Your nonprofit board members role in a capital campaign

Board Member Roles and Responsibilities During a Capital Campaign

In a capital campaign board members should make the organization a priority through:

• Reviewing their philanthropic priorities and committing to make a “stretch” gift to the campaign.  Board members should all support the Annual Fund campaign each year in addition to supporting the capital campaign. All board members should participate financially in the campaign – to the best of their ability. The board should be the first to give. 
It is essential that other donors see 100 percent participation of the board.  It shows them that the board has the utmost faith, confidence and enthusiasm for the organization.
• Considering what role they could and would like to play in the campaign.  Every board member should be responsible for some part of the campaign and should be engaged in identifying and enlisting campaign committee members.
• Reviewing their list of contacts – friends, neighbors, business associates – and consider carefully which of them should be given the opportunity to learn more about the organization and to participate in the campaign.  This is not about “trespassing” on personal relationships.
• Reviewing and approving the capital campaign plan as recommended by the capital campaign planning committee.
• Ensuring that contributions are used well and according to donor intent.
• Advocating for the organization, to the best of his/her ability, in the local and the wider  communities.
• Evaluate the success of the campaign to determine strengths, areas of improvement and effectiveness of board policies and decisions.

As you begin to embark on your capital campaign, what other roles do you think the board should play?