What I Didn't Understand About Board Work - Until I Was In Charge
By Elizabeth Pickard
I thought I was so ready to serve on another board. I was delighted to be asked. I knew and loved the organization’s work and believed deeply in the mission. I had seen its transformational power. What a chance to give back. And it would probably be fun, right?
As a former nonprofit staff member and now a consultant to nonprofits, I thought I knew all the pitfalls of boards. Board members who don’t read the packet. Board members who get very excited to go on “pick the napkin” side quests but don’t come to meetings. The ghost board members who show up full of promise and never appear again. The “hands-on” board member who could belabor the purchase of paper towels.
I would simply not be that person. And I told myself I was “just” a junior board member—surely the big governance issues were being handled by the executive committee, and I had plenty of time to figure out where I fit in.
A year later, I got asked to be chair—and discovered how much I didn’t yet understand.
I soon learned a hard lesson. From my work, I knew what a functional board looked like. I knew what a dysfunctional board looked like. The truth was, I didn’t have either one. The board showed up and wanted to do well, but I could feel something was off. I knew I was asking strategic questions and getting tactical answers, but I wasn’t sure why. The truth was that I didn’t fully appreciate how an organization actually builds an effective board. By effective, I mean a board that supports the organization and at the same time is one in which members know they are making a meaningful contribution.
Almost every board member gets oriented. In many cases, this means new board members are handed a giant pile of papers about the organization and immediately plunged into complex financial discussions. Most are unprepared for the hard truth that nearly every nonprofit budget in this country is, to some degree, a carefully educated guess about contributed revenue. Donors change priorities, governmental funding mechanisms that have been rock-solid for decades suddenly go kablooey, and whether Mrs. Gotrocks still has any rocks to give—and whether she wants to give them to you—is always, no matter how thoughtfully relationships have been built, at least a little bit of a mystery. This dynamic can make boards skittish when they have a chance to be bold, or oblivious when they should be really concerned. Most of all, board members don’t want to get it wrong – but they aren’t sure what right really looks like.
Gen Z Philanthropy Outpaces That of Other Adults, New Data Shows
GoFundMe and the GivingTuesday Data Commons announced new research that highlights a critical shift – and opportunity – for nonprofits: Gen Z already participates in philanthropy at higher rates than other adults, with a distinct strength in giving rooted in personal relationships and social connections. They are supporting causes through sharing, donating, advocating, and community fundraising, often in visible, digital formats that inspire their peers to give as well.
The findings show that these behaviors are not a departure from nonprofit support, but an entry point, with network-driven giving and community-powered fundraising platforms like GoFundMe acting as on-ramps that help convert participation into ongoing charitable support. The new research challenges common narratives that Gen Z cares loudly but gives sparingly to nonprofits.
When Laurel McCombs, senior philanthropy adviser at The Osborne Group, looked at the numbers for a nonprofit client, the math was immediately clear. The organization was losing the vast majority of its donor base every year.
She wasn't describing an outlier. The sector's overall donor retention rate has hovered around 43%, with retention among new donors plummeting to 19%, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. Though total giving dollars rose 5% in 2025, the donor pool shrank by 3.6% — meaning organizations are increasingly dependent on a smaller group of more loyal donors.
McCombs made the case that most organizations are misdiagnosing this problem. The issue isn't a generosity deficit. It's a stewardship deficit. And fixing it, she argued, is the most cost-effective revenue strategy available.
5 Mindset Shifts That Overcome Nonprofit Board Fundraising Reluctance
Want to reframe fundraising so your board leans in instead of backing away? Here are five mindset shifts that can turn reluctant nonprofit board members into enthusiastic champions for your cause.
The Uplift Connection is offering funds for capacity building, specifically leadership development and training, for non-profit organizations across Missouri focused on improving infant or maternal health outcomes for Black families, improving infant or maternal outcomes for rural families, and/or addressing intersecting racial and health equity issues. The Organizational Capacity-Building Scholarship Application will be open through June 18. The scholarship funding is limited, and Uplift Connection may be unable to fund all who apply. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in mid-June.
SAVE THE DATE for The 2026 Philanthropic Landscape
The Rome Group's annual Philanthropic Landscape event will take place at COCA on Thursday, August 20th.
Registration details are forthcoming!
The 2026 DonorPerfect Conference
The 2026 DonorPerfect Conference is a free, virtual event designed to help fundraisers clear their vision, illuminate what's possible, and get glowing results. Join the DonorPerfect Conference on June 2nd and 3rd for practical tools, real stories, and a supportive community that understands the challenges of nonprofit work.
Food is Medicine: Policy and Program Innovation in St. Louis
Explore the growing Food is Medicine movement and identify opportunities for collaboration and impact in St. Louis. Researchers, practitioners, advocates, and community leaders across the St. Louis Food is Medicine ecosystem will share what's working, what's emerging, and opportunities in our area. This free event will take place on Tuesday, June 16, from 8:30-10:00 AM at Delmar DivINe.
ComNetwork ST. LOUIS brings together communications professionals from across the St. Louis area who share an interest in how thoughtful, effective communications can make a positive impact. The inaugural gathering will take place on Wednesday, June 17, from 3-5 PM at the Urban Chestnut Grove Brewery and Bierhall, bringing together communications professionals from across the St. Louis area who share an interest in how thoughtful, effective communications can make a positive impact.
Federal Cuts, Local Consequences: How St. Louis Can Respond to an Unraveling Safety Net
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 delivers one of the most sweeping cuts to the U.S. social safety nets in years. In Missouri, an estimated 210,000 residents could lose Medicaid and 150,000 could lose SNAP, putting health and economic stability at risk across the region. This event will unpack what these changes mean for local families and communities. Bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders, the panel will consider how guaranteed income and other cash transfer programs can offer a stronger, more dignified path to support in an era of shrinking benefits and increasing red tape. This free event will be held on Tuesday, June 30, from 12:00-1:30 PM, in person at the Brown Lounge, Brown School at WashU, and via Zoom.
On the heels of her bestselling book, Heather McGhee embarks on a road trip across Covid-era America, unearthing stories of American solidarity and hope in a time of great division and peril for our democracy.
Join Heather as she travels from rural Maine to the California coast and everywhere in between, meeting extraordinary Americans who are crossing demographic, cultural, and political lines to build a better future for us all.
Congratulations to the following individuals who are beginning new roles or celebrating well-earned promotions in the St. Louis nonprofit community, including both new hires and those recently promoted.
Mary Bakken, President & CEO, Covenant Place
Michael Cooper, Senior Director of Development, Incarnate Word Academy
Colby Crowder, Executive Director, The Noble Neighbor
Megan Klenke-Isgriggs, Executive Director, House Everyone STL
Malik Lendell, Office Administrator, City Greens Market
Janis Mensah, Development Director, City Greens Market
Mia Paddock, Community Outreach Specialist, Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Rachel Parrent, Strategic Communications Manager, Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Derek Rapp, Chief Operating Officer, Danforth Plant Science Center
Paige Spillman, Market Manager, City Greens Market
Bryan Stone, Chief Development Officer, Sherwood Forest
Do you have news about a job opening, new hire, promotion, or other happenings? If so, send us your news and we’ll consider including it in our next issue of Insights.
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