Resetting Fundraising Conversations With Your Board in January
January board meetings often set the tone for the entire year. They are also where fundraising conversations can become tense, unclear, or overly focused on numbers without context.
Development staff may feel pressure to “do more.” Board members may want to help but feel unsure how. Executive leaders are often caught in the middle, trying to balance ambition with capacity.
These dynamics are not signs of failure. They are signs that expectations need to be clarified.
Why Fundraising Conversations Go Off Track
Most board members care deeply about the organization’s mission and want to see it succeed. When fundraising conversations become uncomfortable, it is rarely due to lack of commitment. More often, it stems from ambiguity.
Common challenges include:
Unclear definitions of the board’s fundraising role
Mismatched expectations between board and staff
Assumptions about capacity that aren’t grounded in reality
Pressure to perform without a shared strategy
Without clarity, board members may disengage or overstep. Staff may feel unsupported or misunderstood. Fundraising becomes a source of tension rather than shared ownership.
Reframing the Conversation
Effective board fundraising conversations start with alignment, not urgency. Rather than leading with dollar goals alone, strong leaders contextualize fundraising within the organization’s strategy and capacity.
Key questions to address include:
What role does the board play in fundraising this year?
How will staff support board involvement?
What does meaningful participation look like?
How does fundraising connect to mission impact?
When these questions are answered openly, board members are better equipped to contribute in ways that are appropriate, confident, and effective.
The Role of Advising and Board Development
Advisory support can be invaluable during this reset. A neutral, experienced advisor helps organizations:
Facilitate honest conversations between board and staff
Clarify roles and expectations
Establish shared language around fundraising
Reduce tension by grounding discussions in best practices
This work is not about pressuring board members to fundraise. It is about creating a structure where everyone understands how they can contribute to success.
Setting the Tone for the Year Ahead
January is not just a reporting moment, it is a relationship-building moment. When boards and staff begin the year aligned, fundraising efforts are more cohesive, less reactive, and ultimately more successful. Whether you are on a calendar or fiscal year, the first of the year is a good time to recalibrate.
Clear expectations are not restrictive. They are empowering.