Nonprofits should be gathering one of their greatest assets, the Board of Directors / Trustees, right now!  Leadership should leverage the entire Board during a crisis like we are seeing today. 

Here are some tips to help your staff and Board members collaborate during this time and use each other’s greatest skill sets. 

Nonprofits should not retreat during this time.  By gathering your board, you are guiding your stakeholders to advance your organization’s mission.  

1. Support Staff. Now is the time for Board members to put themselves in the staff’s shoes and ask “How can I be supportive during this time?”  Listen. Collaborate. Partner. 

2. Develop Financial Scenarios. Your organization should be developing different scenarios for the next 6-9 months. Have Board members bring their various skillsets to the table. This includes program, financial, marketing and fundraising scenarios, too.  

3. Review & Use a Crisis Communications Plan. It is helpful to have multiple sets of eyes on your crisis communications plan during this time of uncertainty.  Staff leadership should have your board review the plan quickly and make any suggestions or tweaks to ensure a good working document.   

Download the 6 Tips to Leverage Your Board and ensure you are maximizing one of your greatest assets.

4. Decide Now on Board Communications.  During this time, your organization’s stakeholders should hear from the Board.  The Staff and Board should work collaboratively to decide on plans for Board communications and help them be your organization’s ambassadors digitally.

5. Be the Best Volunteer & Best Donor.  The stakeholders are watching how your organization reacts and steps up during this time. Board members should discover ways to help the staff and become the best volunteer and best donor for the organization they serve. Allow the staff to share how you are helping, which will encourage others to get involved during this time.  It creates a ripple effect. “If they are helping now, then so should I.” 

6. Ensure Staff Know ALL Your Skillsets.  As a board member, you have special skills and talents and now is the time to make sure the staff know all your expertise, skillsets as well as your network. During a crisis or in times of uncertainty, you never know what skillset and connection might be helpful. 

About Cramer: Cramer & Associates is a strategic fundraising and communications consulting firm serving nonprofits, foundations & corporations. If you have questions, contact Michelle Cramer, CFRE, President & CEO, Cramer & Associates, Inc. michelle@www.cramerphilanthropy.com or (614) 766-4483.