Get creative with board engagement as members face their own challenges
| Published date | 01 February 2021 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/nba.30926 |
| Date | 01 February 2021 |
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Vol. 377 February 2021
Get creative with board engagement
as members face their own challenges
Ever since COVID-19 reared its head and spurred
lockdowns across the United States, nonprots have
struggled to adapt their operations to not only keep
revenue coming in but, in many cases, to meet a surge
in demand for their services. These twin challenges
have caused many charities to seek new and creative
ways to keep their doors open, literally and gura-
tively, during a time when person-to-person contact
is curtailed because of health concerns.
For their part, nonprot board members are also
facing challenges that hinder their ability to continue
serving their organizations effectively, according to
Rachel Decker, president of Detroit Philanthropy.
“Like all of us, board members have seen their
personal and professional lives uprooted,” Decker
said in a virtual panel discussion her organization
hosted in the fall. “Their businesses are being
stretched. Perhaps they’ve even been faced with
layoffs or unemployment. And they are likely
Also in this issue
Conferences & Events: Workshop spotlights Seal of
Transparency program; 2021 Nonprot Technology
Conference; NAYDO Annual Conference on YMCA
Philanthropy ..................................4
Technology: Why nonprots can benet most from
digitization in 2021 .............................5
Nonprot Research: Study shows small nonprots are
hit the hardest during pandemic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Industry News: Donor management and fundraising
rm Virtuous acquires RaiseDonors ...............7
Industry News: Study: Giving to women’s and girls’
groups totals 1.6% .............................8
Resources: Webinar looks at promoting online
fundraising campaigns; Charityhowto.com webinar
offers tips on annual report infographics; Webinar
helps land corporate sponsors for signature
programs; Candid webinar explores inclusive
fundraising during crisis .........................9
Employment Law: Legal cases that impact nonprots . 10
News: Briefs from around the sector .............. 12
New round of donors join
Giving Pledge
An additional 13 philanthropists have joined
the Giving Pledge since May 2019, bringing the
total number of Giving Pledge signatories to 216
from 24 countries.
Founded by Bill and Melinda Gates and War-
ren Buffett in 2010, the Giving Pledge is a global,
multigenerational commitment by some of the
world’s wealthiest individuals and couples to give
more than half of their wealth to philanthropy
or charitable causes either during their lifetimes
or in their wills.
This year’s new signatories include:
• Marcel Arsenault and Cynda Collins Arse-
nault, United States
• Sarah and Rich Barton, United States
• Ron and Gayle Conway, United States
• William Gross, United States
• Gordon V. Hartman, United States
• Yan Huo and Xue Fang, United Kingdom
• Robert E. “Bob” and Dorothy “Dottie”
King, United States
• José Ferreira Neves, Portugal
• Jim Pattison, Canada
• Chad Richison, United States
• Jeff and Marieke Rothschild, United States
• Stephen A. Schwarzman, United States
• David and Bonnie Weekley, United States.
(See PLEDGE on page 8)
experiencing the same emotional ups and downs as
most people are these days—all factors that are not
only affecting their roles as nonprot leaders but as
everyday people.”
And all of this is happening while we are still liv-
ing in a virtual world, which means it’s not easy to
maintain professional relationships like we once did.
According to Matt Friedman, founding partner
(See ENGAGEMENT on page 2)
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