner or awkwardly asking friends for donations. Even the most enthusiastic members, who say, “I’m not afraid to ask anyone for anything,” often hesitate when it’s time to join a donor visit or make the ask.
We try to help. We host board retreats, offer solicitation training, and outline expectations in onboarding. But these efforts rarely address the root issue: expecting board members to transition from zero experience to confident fundraisers without support.
Reflect on your own development journey. Most fundraisers don’t start with six-figure asks. Instead, many of us started with annual fund work or alumni outreach. Over time, we learned by observing peers and seasoned professionals. We were allowed to grow.
Our board members deserve the same opportunity.
Yes, board fundraising is a key responsibility—but it’s one that must be nurtured. Start with practical, confidence-building conversations that ease them into the role and make their involvement feel both valuable and doable.
Year-end planning should begin well before the leaves turn.
OneCause’s Ultimate Guide to Year-End Giving reminds us that successful year-end campaigns start with planning in late summer, when development teams are clarifying goals, shaping messaging, and mapping out donor outreach strategies.
To become the kind of partner your development team needs, your board needs to be brought into year-end planning early. That’s now.
Conversation No. 1: What Are We Asking Donors to Support Right Now?
Your board can’t support an initiative they don’t fully understand. Development teams often assume board members grasp the campaign goals, messaging, and timing, but without clear explanations, that’s rarely true.
Year-end fundraising is unique. It’s time-sensitive, competitive, and closely tied to operational needs or donor retention. Without clear answers to “Why now?” and “Why this?” board members struggle to advocate effectively.
This conversation helps your board:
- Grasp the specific goals and urgency of your year-end appeal.
- Internalize the campaign’s story and value proposition.
- Speak clearly and confidently to peers, prospects, and donors.
Ask your board directly:
- What story would you share about why this campaign matters?
- How would you summarize our year-end goals in one sentence?
- Do you have lingering questions about fundraising priorities?
If board members struggle to respond, the solution is greater clarity—not lower expectations. Provide talking points. Share donor stories. Make it easy for them to believe in the case and speak to it. Clear communication builds confidence, and confidence drives board engagement.
Conversation No. 2: What Role Do You Want to Play in Fundraising?
Every nonprofit board member should have a role in fundraising, especially during year-end. But not everyone needs to be the one making the ask. That’s ok.
Board fundraising exists on a spectrum. Asking is one component. Hosting, stewarding, thanking, and connecting are also critical—and often more comfortable—starting points. The question for your board is not, “Will you fundraise?” It’s “How can you help move donors closer to giving?”
This conversation helps your board:
- Understand the range of ways to support year-end giving.
- Choose roles matching their strengths and comfort level.
- See fundraising as a team effort, not a solo performance.
Practical ways board members can support year-end fundraising:
- Make thank-you calls or writing notes to last year’s donors.
- Host coffee with a potential donor who hasn’t given yet this year.
- Forward campaign emails with a personal message or endorsement.
- Join development staff on donor visits to observe, learn, and add credibility.
These aren’t just helpful touchpoints for donors. They build board member confidence and ownership, which is especially important during a fundraising season where every interaction matters.
Conversation No. 3: How Will We Measure Success as a Team?
Organizations too often measure success solely by funds raised. Effective board engagement requires a broader perspective.
Before your year-end appeal begins and you’re deep into a season of execution, align your board on what collective success looks like beyond financial outcomes.
This conversation helps your board:
- Own their role in overall fundraising success.
- Hold themselves accountable for agreed-upon actions.
- Celebrate non-financial wins and individual efforts.
Consider broader measures of success:
- Did board members introduce or re-engage any donors?
- How many stewardship touchpoints did the board complete?
- How many board members took an action that supported fundraising—even if it didn’t lead directly to a gift?
Regular acknowledgement encourages continued involvement. In other words, don’t wait until January. A quick shout-out during a meeting or a thank-you email from the executive director can reinforce positive engagement. Make it clear that fundraising is something your nonprofit board does with you—not separately or after the fact. Recognizing small wins creates a supportive culture during a high-pressure season.
Year-End Fundraising Requires a Team Effort
Year-end appeals are critical opportunities for fundraising—and they occur in one of the most competitive giving periods of the year. Donor attention is fragmented, inboxes are crowded, and every nonprofit makes a case for support. To break through the noise, your development team cannot work alone.
Successful year-end campaigns involve nonprofit boards that understand the plan, feel confident in the messaging, and clearly understand their roles. This doesn’t happen spontaneously. It results from intentional board engagement, clear communication, and early planning.
Before launching your next appeal, schedule time for these conversations. Engage and activate your nonprofit board early. Your donors will notice—and respond—when your entire team, including the board, is fully engaged.
About the Winkler Group
Nonprofits are essential to thriving communities. The best ones transform lives and shape brighter futures. We help make that impact possible.
For over two decades, the Winkler Group has specialized in guiding organizations from vision to action through strategic planning, capital campaigns, and fundraising counsel that delivers results.
A national firm headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, with offices across the country, the Winkler Group proudly walks alongside organizations committed to education, community impact, and serving the greater good.
