How to Get Board Members to Support Your Fundraising (Without Pushing Them)
By Lisa Scott
If you’ve ever said,
“It’s so hard to get our board members to open up their contacts,”
you’re not alone.
We hear it constantly.
Staff tell us:
- “They won’t introduce us to their friends.”
- “They’re protective of their relationships.”
- “They say they’ll help fundraise… but then nothing happens.”
After 25 years of experience working with more than 50 of the world’s leading nonprofits, I can tell you this with certainty:
This dynamic is incredibly common.
To be clear, not every board member resists fundraising. Some genuinely love it. They’re energized by making bold asks and inspired by unlocking major gifts.
But that’s not the norm.
And it’s important to say this, too: not everyone who sits on a board has wealth or access to wealth. We are talking specifically about those board members who either have significant resources themselves or are connected to people who do.
So why the hesitation?
It usually comes down to two things.
The Real Reasons Board Members Hold Back
1. They don’t trust staff to handle their relationships with care.
Relationships are currency.
For many board members, their network represents decades of credibility, social capital, and personal trust. They will not casually “hand over” those relationships unless they are confident the organization will steward them thoughtfully and professionally.
If they’re unsure what will happen after an introduction…
If they don’t know how the cultivation process works…
If they fear being cut out of the loop…
They will protect their contacts.
2. They’re afraid they’ll be forced to ask their friends for money.
Many board members assume that if they introduce someone, they’ll immediately be expected to make the ask.
That fear alone is enough to shut down introductions before they even start.
Clarifying the Board’s Role Changes Everything
Recently, in a training we led for an education nonprofit, we encountered this exact concern.
Board members were hesitant to open their networks because they believed they would be required to solicit gifts directly.
So we clarified something critical:
Soliciting gifts is optional.
In reality, Executive Directors and professional fundraisers are the people most likely to ask for the gift. Board members play a different role.
We reframe their identity as:
- Door openers
- Connectors
- Bridge builders to the community
- Inspirational to potential champions
- (Optional) Solicitors
When board members understand that their primary role is to open doors rather than close the deal, resistance drops dramatically.
But clarity alone isn’t enough.
Trust Is Earned Through Process
No board member will open their network if they don’t trust you.
That trust is built through infrastructure.
Nonprofits must clearly communicate:
- What happens after an introduction is made
- How cultivation strategy is developed
- How the board member will be consulted before any ask
- How progress will be reported back
- What stewardship looks like long-term
When organizations operate with intentional, transparent fundraising systems, board members feel safe participating.
When they don’t? Board members retreat.
This is one of the core principles behind The Transformational Giving Playbook™ — fundraising is not about pressure; it’s about a process. A learnable process.
Treat Board Members as Partners
One of the biggest mindset shifts we teach is this:
Board members are not reluctant fundraisers to be managed.
They are Natural Partners to engage thoughtfully and appropriately in Identification, Qualification, Cultivation, and Stewardship.
That means:
- Sitting down with them during onboarding to understand who they know
- Learning what excites them about your mission
- Clarifying their comfort level with fundraising activities
- Strategizing together on how your organization should approach specific relationships
- Involving them as members of the Cultivation Team
When board members feel respected, informed, and strategically engaged, they become bridge builders rather than bottlenecks.
Learn the Fundraising Process that Changes Everything
If you’re tired of chasing board introductions and want a repeatable system that builds trust and activates the right board members (without forcing awkward asks), let’s set up a conversation.
We’ll help you identify what’s breaking down and the fastest next steps to get your board opening doors and strengthening your major gift pipeline.