Board members clash on donor relationship strategies. How do you navigate this contentious terrain?

In 30 years of nonprofit leadership, I have yet to have a majority of my board that were willing to engage in fund raising of any kind. I consider this to be my biggest failure as Executive Director. We raised over two million dollars a few years ago thru a capital campaign. We had a committee of four board members, myself and a campaign consultant. We all worked together to achieve the goal even exceeding that goal. I failed to energize the other board members. The conflict as I see is an unwillingness to ask others for money, any amount of money. They, the board see this as the Executive Directors function. I do fund raise, I write grants, cultivate donors and I network. I can only imagine the results with everyone participating.

The key is to exercise authentic leadership by clearly presenting a donor strategy that best moves the organization towards sustainable growth and impact in the best alignment with the organization’s values .

Fundraising is part science and part art. And the better you know the science, the more creatively you can apply the art. Fortunately, there is an abundance of research, data and case studies that can guide us in the direction of prudent decision-making. Of course, the science must fit the culture of the non-profit and its donor and prospect databases. So, keep close to the science when in the middle of conflicting viewpoints on how to most effectively discover, cultivate, solicit and steward donor prospects. At the same time be flexible to adapt strategy to your environment and top goals and objectives.

I believe the board members would have good intentions when presenting unique strategies or ideas. Besides, they would go down with the organization if their ideas fail and let their community down, right? I hope they are in their position because they want to make positive changes. I want to remind people that having an open mind and a new point of view is essential for progression and innovation. We also must remember that these new points of view might consider other groups' needs when proposing new ideas for change. Sometimes, it's worth hearing what others have to say. ????♀?

Manejar conflictos en la junta directiva, especialmente sobre estrategias de relación con los donantes, requiere un enfoque cuidadoso y estratégico. Facilitar una comunicación abierta y honesta: Organiza reuniones donde todos los miembros puedan expresar sus opiniones y preocupaciones sin interrupciones. La escucha activa es crucial para entender las diferentes perspectivas. Buscar puntos en común: Identifica las áreas en las que todos están de acuerdo y utilízalas como base para construir una solución. Establecer objetivos claros: Define claramente los objetivos de la relación con los donantes. Asegúrate de que todos los miembros de la junta entiendan y estén alineados con estos objetivos.

Communication is the key. Listenning attentively and engage in problem solving. Listen Love Learn Let Go and Leave a Legacy is highly recommended. See academyofwellness.com

Acredito que o segredo está em ouvir atentamente cada conselheiro, captando e registrando seus principais anseios, dúvidas e vis?es para o futuro do negócio. Esse dialogo identificar pontos de convergência em suas perspectivas, possibilitando a apresenta??o de indicadores que os conven?am de maneira assertiva.

Use data to backup your strategy. Whether it's internal trend data or aggregate data compiled for the nonprofit sector as a whole, demonstrate your strategy is not based on personal preference but on evidence based results.