We’ve all been there. You’ve recruited an impressive board of directors with the perfect mix of skills, connections, and passion for your mission. Yet when it comes time for meetings or asking for help, responses are slow, attendance is spotty, and engagement seems lukewarm at best.
It’s not that these board members don’t care—they’re just busy professionals with demanding day jobs, families, and other commitments. As nonprofit leaders, we need to acknowledge this reality while still finding effective ways to harness their expertise and energy.
After working with hundreds of nonprofits, I wanted to share strategies that I’ve actually seen work to engage even the busiest board members.
1. Respect Their Time Above All Else
Nothing will disengage board members faster than feeling their time is being wasted. Make this your golden rule:
- Keep meetings focused with clear agendas sent in advance.
- Start and end on time—every time
- Create a consent agenda for routine approvals to focus meeting time on strategic discussions.
- Consider reducing meeting frequency but increasing meeting quality.
One of my clients switched from monthly 90-minute meetings to bi-monthly two-hour meetings with much higher attendance and engagement. Board meetings shifted from operational updates from the Executive Director to conversations focused more on strategic issues and questions the board was facing.
2. Personalize Engagement Opportunities
Not every board member can or should contribute in the same way. The key is matching opportunities to individual strengths and interests:
- Conduct annual “engagement interviews” or surveys to understand each member’s preferred involvement.
- Create a menu of specific, time-bound ways to contribute beyond meetings. Board meetings often don’t know where to start or how to support—help them help you!
- Assign clear roles based on professional expertise and personal passion.
- Remember that some members may prefer behind-the-scenes work to public-facing roles.
I worked with a health-focused nonprofit whose treasurer—a busy CFO in his day job—rarely attended events but provided invaluable financial guidance through monthly 30-minute phone calls with the Executive Director. This targeted engagement leveraged the treasurer’s expertise while respecting his time constraints.
3. Make Board Service Meaningful
Busy people don’t have time for busy work. They need to see that their contribution matters:
- Connect board activities directly to mission impact.
- Share specific stories of how board decisions affected constituents.
- Provide regular updates on organizational accomplishments.
- Create opportunities for board members to witness programs firsthand.
A social services organization I advised implemented quarterly “mission moments” at the beginning of each board meeting—a brief presentation from a program participant or staff member sharing how the organization changed lives. Board members became more emotionally connected to the impact of their governance work and asked even better questions during the meeting.
4. Leverage Technology Effectively
Strategic use of technology can keep board members connected between meetings:
- Use a board portal for document sharing and asynchronous discussion.
- Consider occasional virtual meeting options, especially for committee work.
- Create a private communication channel (Slack, WhatsApp, etc.) for quick updates.
- Send brief video messages instead of lengthy emails for important announcements.
Remember that technology should simplify engagement, not complicate it. Choose user-friendly platforms and provide support for less tech-savvy board members.
5. Show Authentic Appreciation
Busy professionals need to know their contribution is valued:
- Recognize individual contributions specifically, not generically.
- Personalize your gratitude based on what you know about each member…some may not want recognition!
- Create opportunities for board members to see the impact of their leadership.
- Remember personal milestones and professional achievements.
A small environmental nonprofit I worked with instituted a simple practice: the Board Chair and Executive Director take turns sending personalized voice messages thanking board members after they complete specific tasks or contributions. This personal touch takes just minutes but significantly increased board responsiveness.
Final Thoughts
Board engagement isn’t about getting 100% participation in every activity—it’s about creating meaningful ways for busy professionals to contribute their unique talents to advance your mission.
Remember that board engagement is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The strategies that work for your organization will depend on your unique mission, culture, and the specific composition of your board. The key is intentionality—being thoughtful about how you structure engagement to accommodate busy schedules while still advancing your nonprofit’s vital work.
What strategies have you found effective for engaging busy board members? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below.
Need more guidance on board development? Contact me to learn how my team and I can help strengthen your nonprofit leadership.
Download our free Board Member Skills Inventory to jumpstart your board engagement efforts.
Hat Tip to Your Success,
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