Uplifting Blog

I was recently speaking with one of my pro bono clients. They are preparing to expand their board, and there was a lot to consider. What skills are missing from the board? What voices and perspectives need to be represented? Who understands the community? Who will complement—or perhaps strengthen—the board’s culture? Yes, we talked about creating a board matrix. It can help an organization see what it has, what it needs, and where the gaps may be. Throughout I kept redirectin

You know I love rom-coms. I recently rewatched an oldie but goodie Splash, with Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah. If you remember the movie, Madison, played by Daryl Hannah, is a mermaid who enters Allen’s very human world. Allen, played by Tom Hanks, has no idea just how different her world really is. Somewhere between Madison discovering the human world and Allen discovering Madison, I started thinking about boards and fundraising. Madison is curious about everything. She doesn’t

Your board knows fundraising matters. They know the organization needs resources. They may even agree that fundraising is part of their role. Yet many boards still hesitate to participate. What if the issue isn't a lack of commitment? What if we're sending mixed messages? We tell board members that fundraising is about relationships. We say it's about building community, sharing impact, expressing gratitude, and connecting people to a cause they care about. Then we walk into

Once again, I was recently asked: “Why does my board avoid fundraising?” It’s a reframe of a common question. I always hear something underneath it, self-blame. It is as if the Executive Director was quietly asking, What am I doing wrong? I told her, “It may not be your fault. And it may not be your board’s fault either.” She looked at me, slightly puzzled. I said, “It might simply be the language we’re using.” Here’s what science tells us: your brain is constantly scanning

Have you ever watched a perfectly competent, intelligent, successful board member completely shrink the moment fundraising comes up? Cue the body language shift. Tight shoulders. Nervous laugh. Sudden fascination with the agenda packet. You might think, here we go again. Resistance . What if it’s not resistance? What if it’s also about biology? The good news is that when we understand what’s happening in the body, it gives us a way forward. The VAGUS NERVE, which helps re