GivingTuesday is a pivotal moment for non-profits to secure vital funding, but success often hinges on a potentially underutilized resource: your organization's board of directors. A highly engaged board doesn't just govern; they actively fundraise, advocate and lend credibility to your cause.

Here's how to effectively mobilize your board to ensure your GivingTuesday campaign surpasses its goals.

How to mobilize your nonprofit board this GivingTuesday

Communicate Early

Your board needs to know about the campaign well in advance. At the board meeting preceding GivingTuesday, explain two things: the big picture and the specific ask. 

Knowing the big picture of why GivingTuesday matters for the organization's mission and how the funds raised will be used is important for board members’ internal motivation and also prepares them to clearly communicate that to their network Find the right words for GivingTuesday (and all-year-round) messaging.

It is crucial to communicate why board members’s contribution to fundraising efforts is essential to the longterm health of the organization and its mission. A 2012 survey from Nonprofit Research Collaborative found that organizations with boards actively involved in fundraising are more likely to meet their goals. For the board meeting presentation, create slides to underscore the critical nature of GivingTuesday and the subsequent end-of-year giving period in advancing the organization's mission.

Once you’ve communicated the need, what do you want your board members to do to contribute? Be clear and direct about what you need from them. Vague requests lead to inaction. 

Clear and direct board participation ideas:

• Personal Gift: Every board member should make a donation, regardless of size, before the campaign launches. Their 100% participation signals strong institutional health and encourages external giving. Additionally, potential donors are more likely to contribute thanks to the social proof of seeing a campaign off to a great start! Tap into donor psychology to increase GivingTuesday donations.  
• Peer-to-Peer Outreach: Ask your board members to forward the official campaign email to a minimum of five personal contacts, whether they be family, friends or colleagues. This action directly grows your donor base. Set measurable goals, like how many people your board members are to reach out to, and a total amount they should aim to fundraise with the help of their network. Make this a group activity in the board meeting by setting a 5 minute timer and have your board members fill out the Sphere of Influence PDF, which you can find in the replay package from our free GivingTuesday webinar! Afterwards, go around the room and ask your board members to share the names of the people they will ask. Keep track of those names so if any of those people donate, you can let that board member know to reach out and thank them for their contribution!
• Social Amplification: Request that your board members share campaign posts on their personal social media accounts. Board members are like microinfluencers in your community, and their network is valuable. A personal endorsement lends more weight than an organizational post alone. Prepare a social media template and caption copy suggestions to give to your board so posting is as easy as possible. Make sure the caption suggestion leaves room for the board member to share their personal story of why they support the nonprofits’ mission. You can also prepare email templates for your board. A robust nonprofit social media strategy should be part of every GivingTuesday game plan. 

Treat your board members like VIP donors

While they govern, board members are also your most important donor segment. Recognize their personal contributions publicly (with their permission) or privately. This reinforces the value of their financial commitment. Reinforce that your board members are leaders in the community, and they can lead by example. You can also give them an exclusive preview of the campaign material, like emails, social graphics and donation page. If board members feel informed and privy to "insider" information, they will be more invested in the outcome.

Leverage the power of matching challenges

A board-led matching gift challenge is an incredible motivator for donors. You could ask board members to pool their contributions to create a visible, exciting matching fund (for example, "$5,000 from the Board will match all donations received until noon!"). Although board members will give that amount regardless of if outside donors reach that amount, this commitment creates urgency and provides an immediate incentive for new and existing donors, showing the board's collective belief in the organization's ability to maximize every dollar. 

Track and Celebrate Successes

You could create some friendly competition to inspire your board members by creating Peer-to-Peer Fundraising pages for each board member. Whoever raises the most through their page gets a plastic trophy and bragging rights! If your board is hesitant to fundraise “alone,” you can create pages for pairs of board members, so they can collaborate. 

Immediately following the conclusion of GivingTuesday, send an upbeat, celebratory email to your board, highlighting the results achieved and recognizing their hard work and successful networking efforts. We did it! 

At the board meeting following GivingTuesday, celebrate the collective success. Remember how you got a list of people the board members were to reach out to? Now is a great time to recognize and celebrate the ripple effects of that outreach. 

Effective collaboration is key to success

An engaged board is not just a governance body; they are your most passionate team of fundraisers. The energy of leadership, of your board, directly influences the cause. By setting clear expectations, treating them as essential partners and celebrating their impact, you can turn your board into a powerhouse for your GivingTuesday success.

Want to learn more about this topic and other important GivingTuesday considerations? Check out our on-demand GivingTuesday webinar, download our free GivingTuesday Game Plan and keep an eye out for more giving season materials to come.