What do you do if your philanthropy board members are becoming disengaged?

The best way to re-engage a board member is to get them deeply involved in an initiative at the organization that they are super passionate about where their unique skills and talents can be leveraged. By seeking out their expertise and reminding them how valuable their contributions are to the success of the organization it will be trust and remind them that their time and talent is treasured.

Four steps to re-engage board members: 1. Focus your board reports on specific strategic initiatives that the board approved. Show them how the pursuit of these initiatives is making an impact in your community. 2. Structure meaningful opportunities for board members to hear directly from the people you serve at a board meeting. Invite a program manager to join them and highlight impactful program elements. 3. Have regular personal conversations with board members thanking them for their involvement. Ask for their input on how the board meetings are going. 4. Ask your board members for their ideas about how to address challenging issues. Give them a meaningful role in guiding the organization's direction.

I’ve found disengagement can occur when we, as the “board engagement liaisons,” fail to provide our key volunteers with important and achievable responsibilities that are integral to the success of not just the board but the institution itself. These duties must align in significance with the list of responsibilities (ideally formal, written roles) we shared with them when we first recruited the volunteers. Assuming they do, and, as such match the expectations of our board members, you’ll have a recipe for engaged volunteers. If they don’t match, and the tasks assigned are “make-work” or ceremonial, you risk demotivating your board members. And an unmotivated and disengaged board, sadly, can in my view be worse than no board at all.

Nine times out of ten, if a board member starts to get disengaged, it is because they are disengaged from the mission. We open every committee meeting and board meeting with a "Mission Moment." It can be a video, a picture and a story or just a great shared memory. I ask my board members to create their own story. I set up meetings and immerse them in the mission work. They always meet someone who's life has be changed because of our mission. They will tell this self-lived experience for years to their network and when they get asked "why are you on that board?" Disengaged board member = Engage them in the mission!

Reengaging a board member or a leadership volunteer starts with getting to the bottom of why they are there in the first place. Once you identify their “why,” helping reconnect them with that passion through opportunities that speak to those points of interest. Whether it’s a program or the cause that has impacted them personally, helping those board members rekindle their fire through what brought them there is a start. Following that, I would find out what’s important to them now that the organization is or should be doing and what is the legacy they want to leave through their involvement in the board. Helping identify their current “WIFM” may open possibilities to engage them in ways that weren’t previously clear.

As a Board Chair, I have navigated a disengaged board, and what really helped was my willingness to individually connect with members to request and listen to candid feedback about where the disconnection lies. Many times it is not rooted in the mission, vision or values of the organization but rather something personal or an area of the board experience that needs to be improved. By leaning in and being willing to hear uncomfortable feedback, as a leader you can establish deeper bonds for individual board members and refine the experience by asking folks to participate in solution designing for their identified obstacle. This can be a method to reengage members as well.

Ask each member to share what "belonging" on the board means to them. The answers may be surprising but giving them an opportunity to share, shows that their opinions and feedback matters.

In my experience when board members are transparent about their thoughts and ideas important to the development of the organization, other board members open up and share their experiences.

The first step is to understand the root cause of their disconnection. It's essential to approach this situation with empathy and curiosity rather than judgment. Schedule individual meetings with each member to create a safe space for open dialogue. During these conversations, actively listen to their concerns, frustrations, and suggestions. Sometimes, disengagement stems from feeling undervalued, unheard, or disconnected from the organization's mission. By acknowledging their perspectives and experiences, you can begin to rebuild trust and rapport. Revisit the organization's mission, vision, and goals. Remind board members of the impact their involvement has on advancing your shared cause. Identify alignment with the organization's needs.

An open dialogue is imperative, but I wouldn't only focus on the problems, as suggested here. Have open discussions on the purpose and vision of the organisation to connect everyone around a shared dream. Reignite people's passion, reminding them why they joined in the first place. A strength-based approach, like appreciative inquiry, can achieve much better results.

In a previous organisation I worked out, we set fundraising tasks for the Board and ensured they were clearly delegated to individuals. This was extremely effective - often people just want direction and a to-do list!

Establish clear and achievable goals for the board and the organization. Having specific objectives can help re-engage members by giving them a sense of purpose and direction.

Establish a Board discipline of reflection and evaluation around vision, mission, impact and the call to action. Board members are your non profit’s most loyal champions; however, they, like all people, seek inspiration, care and feeding. Engaging them on a regular basis in rededication efforts around their and your org’s why along with discussion and activation around consequential strategic priorities will ignite and keep their engagement in philanthropy alive and well. Board members want to lead lives of consequence and advancing your org is where they are choosing to manifest this objective. Let’s not squander the sacred opportunity.

The Board Chair should make time to meet with each board member (could be just 20 minutes) to learn what excites them about being on the board. He/She should make sure each board member's talents and skills are being used optimally. Last, the Fundraising office should weigh in on ways the board can support them, ex: attend a visit with a donor, make a call to thank a volunteer, participate on the Giving Tuesday Committee or the Gift Acceptance Policy Committee. The Development Officer with the CEO should steward board members by remembering birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, and other personal events going on in the lives of board members.

I once worked for a nonprofit where the Board members were misaligned. Over three full working days, I engaged them in revising strategic objectives, reevaluating the mission, vision, goals, and sense of purpose. This collaborative approach boosted teamwork, cohesion, and overall organizational impact. We committed to regular strategy reviews -once every quarter- and often included staff, beneficiaries, stakeholders, and major donors, with positive results. Involving them ensured diverse perspectives and expertise were respected, and their values were integrated into the organization's strategic direction.

Onboarding and periodic, ongoing training supports Board engagement. Training topics and material ideas: “elevator pitch” or talking points about the mission, goals, etc.; how to interpret financial docs; effective peer-to-peer fundraising ideas. Additionally, asking Board members to complete a short, online survey each year to offer how they can support the organization in the coming year encourages engagement. The survey can be a simple checkbox list with a list of various ways or resources, like: financial consultation, networking, marketing or communication advice, pro bono legal support, etc. A survey gathers helpful info but also serves as a gentle reminder to each member that the organization needs and expects their support.

Offer training and development opportunities to enhance board members' skills and knowledge related to philanthropy, governance, fundraising, and leadership. Providing resources and support can increase their confidence and effectiveness in their roles.

Offer opportunities for professional development and training sessions to enhance their skills and knowledge. This can help board members feel more confident and empowered in their roles.

On our philanthropic board, we've found that starting each meeting by sharing small wins not only sets a positive tone but also strengthens our teamwork. It's a practice I highly value as it encourages us to recognize and celebrate every step forward, no matter the size. This approach has been instrumental in building a supportive environment and enhancing our collective motivation. Celebrating these moments brings us closer together, reinforcing our commitment to our shared vision and mission. Let's keep highlighting and cherishing these wins; they're the building blocks of our larger achievement!

Emphasize the importance of collaboration and teamwork among board members. Encourage them to work together towards common goals and initiatives, fostering a sense of camaraderie and collective responsibility.

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies and initiatives in re-engaging board members. Be willing to adapt your approach based on feedback and insights gained from ongoing reflection and assessment.

Embracing a culture of reflection allows to acknowledge and learn from disengagement. By openly discussing challenges and successes, we foster trust and transparency within board. This enables organisations to adapt strategies, setting small, achievable goals to catalyze positive change and enhance overall engagement in their philanthropic mission.

I would get rid of the bad apples by asking them for a legacy. They leave quickly and the good ones re-engage seriously thinking “long term planning.”

If your philanthropy board is disengaging from the task at hand, I would quickly seek to understand board member expectations in order to assess the disconnect (cause of the disengagement). Unless recruitment was unclear about the roles and expectations, board members often begin to disengage when they feel they are not needed, not contributing, or not making a difference in the charity’s mission. Successful engagement of philanthropy board members requires ongoing clarity about their role along with ongoing demonstration their role is meaningful to both the board member and the organization.

1. Involve them in missions based on their areas of interest. Immersion does wonders in invoking interest. Being involved gives them a taste of what first attracted them. 2. After the mission, request feedback on the mission and if/how they would want to be involved going forward. 3. Ask them to reflect and privately send their decision to remain on the Board or voluntarily retire. 4. Request a referral to others that they think may be considered as advocates for rhe philanthropy. Thereafter, allow those with interests in the philanthropy to first serve as advocates, them choose board members diligently

In addition to the suggestions above about individual dialog and needs/interest assessment and value alignments, sometimes the only real solution is to get some new blood on the board and thank the chronically disengaged for their service and bid them adieu.

Facilitate Peer-to-Peer Connections: Encourage board members to build relationships with each other. Strong interpersonal connections can enhance collaboration and engagement.