Ripples to Waves: YWCA Madison Big Share Case Study A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog post titled, “How do I get my Board to Fundraise?” I am back to share some of the keys to the success from the YWCA Madison Big Share Campaign and its journey from limited board fundraising participation to raising nearly $50,000 in its first campaign. The Ripple Where it began…as a board member, I keep my eyes open for opportunities that will support the work of the YWCA Madison. I have been a donor to several community-based organizations in Madison through the Big Share campaign. The Big Share is an annual online day of giving that supports the 82 nonprofit members of Community Shares Wisconsin (CSW). To participate in The Big Share, you have to be a member. When I saw the call for new members, I shared the application with the YWCA Madison CEO and the Development Director. I encouraged them to consider applying because of the mission alignment with the campaign. They acted on this suggestion, and the application was accepted! What next? The Collective Preparation: Training & Support The Big Share provides resources to create organizational donor pages and individual donor pages on behalf of an organization. YWCA Madison created a theme to anchor the campaign, “Activating the Gift of Shared Abundance.” This theme was drawn from the teachings of Robin Wall Kimmerer, one of the keynote speakers at the YWCA Madison Racial Justice Summit. To support board members in developing their personal stories and preparing their donor pages, the CEO collaborated with the development team and board leadership to design and facilitate a training and a working session during a board meeting. Board members as Ambassadors and Fundraisers The training reviewed the board member responsibilities of serving as an ambassador for the organization and participating in fund development. The Marketing & Communications Manager prepared a comprehensive fundraising communication toolkit that provided language and facts about YWCA Madison’s programs for board members to use in developing their 2-minute elevator pitch. We spent time during the training drafting our elevator pitches and practicing with other board members. Following the training, board members were asked to identify a list of 20 people to engage as potential donors and create their personal Big Share pages. If board members were unable to generate a list of 20 people, they could contact past donors from the YWCA list. Ongoing Support for the Campaign To continue preparing for the campaign launch, a portion of the next board meeting was a working session to support board members in refining their elevator pitches, developing their donor pages, and crafting their outreach messages. This fostered collective engagement to move toward the campaign goal. Staff also offered scheduled “office hours” for board members to connect if they needed additional one-on-one support. Creativity in Campaign Design The CEO secured a match grant of $25,000, which provided a great leverage point in designing the outreach message. Every dollar raised would contribute two dollars to the goal. In addition, the YWCA Madison secured one of the “Power Hours” during the event. The “Power Hour” provided a bonus contribution of $2,000 to the organizations that raised the largest amount of funds during the hour or had the largest number of donors. Throughout the Big Share day, member organizations presented an ongoing livestream of various events and activities. Building on longstanding relationships with painter and past board member Monica Mims, and youth poet Maliha Nu’man, YWCA hosted an Interactive Art Experience during the live stream that included another matching grant opportunity of $500. The CEO also participated in a housing and community centers panel with other peer leaders from the Big Share. A multi-pronged social media strategy used videos, graphics, and photos to increase visibility of the campaign. There was a follow-up email and phone calls after the campaign thanking donors. The Wave: Results and Keys to Success The YWCA Madison raised a total of $46,792 from 223 donors. It was the second-highest amount raised by a member organization. We won the power hour bonus of $2,000 and the $500 match during the Interactive Live Art Stream. In the debrief session following the campaign, the team of staff and board identified the following elements as keys to success: The importance of a board member’s initiative to share opportunities that support the organization The board ambassador and fund development training focused on the components of individual peer-to-peer fundraising skills The working session during the board meeting strengthened the collective motivation for the campaign The campaign theme integrated the ongoing values and messaging of the YWCA Madison The matching grant was a compelling aspect of the messaging The communication toolkit and social media strategy offered multiple resources and channels for visibility of the campaign The importance of cultivating strong relationships with internal and external collaborators Various events during the Big Share allowed outreach to different audiences The Power Hour provided a targeted push to secure donations This campaign started with an engaged board member forwarding an email to the CEO and Development Director. A suggestion that was followed by collaborative action resulted in building the capacity of the board, fostering a collective fundraising partnership between board and staff, generating significant financial resources, and attracting hundreds of donors to support the change the YWCA Madison is making in the world. If you are exploring how to engage your board in fundraising, let’s chat. It only takes a ripple to create the wave you are seeking. This blog was written in collaboration with YWCA Madison CEO, Gery Paredes Vasquez.
How do I get my Board to Fundraise? Over the last three decades, this has been the million-dollar question! Whether I was an executive director, board member, or consultant. More often than not, this is an area where nonprofits have challenges. So where do you start? Know Board Roles and Responsibilities It begins with board members understanding their roles and responsibilities. BoardSource, the premier organization supporting nonprofit governance, offers many resources to guide boards to excellence. Here is a checklist to get started with Board Roles and Responsibilities. Nonprofit boards play both governance roles and support roles. Governance (fiduciary) roles include oversight of assets, legal compliance, hiring/evaluating the chief executive and making big decisions such as mission, purpose and strategic direction. The role can only be played by the board as a body when a quorum is present. Actions made by the full board have legal authority. An example, the Board Chair doesn’t hire the executive director; only the entire board can hire the executive director. Support roles are played by individual board members to support the organization. Board members act as individuals to offer advice, serve as ambassadors, volunteers, and support revenue strategy by fundraising, assisting with earned income, or identifying new sources of funding. In these important support roles, individual board members operate under the direction of staff. In a support role, individual board members have no legal authority. Who is the Boss of Fundraising? Often things get murky when it comes to fundraising because the board as a whole plays a governance role and individual board members play a support role. Clarifying staff roles and board roles in fundraising is the next step toward engaging the board in fundraising activities. In the governance role, the board approves gift acceptance policies and sets the expectations of board member participation in fundraising. In the support role, board members are often unclear about their responsibilities, and staff members are hesitant to provide guidance on how to fulfill them. Let’s be very clear, when it comes to the activity of fundraising, the staff is the boss of fundraising and board members play support roles in achieving the collective goal. Provide Board Members with the Tools to be Ambassadors For staff it is easy to talk about the mission and programs of the organization because they live and breathe these every day. Board members have varying levels of understanding of the organization and its accomplishments. It isn’t their day job, so setting them up for success by providing a communication toolkit increases board members’ comfort level to invite others to support the organization. Develop your Two-inute Elevator Pitch Now is the time for board members to roll up their sleeves and put down on paper their Why? Why do they support the organization? And why should someone else? Here is a great resource to walk you through the process of developing your elevator pitch. Explain the cause and mission Show your passion and emotion Give examples of impact Differentiate your organization from other similar organizations Keep it concise The elevator pitch is a tool for board members to become more comfortable as ambassadors for the organization. This takes practice! Practice speaking to other board members, family and friends. Now board members are ready for direction from staff! Set a Board Fundraising Campaign Goal Being mindful of equity in access to financial resources, if an organization sets a collective board fundraising goal, it allows each board member to participate within their means. For example, set a board fundraising goal of $25,000. Ask each board member to identify 20 individuals they can contact to support the organization. If a board member isn’t able to identify 20 individuals, provide a list of lapsed donors for board members to re-engage with the organization. Encourage and Celebrate Success Along the Way Having staff available to support board members as they begin the solicitation process is very important to build confidence and remind board members that this is a collective effort; they are not alone. Sharing frequent progress updates and offering encouragement to the entire board helps build momentum and enthusiasm. Checking in with each board member to ask how they are doing and what support they need can also provide the structure and guidance to achieve the goal. In a future blog post, we will present a case study of the YWCA Madison Big Share Campaign and its journey from limited board fundraising participation to raising nearly $50,000 in its first campaign.
Leading with EI: Transforming Teams and Culture In today’s ever-evolving workplace, technical skills and strategic thinking are no longer enough, particularly in the current political and economic climate. The most effective leaders are those who lead with emotional intelligence (EI) — the ability to recognize, understand, and manage their own and others’ emotions. EI is not just a “nice-to-have” trait; it’s an essential driver of team performance, employee engagement, and organizational culture. Why Emotional Intelligence Matters Daniel Goleman’s seminal work on Emotional Intelligence in the 1990s set the foundation for “why” EI matters. Research consistently shows that leaders with high EI foster more collaborative, resilient, and innovative teams. They’re better at navigating conflict, building trust, and creating psychologically safe environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued. Studies by Harvard Business Review and TalentSmart have found that EI accounts for nearly 90% of what sets high performers apart from their peers. The Five Pillars of EI in Leadership Self-Awareness Great leaders know their strengths, blind spots, and emotional triggers. They reflect regularly and seek feedback to grow. Self-Regulation Staying calm under pressure, managing impulses, and responding rather than reacting are hallmarks of emotionally intelligent leadership. Motivation EI-driven leaders are purpose-driven. They inspire others through their passion, persistence, and optimism. Empathy Empathy is the cornerstone of connection. Leaders who listen deeply and understand others’ perspectives build stronger relationships and more inclusive cultures. Social Skills From influencing and coaching to resolving conflict and building networks, strong social skills help leaders move teams forward with clarity and cohesion. EI in Action: Transforming Culture When leaders model emotional intelligence, it cascades throughout the organization. Teams become more collaborative. Communication improves. Turnover decreases. And innovation thrives. In this era of navigating uncertainty and change, the ability to leverage our emotions as a strength is critical. I recently supported a leadership team to strengthen their team culture and productivity. As team members gained a deeper understanding of their respective ways to navigate conflict, build trust and communicate effectively, it became evident that emotional intelligence was at the core of their challenges. We began with an exercise of naming emotions by using the Emotion Wheel. Being able to more clearly verbalize our emotional states and our perceived emotional states of colleagues facilitates our ability to self-regulate and empathize. According to researcher Vanessa Urch Druskat, to create top-performing teams at all levels of the organization, you need team emotional intelligence. Team EI is different than individual EI. It is a set of norms that meet the core social needs activated when people enter teams. The top three norms for meeting people’s social needs are understanding each other better, routinely assessing strengths and opportunities, and routinely talking about stakeholders. Practical Ways to Lead with EI Start with self-reflection. Use tools like journaling or 360-degree feedback to build self-awareness. Vista Global is certified to administer the ESCI 360 developed by Daniel Goleman. Practice active listening. Give your full attention in conversations and validate others’ experiences. Respond with curiosity. When emotions run high, ask questions instead of making assumptions. Invest in development. Offer EI training and coaching to leaders at all levels. Final Thoughts Leading with EI is not a one-time initiative — it’s a lifelong practice. But the payoff is profound: stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more human-centered leadership. In a world where change is constant, emotional intelligence is the anchor that helps organizations thrive. Contact us to learn how Vista Global can support the journey of understanding your EI competencies and approaches to strengthen your team emotional intelligence. Interested in learning more? Check out our other blog posts: Building Emotional Intelligence as a Leader: How Our Brain Shapes Our Emotions Emotional Intelligence is the Leadership Game Changer
Board Engagement: The Biggest Challenge In the years I have been a nonprofit consultant, I have partnered with hundreds of organizations in the area of board governance. I like to start workshops by asking participants to describe their board in ONE word. I hear a variety of words like: passionate, committed. I also hear.. disengaged, checked out, under-utilized, unfocused. When I probe those less-than-optimal descriptors, what often comes to light is that the structures and supports to engage board members effectively are not well developed. What are effective strategies for board engagement? As the Governance Chair for the YWCA Madison board, I promote the use of best practices in board engagement. 1. Develop a board composition matrix: As an organization, discuss the desired attributes, skills and experience that will strengthen the oversight of the organization. With a comprehensive matrix, invite board members to complete the matrix to create an accurate scan of the existing expertise and areas for recruitment. It is important to understand what talents board members possess and how they can contribute to the mission impact of the organization. A board member may have been recruited as an accountant, yet in previous chapters of their career, they worked in monitoring and evaluation. Without a board composition matrix, that talent may go untapped. There are various designs of a board composition matrix. Here is one template to support your thought process. 2. Establish appropriate board committees: Involving board members through committees is an excellent way of taking advantage of everyone’s talents and expertise. Committees are most effective when the board clearly defines their work. Annually, the board should review the committee structure to determine which committees should be constituted to accomplish the work. There are generally several standing committees named in the bylaws (Executive, Governance, Finance), and the flexibility of the board to appoint committees as necessary. BoardSource, the leader in nonprofit governance, has some excellent resources on Structuring Board Committees. 3. Qualities of effective committees: An effective committee has the following qualities: A clear charter and work plan A chair that can facilitate meetings well and involve all members in the work Members who are committed and accountable to accomplish their tasks An understanding that committees do not make decisions; rather they advise, recommend, or carry out a task If I asked you to describe the nonprofit board you serve on in one word, what would it be? If it isn’t engaged…impactful…effective.. let’s connect to explore how to move your organization to greatness by having a great board! For more information on nonprofit governance, check out one of these blog posts: What Sombrero are You Wearing? Every great nonprofit begins with a great board What’s Governance Got to Do With It? Next Level Board Leadership: What does it take?
Leveraging Your Strengths to Lead Successfully Several years ago, I wrote a blog post about being a solopreneur and how understanding my strengths led to my success. Shortly after writing that post, I took the CliftonStrengths 34 assessment again. It had been eleven years. I was a member of a new global team and was curious to learn if anything had shifted in those eleven years. The CliftonStrengths assessment has been used by more than 34 million people globally to identify natural talents. It provides a deep understanding of 34 themes of your natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving in four domains: Executing: Help you make things happen Influencing: Help you take charge, speak up and make sure others are heard Relationship Building: Help you build strong relationships that hold teams together Strategic Thinking: Help you absorb and analyze information that informs better decisions In 2012, when I started my business, five of my top ten themes were in the Executing domain. That helped me launch my business and get things done. When I completed the assessment again in 2023, the top ten themes shifted slightly to include four themes in the Influencing domain and four themes in the Executing domain. As I reflect on this minor shift, I see how my business has evolved. Although I am still “Making Things Happen” as a solopreneur, I am leveraging more of my Influencing themes of Woo (Winning Others Over), Communication and Activator to lead more successfully. Woo helps leaders bring people together, make them feel welcome. These leaders are great at connecting people within their networks. Leaders with Communication theme are talented in helping others gain clarity on issues by asking questions to bring their thoughts out in the open. An Activator is someone who can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They have comfort with trying and failing until they get it right. They allow other people to have that comfort too. I am still a solopreneur, however, I work within teams all the time. Whether I am leading a project with several associate consultants or managing a team of coaches, I leverage my Executing and Influencing themes to deliver high-quality results. Gallup has created a new report called CliftonStrengths for Leaders, which provides insights and advice based on your results to help you become a better leader. Individuals who use their strengths regularly and intentionally are more likely to be engaged in their job and report an excellent quality of life. The most effective leaders are always investing in their strengths. Are you leveraging your strengths to lead successfully? If not, let’s connect to get you on the path of investing in your strengths and living a more fulfilling life.
Welcoming the Next WeTheChange Leadership Circle Leadership and our roles in the movements we care about are always evolving. After serving four years on the WeTheChange Leadership Circle, it is time to transition and pass the baton to a new group of leaders to carry the work forward. One of my final duties as Governance Lead is to welcome the next class of Leadership Circle members. It’s an honor to introduce these incredible women – Danielle Lee, Cindy Curtis-Rivera, and Judy Schenk, who bring their wisdom, vision, and talent to WeTheChange. I’m excited to see their contributions to shaping the next chapter of WeTheChange. It’s been an incredible journey. I’ve had the privilege of helping build the governance structure of this growing community, from developing organizational processes to guiding our shift from a volunteer-led effort to a resourced organization with meaningful momentum. One milestone during my tenure with WeTheChange was the 2022 Activator Campaign, which raised $50,000 to support our evolution and launch a formal membership program in 2023. That was more than just fundraising, it was a turning point that showed how powerful our collective vision truly is. If you’re curious to learn more about how this community of purpose-driven women is shaping the future of business, I invite you to read our recent interview with B The Change. It captures the spirit and impact we’re making together. As I transition out of my Leadership Circle role, I’ll continue to support changemakers through my work with Vista Global and my new board position with YWCA Madison. I look forward to working alongside another group of strong women leaders committed to creating a more just, inclusive, and values-driven world.
