Key Takeaways:

• Engaging board members in fundraising can be a chronic challenge for nonprofits, often due to resistance and discomfort. To enroll the board, it's crucial to make fundraising tasks feel good, easy, and fun.
• You set the emotional temperature for board fundraising. Your comfort level and excitement will influence the board's engagement. That’s why it’s important to understand your own emotional temperature and deal with it before trying to influence the board.
• Dispatching board members at events to connect with attendees, learn their interests, and introduce them to the organization's development team is an effective way to engage potential supporters.
• To effectively engage donors, it's important to release pressure by making authentic connections and allowing them to make their own decisions without pushing or convincing.
• Set the emotional temperature, define the board’s role, release pressure, master their mindset, provide training and support, specify actions, and create a system of accountability. By doing these, you can successfully enroll your board in fundraising.

“You set the temperature. The more comfortable you are, and the more excited you are, the more passionate you are, the more they will pick up on that.”

“The riches are in the niches - the more specific you can be, the more inclined they are to do it, because they understand exactly what it is that they want to do.” 

“Release the pressure, make it feel easy, make it feel fun. They don't need to get anybody to do anything. The only thing they get to do is connect with people and see if there's an alignment.”

- Maryanne Dersch

Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence

1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders

Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward.
 

2. Team Coaching + Training

I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together.
 

3. Board Retreats + Trainings

Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.

Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com

Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:

https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect

Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:

https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker