How to Turn Pride Into Action: Storytelling Tools for Your Board
When I was a young filmmaker and first starting to work with nonprofits, I remember being surprised by the realization that “the board” of an organization wasn’t just a group of distinguished advisors.
I’m sure it sounds naive, but I hadn’t previously understood that being a board member was basically an annual pledge not only to give, but also to fundraise large amounts.
Surely that was a job for the fundraising department. Why was it being left to untrained volunteers?
Now that I’m older and wiser, I understand that board members, as community leaders and people with connections, are able use these relationships to elevate and support the causes they care about.
But I also think that younger me was onto something.
Board members are a valuable part of the fundraising apparatus, but their contribution needs to be handled the right way.
Most Board Members Want to Help. So Why the Reluctance?
“I’m not comfortable asking my friends for money.”
“I need more time. I haven’t had any good opportunities to bring it up.”
“I’ll do my best, but fundraising isn’t really my thing.”
These are common refrains, even a source of tension among board members: While they’re expected to bring new, big-time donors into the fold, they really don’t enjoy the work this takes.
They feel awkward about it from the get-go. They constantly put it off, or they struggle through the pitch and end it as quickly as possible.
The friction is pretty much expected at this point. It’s a frustrating game of push and pull for nonprofits, knowing that while board members have the potential to bring in so much support, getting them to do so is like pulling teeth.
Why does this happen?
It’s not because board members don’t care.
In fact, it comes down to the very issue that once made me question board members doing fundraising at all: This simply isn’t their trade. They’re professionals, community members, and parents.
Of course they’re uncomfortable. They’ve been thrown into the deep end without a life jacket.
If you’re asking volunteers to be fundraisers, you need to give them the tools to succeed. If you want them to confidently represent your organization, you need to give them more than encouragement—you need to make it easy.
Here’s what that looks like:
1. A Clear Narrative – Rooted in Emotion and Purpose
In many cases, board members are almost set up to fail – handed dry talking points, confusing program descriptions, or a link to a donation form with no context.
Board members know that these angles won’t work. They’re too detailed, technical, or pushy.
What they need is more simple and sincere. Something they can point to and say, “This is why I care.”
Not a pitch, but a story they can bring up in normal conversation without feeling like they’re giving a Powerpoint. Something emotionally honest that captures what’s at stake, why the work matters, and how people can be part of it.
You can’t expect them to come up with this on their own. Making your organization’s work relatable and compelling is a professional skill, and they need professional support to pull it off.
2. Helpful Materials
Since I’m a video guy, this has often been my entry point into the world of board member fundraising. Making a video - or some other kind of material that board members can share - alleviates a lot of the burden of explaining and convincing.
Not all of it - they still need to be able to be passionate and articulate on the subject of your organization.
But sharing a video is an easy, low-pressure act. Board members can also use this video as an anchor, building their approach around it to ensure that they stay grounded in the key points and important emotions.
3. A Simple, Repeatable Process
Finally, fundraising isn’t a topic that most people are used to broaching. They don’t have familiar social scripts to pull up and help them over the hard parts.
The more language and ideas you make available, the easier donors will find it to put together a strategy that works for them.
See if you can provide them with:
A simple way to start a conversation (a few lines they can use to open the door)
A suggestion of when and how to share the video (timing is everything)
Guidance on what to say afterward and how to make the ask (if appropriate)
A clear next step: a link to donate, a calendar to book a call, or a person to speak with
The more clarity you give them, the less resistance they’ll feel.
Proof It Works: One School’s Experience
At Politz Day School, Director of Philanthropy Alisha Abboudi saw what happened when lay leaders were finally given the right content:
“Every organization is suffering from the same common problems:
Their lay leaders don’t want to fundraise. Their donors are bored. They’re not feeling inspired.”
So they tried something different. They worked with us to create a short video that helped board members tell the story of the school in a clear, emotional, and inspiring way.
With the video in hand, board members were much more willing to make their pitch. In the end, the campaign raised over half a million dollars, and gifts continued to come in long after it ended.
“This video moved donor after donor to an increased level of giving.”
Culture + Content = Confidence
A culture of giving is easier to build when board members aren’t uncomfortable asking their friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to join in.
Give board members something they can stand behind. Something they’re excited to share. Something that makes them feel like real partners, not figureheads.When they have the tools they need, they’ll grow in confidence and be happy to step into their role.
Want to give your board content they’re proud to share?
We help nonprofits create short videos and messaging designed exactly for this.