Avoid one‐size‐fits‐all approach to board giving for best results, experts say

While all nonprofits want their board members to give personally to their organizations, and help where they can with fundraising more broadly, many struggle with ways to encourage this. Most fundraising experts say that nonprofits should set expectations for personal giving and fundraising at the outset, when board members first join. But if so, what level of commitment is appropriate? After all, not all board members will have the same financial resources to contribute. In fact, having a one‐size‐fits‐all approach—a set dollar amount that each board member is expected to contribute or raise—may actually backfire, leading to less engagement, some experts argue.