Why it matters
Foundations and major donors often ask whether every board member gives, because it shows the people closest to the organization believe in it with their own money. The amount matters less than participation. A gift the board member can be proud of, whatever its size, is the standard most organizations set.
Make it easy. Ask early in the fiscal year, have the board chair ask personally, and track who has given so the last few can be reminded quietly before a grant deadline.
How to calculate it
Board giving participation = board members who gave this year ÷ total board members × 100
Your board has 12 members.
9 of them have made a gift this fiscal year.
9 ÷ 12 × 100 = 75%. Your board giving participation is 75%.
How Steward shows it
Put your board in a group kept by hand. The group's page shows how many people are in it and what they gave this fiscal year, and clicking the figure shows the gifts behind it, so you can see who has given and who has not.
Related terms
- Annual fund Annual fund is the name for the money a nonprofit raises every year, usually unrestricted, to pay for day-to-day operations. It is renewed each year through appeals, events and ongoing asks.
- Capital campaign Capital campaign means a fundraising effort with a set goal and deadline to pay for something big and lasting, such as a building, a major renovation or an endowment, usually on top of the annual fund.
- Major gift A major gift is a gift large enough that your organization handles it personally, with visits, a tailored ask and close stewardship. The dollar threshold is set by each organization, not by the sector.
The free Lost & Found audit reads a giving export in your browser and shows your lapsing donors and what they used to give. Nothing is uploaded. Then bring the same file to a 20-minute demo.