Is Your Board Ruining Your Event?
How to engage your board without letting them derail your event goals.
You’ve got the venue locked in, a killer theme, and a list of donors and sponsors ready to support your cause. Everything’s on track for your fundraising event… until your board steps in with their ideas.
Sound familiar? If you’ve ever found yourself in this situation, you’re not alone. While board members are essential to the success of your nonprofit, their involvement in event planning can sometimes cause more harm than good. But here’s the thing — it doesn’t have to be that way.
Let’s talk about how to engage your board in a way that supports your event goals instead of derailing them.
Understanding the Problem
Board members come with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and (hopefully) passion for your mission. But when it comes to fundraising events, their enthusiasm can sometimes manifest as unsolicited ideas, overstepping boundaries, or pushing for personal agendas. Suddenly, your carefully crafted event turns into a hodgepodge of random suggestions that don’t align with your original vision.
Common board pitfalls include:
- Insisting on outdated ideas that don’t resonate with today’s donors
- Over-inviting their personal contacts without regard for the event’s target audience
- Micromanaging staff and volunteers
- Shifting focus away from the event’s fundraising goals
The result? An event that feels disjointed, misses its fundraising targets, and leaves your team frustrated and burnt out.
Setting Boundaries and Expectations
The key to avoiding these issues is setting clear boundaries from the start. Your board needs to know their role in the event and understand where their input is welcome and where it’s not.
Here’s how to do it:
- Define Roles Early: At the start of your event planning, clearly outline who is responsible for what. Make it known that the staff handles logistics, while the board’s primary role is to secure sponsorships, sell tickets, and promote the event.
- Establish an Event Committee: Create an event committee that includes board members, staff, and volunteers. This smaller group can act as a filter for ideas, ensuring that suggestions are in line with your event goals.
- Set Expectations for Involvement: Be upfront about how much involvement you expect from the board. For example, ask them to commit to selling a certain number of tickets or securing a specific amount in sponsorships. Giving them actionable tasks keeps their focus on supporting the event financially rather than micromanaging details.
Giving Your Board a Purpose
One of the best ways to engage your board is to give them a sense of purpose. People want to feel useful, and if you don’t assign them tasks, they’ll find ways to insert themselves into the process — often where they aren’t needed.
Consider assigning board members specific roles like:
- Sponsorship Outreach: Task them with connecting your nonprofit to their professional network.
- Table Captains: Have board members fill tables with their personal contacts.
- Event Ambassadors: Make them responsible for promoting the event on social media and within their communities.
When board members feel like they’re contributing in meaningful ways, they’re less likely to interfere in areas that aren’t their responsibility.
Handling Conflicting Ideas
It’s inevitable that board members will bring ideas to the table — and not all of them will align with your vision. The key is to listen respectfully while keeping the event’s goals in focus.
Here’s a handy phrase to keep in your back pocket: “Thank you for your suggestion! Let’s bring that to the event committee and see how it aligns with our goals.”
This response shows that you value their input but also reinforces that decisions are made collectively with the event’s success in mind.
Celebrating Their Contributions
Lastly, don’t forget to recognize your board’s efforts. Acknowledge their contributions during the event and in post-event communications. When they feel appreciated, they’re more likely to stay engaged in the right ways for future events.
Final Thoughts
Your board can be one of your biggest assets when it comes to fundraising events — but only if you manage their involvement wisely. By setting clear expectations, giving them meaningful tasks, and handling conflicting ideas with grace, you can turn potential derailments into valuable contributions.
Remember, the goal is to keep everyone rowing in the same direction. With the right approach, your board will become champions of your event, helping you hit (or exceed!) your fundraising targets while keeping your sanity intact.
