I got so much positive feedback on this interview with Mary Hiland back in February that I want to make sure you saw this episode! 

I asked Mary a handful of the board related questions I always hear from the leaders I work with! The first one…Is it the board's responsibility to fundraise?

I've started 2024 with an incredible list of clients I’m already inspired by! We are in the thick of things as they prepare to shift out of transactional fundraising and into attracting investment-level donors.

On multiple occasions these last few weeks, I’ve heard something like this:

“My board member wants to throw a fundraising event but they want it to be FUN for their networks they’re inviting.”

Nonprofit CEOs: Have you ever had a board member ask to be compensated?

This is a question one of my clients was asked recently. So, in my podcast I answered this question by going straight to the expert to provide some clarity: Mary Hiland, Founder and President of Hiland Consulting.

Nonprofit CEOs: Should you always have to ask your board before making an investment?

That’s a common (and often debated) question within nonprofit organizations.

Who better to get a thoughtful answer from than @Mary Hiland, Founder and President of Hiland Consulting. Mary is MORE than qualified to weigh in, having worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 40 years.

Is it the responsibility of a nonprofit board to fundraise?

Some might say “absolutely,” others say “it depends,” and still others aver “no way.”

This is one of the topics I discussed recently with Mary Hiland, Founder and President of Hiland Consulting on my podcast. Mary has deep expertise in this area, having worked in the nonprofit sector for over 40 years.

Nonprofit CEOs - I don’t need to tell you that every person who is part of the nonprofit plays a role in fundraising. Board members are in a unique position to introduce their networks + foster relationships with donors.

Sounds great! So what’s the problem?

I was listening to a personal finance podcast the other day. My favorite one right now by Ramit Sethi. He interviews couples about how they manage (& fight, disagree, stress over) their finances. The other day he was talking about ‘the number’. You know, the highest dollar amount you each can spend without asking your partner . . .

Can we have an honest discussion about something?

If the ONLY day your ED, Board Members, or staff are showing up LinkedIn is on annual giving days (like Giving Tuesday in a few weeks) to ask for a donation, you have a problem.

And not only a problem, but a missed opportunity.

I was in a meeting with the Executive Board of one of my clients. And there was a phrase used that showed me they really don’t understand what fundraising even is. 

The phrase that took me aback?

A moment of honesty. Can I tell you one of the most frustrating things I hear as someone who serves nonprofit CEOs and their teams? 

The phrase: “I talked to the Board and they said no.”

One of the most common concerns I get from leaders and boards THINKING about hiring me to increase their mid- and major-left gifts is this . . .

There’s a phrase I hear a lot when leaders describing their team's approach to individual fundraising. It goes something like this:

“They just need to move from transactional to relational fundraising.”

Well, that’s kinda the problem. 

Nonprofit CEOs - Do you know ‘the number’?

You know…the amount of money you can spend without having to ask your board…