by Kim Glenn, President
Serving on a nonprofit board can be one of the most rewarding and meaningful roles that a volunteer can play. Their role is critically important as nonprofits face mounting pressure to raise more funds from private philanthropy and an increase in demand for services. In this environment, nonprofit board members need education, support, and resources that help their organizations address challenges, grow, and thrive.
Recognizing this need, moss+ross and several area funders are teaming up to help our nonprofit community build a strong pipeline of leaders who can lean into their roles in steering organizations towards a sustainable future. Our new Board Leadership Institute will cover a variety of topics focused on the three overarching areas of responsibility for nonprofit boards:
- Setting Mission & Strategic Direction
- Ensuring Adequate Resources
- Providing Governance & Oversight
While each of these responsibilities is a critical component of effective board leadership, ensuring adequate resources remains the most elusive and hardest responsibility to execute. This is not just an anecdotal observation from our work with hundreds of nonprofit boards throughout North Carolina – this is the top challenge that nonprofits cite when asked about board effectiveness. According to NonProfit PRO’s “2025 Nonprofit Leadership Impact Study,” nearly three-quarters of nonprofits are struggling to engage board members in fundraising, which puts a further strain on meeting or exceeding the organization’s sustainability and fundraising goals.
Why is Board Fundraising Such a Challenge?
- Prospective board members may not understand this is an expectation at the time of recruitment
- Many assume the responsibility lies solely with the CEO and staff
- Some say they do not like asking for money
- Others cite lack of experience, time, messaging, or contacts
What Does a Good Fundraising Board Look Like?
On the boards where fundraising is a focus, the fiduciary responsibility for ensuring adequate resources is not just a high-level review of the budget at each quarterly board meeting, but rather a deeper commitment to understanding that fundraising is the engine that drives a nonprofit’s mission. Board members that work closely with the CEO and staff to embrace the role of ambassador, connector, and fundraising leader contribute substantively to the organization’s ability to achieve its mission. moss+ross wants to support these efforts by focusing on the essentials, arming board members with the skills that are needed to help nonprofits thrive.
If you are a nonprofit leader who is working to fully engage your board, a current board member who wants to strengthen your understanding of the board’s roles and responsibilities, or a professional who would like to lend your expertise to one of the area’s nonprofit boards, be on the lookout for details of this new program or contact us at info@mossandross.com if you would like to learn more.