Engage Your Board! More Action, Less Talk. Here's How . . .
- Tom Iselin
- Jun 24, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 11, 2025
No likes to work with under-engaged or disengaged board members. We want "do something" boards! Here are some simple tactics to help you get your board members to create more value by involving them in the work of your noble mission.
https://youtu.be/Yx_xR6yLpW0
Engage Your Board! More Action, Less Talk. Here's How . . .
This video will help you gain insight into how to engage your more to do the work and fulfill the obligations they signed up for. The majority of board members are far less engaged than they should be, and it's one of the biggest complaints of executive directors and CEOs.
A disengaged board isn’t just annoying — it’s expensive.It drains morale, slows progress, reduces accountability, and forces the executive director to carry the load alone.
High-performance nonprofits have one thing in common:Engaged, informed, and motivated board members.
Board engagement does not happen organically. You must engineer it by providing structure, expectations, opportunities, and accountability.
8 TACTICS TO GET YOUR BOARD MORE ENGAGED
1. Provide Institutional Knowledge — The Basis of Advocacy
Engagement begins with understanding.Board members can’t advocate, fundraise, or make good decisions without context.
Share:
history
milestones
financial overview
program structure
impact highlights
When people understand the organization deeply, they get more invested — and more active.
2. Provide Storytelling Opportunities
Facts educate.Stories motivate.
Give board members:
impact stories
client success examples
before-and-after snapshots
staff anecdotes from the field
Stories ignite passion — and passion fuels involvement.
3. Ask What Programs They Want to Volunteer For
Board members stay engaged when they have ownership of something meaningful.
Ask them:
“Which programs interest you?”
“Where would you like hands-on involvement?”
“How do you want to connect with our mission this year?”
The more connected they feel, the more they’ll show up.
4. Ask What They Want to Learn About the Organization
People disengage when they feel lost, uninformed, or intimidated.
Ask:
“What would help you better understand our mission?”
“What area do you want more insight into?”
“What training or info would make you more confident?”
Knowledge builds confidence.Confidence builds action.
5. Identify Information and Training They Need
Board members rarely receive the training required to do the job well.Fix that.
Offer:
governance training
fundraising workshops
program tours
financial overview sessions
case-for-support coaching
Invest in your board, and they invest back in you.
6. Ask What Fundraising Activities They Want to Support
Most board members dread fundraising because they lack clarity or confidence.Don’t assign tasks — let them choose from curated options:
hosting a small dinner
joining the ask team
connecting you with prospects
writing thank-you notes
making follow-up calls
Give them options, not anxiety.
7. Ask How They Can Best Support the Executive Director
A high-performing ED is never alone.Ask board members:
“How can you support my role?”
“Where can you take something off my plate?”
“What leadership or mentorship roles interest you?”
This builds a partnership mindset rather than a spectator mindset.
8. Ask How They Want to Contribute to Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is where engagement is either strengthened or lost.Board members should help:
define priorities
clarify vision
review goals
participate in retreat discussions
identify strategic opportunities
Engage them early and often — not just at the retreat.
THE SECRET TO BOARD ENGAGEMENT
You can’t wait for board members to take initiative.You must:
provide opportunities
give structure
create excitement
ask good questions
help them choose meaningful tasks
encourage ownership
and ensure the board — not the ED — holds each member accountable
Board engagement grows when:
expectations are clear
roles are meaningful
culture is supportive
accountability is peer-driven
This is how you get action instead of excuses, progress instead of procrastination.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Engagement must be engineered — it never happens by accident.• Ask questions that invite ownership and choice.• Give board members stories, context, and training to succeed.• Let them select their fundraising and volunteer lanes.• Build a culture where the board holds the board accountable — not the ED.
SUMMARY
If you want a more engaged, active, and responsible board, don’t wait for initiative — spark it. Provide opportunities, encourage learning, offer leadership roles, and align board members with tasks they enjoy and believe in.
When board members feel informed, connected, and supported, they naturally become more engaged. And when they’re engaged, your nonprofit moves faster, grows stronger, and delivers greater impact.
Tom Iselin
Rated One of America’s Best Board Retreat
and Strategic Planning Facilitators
About the Author
Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.
Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.
Board Retreats & Strategic Planning
If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!
Board Retreats and Strategic Planning Services:
858.888.2278
