How to Transform Your Board Into Fundraising Champions (Even If They’ve Never Asked for a Dime)

Let me tell you a secret:
I used to beg my board to fundraise.

I’d send emails. Share training videos. Drop hints in meetings. I even wrote scripts for them.

And every time?

Silence.
Excuses.
Discomfort.
Delay.

At some point, I told myself: "Maybe they're just not fundraisers. Maybe I need a new board."

But the truth hit me like a brick:
It wasn’t that they couldn’t fundraise; it’s that no one had shown them how.

No one had given them a system.
No one had made them feel equipped.
No one had made them feel like fundraising was their job, too.

That realization changed everything for me and for the nonprofit founders I now coach.

Because once I implemented a system that broke it all down step by step, fundraising became less scary. It became structured, shared, and strategic.

And yes, the same board that once avoided fundraising started showing up, giving first, and helping raise real money.

You can do the same. Let me show you how.

 
Step 1: Start With 100% Board Giving
Before your board can ask anyone to give, they need to give first.

Why? Because fundraising starts with investment.

If your board isn’t personally invested in the organization, they will always hesitate to ask others to do what they themselves haven’t done.

This doesn’t mean they all have to give thousands; it means every board member gives a gift that’s meaningful to them. Something that reflects commitment.

Tool you’ll need: A Board Giving Pledge Form + Intro Content explaining why 100% board giving matters (provided inside The Board Ultimate Fix).

 
Step 2: Relationship Mapping
Your board members know people.
They just don’t know how to connect those people to your mission, yet.

Relationship mapping helps uncover:

• Friends, colleagues, or businesses that align with your cause
• Donor prospects hidden inside their networks
• Brand or foundation connections that could open doors

You’re not asking them to fundraise yet. You’re asking them to identify who they know — and start connecting the dots.

Tool you’ll need: A Relationship Mapping Template and Introduction Strategy (included in The Board Ultimate Fix).

 
Step 3: Fundraising Planning
You need a game plan, not vague goals.

Most boards resist fundraising because the ask feels unclear or too big. But when they’re part of a real plan, with structure, targets, roles, and tools, fundraising becomes doable.

Involve them in:

• Setting the funding goal
• Choosing the fundraising strategies (grants, events, individual donors, corporate gifts)
• Agreeing on their roles

This gives them ownership. And people support what they help create.

Tool you’ll need:
A Fundraising Planning Template and Campaign Role Menu.

 
Step 4: Market Study and Wealth Screening
Here’s where strategy meets science.

Your board shouldn’t just chase anyone; they should pursue the right prospects. A simple market study and wealth screening will help you:

• Identify high-potential donors in your community or network
• Spot aligned companies or foundations
• Learn where your time and efforts are most likely to pay off
• This shifts the board’s energy from “random asks” to “targeted outreach.”

Tool you’ll need: Market Study & Wealth Screening Platforms.

 
Step 5: Build Your Fundraising Team
Don’t expect your board to carry the whole weight. Build a team.

That could be:

• A small fundraising committee (board + volunteers)
• A campaign task force
• Or a lead volunteer paired with each board member
  

Your board doesn’t have to be expert fundraisers, but they should be part of a team that supports them and helps execute.

Tool you’ll need: Team Role Guide, Platforms to find volunteers and Team Onboarding Checklist.

 
Step 6: Develop Fundraising Materials
You wouldn’t send your board into a meeting without an agenda, so don’t send them into fundraising without materials.

Equip them with:

• A compelling case for support
• Simple talking points
• Sample emails and messages
• Follow-up templates

This turns nervous fundraisers into confident ambassadors.

Tool you’ll need: The full Fundraising Materials Kit, everything from donor letters to sponsor decks.

 
Step 7: Onboard and Train the Team
You don’t need a consultant for this; you need structure.

Host a 60-minute training session. Walk everyone through:

• Your fundraising goals
• The message and mission
• How to invite people to give or meet
• How to follow up
• Keep it simple. Clear roles. Clear expectations.

The goal is not perfection, it’s confidence.

Tool you’ll need: Board Fundraising Training Template 

 
Step 8: Execute, Track, and Steward
Now you launch.

Set short campaigns. Track who is doing what. Celebrate effort as well as results.
And when donors give, make sure they’re thanked, stewarded, and invited to stay close.

If a donor doesn’t give, follow up. Sometimes the second ask is the one that lands.

 
Step 9: Build a Culture of Philanthropy
Here’s the final and most important shift.

When your board sees fundraising as mission work (not money work), everything changes.

They begin to:

• Take pride in asking
• Share the mission boldly
• Feel ownership in the organization’s success

And as they see the results, new donors, more visibility, greater sustainability, they become more motivated, more respected, and more invested.

They become fundraising champions.

 
You Can Lead This Process Without a Consultant.

You don’t need to outsource this.

You don’t need a fancy retreat or a $5,000 strategy session.

You just need the tools. The structure. The words. The plan.

That’s what The Board Ultimate Fix gives you for just $99.

Inside, you’ll get:

✔️ Every template, worksheet, and sample you need to lead your board through this process
✔️ A full breakdown of each step — no guesswork, no fluff
✔️ Lifetime access so you can return to the process every year
✔️ The clarity and confidence to lead like a pro

Once you learn this system, you’ll never feel stuck again.
✔️ You’ll be able to mobilize your board anytime.
✔️ You’ll earn their respect — and your own credibility as a nonprofit leader.

Your board is not your weakness. They’re your sleeping giant.

✔️ Wake them up.
✔️ Train them up.
✔️ And let them carry the mission with you.

Get The Board Ultimate Fix now, and let’s build your team of fundraising champions.

Learn More About The Board Ultimate Fix