How to Turn Your Passive Board Into Active Fundraisers (Without Begging Them to Help)
A proven 3-step system used by 50+ nonprofits to get board members engaged, committed, and raising money, even if they've "never been comfortable asking.
For much of the time as Founder and Executive Director, I felt stuck. Rooney was able to get the board members engaged and ready to help make an impact. We are all so grateful.
— Martina Jones, Founder & Executive Director, Bless It Solutions Inc., SC
You're doing everything right.
You recruited passionate board members. You talk about fundraising at every meeting. You send updates. You ask for help.
But when it's time to actually raise money... nothing.
They say they're "not comfortable asking for money."
Or they're "too busy right now."
Or they'll "help in other ways."
Meanwhile, you're doing it all alone.
Writing grants at midnight. Planning events no one attends. Chasing down the same handful of donors year after year.
You're exhausted. You're frustrated. And you're starting to wonder if your board will ever step up.
Here's what I've learned after working with 50+ nonprofit founders in your exact situation:
Your board members aren't lazy. They're not ungrateful. They're not avoiding you.
They just don't have a system.
They don't know:
- What specific actions they should take
- When they should take them
- How to do it without feeling pushy or awkward
So they freeze. They avoid. They wait for you to tell them what to do.
And the cycle continues.
But it doesn't have to.
Who I Am
I'm Rooney.
I've spent the last 9+ years helping nonprofit leaders solve one of the hardest problems in the sector: getting boards to actually fundraise.
Here's what I've done:
- Founded a nonprofit in 2017 and built it from the ground up (I know what it's like to be in your shoes)
- Served as a board member, fundraising consultant, and contributed to raising over $5M
- Helped 100+ organizations activate reluctant boards and create fundraising systems that work
- Served as VP of Client Acquisition for a US nonprofit consulting firm, working with organizations raising $100K to $5M annually
- Trained nonprofit leaders across the US on board engagement, fundraising planning, and execution
I didn't build this toolkit from theory. I built it from the trenches. From working with exhausted Executive Directors who were one bad quarter away from burnout.
From watching boards full of talented, well-meaning people sit on the sidelines because no one gave them a clear way to help.
This system works. And I'm going to show you exactly how to use it.
I wasted 6 months not knowing what I don't know before I hired him as a consultant. We accomplished in 4 months: a board, a volunteer program currently staffed with 8 volunteers, a strategic plan for funding, and too much to share. If you are on the fence, reach out to me. I would be happy to tell you why you can't afford not to hire him.
— Donna Kargel, Community Thrive, FL
The Solution
The Fundraising Planning Toolkit gives you everything you need to turn your board into active fundraisers in 3 simple steps.
This isn't about convincing your board to care more. Or guilting them into action.
It's about giving them a clear, low-pressure system they can actually follow.
Here's how it works:
STEP 1: Collect Board Ideas
What You Get:
The Board Fundraising Idea Collection Form, a proven template that gets every board member to share:
✅ Fundraising ideas they actually believe in (not ideas you think they should do)
✅ How they want to support
✅ If they are open to giving to support fundraising execution
Why This Works:
Most boards don't engage because they feel like fundraising is being done to them, not with them.
This form flips the script. It asks for their input. It meets them where they are. And it makes them feel heard.
You send it out. They fill it in. You suddenly have a clear picture of what your board is actually willing to do.
STEP 2: Build the Plan
What You Get:
The Fundraising Planning Framework is a fill-in-the-blank system to turn scattered board ideas into one cohesive, actionable fundraising plan your whole team can execute.
This isn't a 40-page strategic document that sits on a shelf. It's a working plan that answers:
- How much are we raising, and why?
- Who are the specific audiences best aligned with our mission?
- Where do we find them and how do we attract them daily?
- What step-by-step process moves them from interest to investment?
- What are we asking for funding for?
- Who is responsible for execution?
- What content and materials do we need to execute?
- And how much will it cost us to reach our fundraising goal
Why This Works:
Your board won't execute a plan they don't understand or didn't help create.
This framework lets you build the plan from their ideas, so they feel ownership. And when they feel ownership, they actually follow through. As we say in community development, people who plan together, execute together.
STEP 3: Get Board Buy-In
What You Get:
The Board Facilitation Guide: a step-by-step meeting script to get your board to review the plan, commit to it, and start executing.
This includes:
✅ The exact agenda to use
✅ Talking points to handle resistance
✅ How to get board members to adopt the plan
✅ How to initiate execution with your board
Why This Works:
Most nonprofit leaders skip this step. They build a plan, send it to the board, and hope people follow through.
They don't.
This guide walks you through the meeting where your board actually commits, out loud, in front of each other, to specific actions.
That's when everything changes.
Rooney really knows his stuff. He has helped my board rethink how we fundraise and even changed how we value ourselves and our services. He provides quick and well-thought-out fundraising plans that are easy to follow, giving us the tools and confidence to implement. Highly recommend!
— Laura Anthony, Zero Waste San Diego
What You're Getting
When you get The Fundraising Planning Toolkit, here's everything included:
✅ Board Fundraising Idea Collection Form (editable Google Doc template)
✅ Fundraising Planning Framework (fill-in-the-blank worksheet)
✅ Board Facilitation Guide (complete meeting script with talking points)
✅ BONUS: Email Templates to follow up with board members and keep them engaged after the meeting
Total Value: $797
Your Price Today: $197
Who This Is For
This toolkit is for you if:
✅ You're an Executive Director or Founder, tired of fundraising alone
✅ Your board says they'll help, but never follow through
✅ You've tried "board training," and it didn't stick
✅ You need a system, not more advice
✅ You're ready to activate your board in the next 30 days
This toolkit is NOT for you if:
❌ You don't have a board yet (you need to recruit first)
❌ Your board is already fully engaged in fundraising (you don't need this)
❌ You're looking for done-for-you services (see below for that option)
What Others Are Saying
Common Questions
What if my board still won't engage?
This system is specifically designed for reluctant boards.
The form makes it safe for them to share ideas without pressure. The framework meets them where they are (not where you wish they were). And the facilitation guide gives you the exact words to say to get buy-in.
If your board has a pulse, this works.
What if I don't have time to implement this?
The whole process takes 2-3 hours total:
30 minutes to send the form and collect responses
1 hour to build the plan using the framework
1 hour for the board meeting
You'll save 10x that in time you're currently wasting chasing board members or doing everything yourself.
Will this work for small nonprofits?
Yes. I've used this with organizations as small as $50K annual budgets and as large as $5M.
The system scales to your size. If you have 5 board members or 15, it works the same way.
What if my board is scattered across the country?
The form is digital (Google Doc). The meeting can be virtual (Zoom). Everything works remotely.
In fact, most of my clients run this process 100% virtually.
Do I need fundraising experience to use this?
No. The toolkit is designed for nonprofit leaders who are NOT fundraising experts.
Everything is fill-in-the-blank, step-by-step, and includes examples.
What if it doesn't work for my organization?
30-day money-back guarantee.
Use the toolkit. Follow the steps. If you don't see increased board engagement, email me within 30 days, and I'll refund you in full.
No questions asked.
Two Options
OPTION 1: Get the Toolkit and Do It Yourself
The Fundraising Planning Toolkit - $197
Everything you need to activate your board:
✅ Board Fundraising Idea Collection Form
✅ Fundraising Planning Framework
✅ Board Facilitation Guide
✅ Email Templates
✅ Access to me as you execute
30-day money-back guarantee.
OPTION 2: Let Me Do It For You
Done-For-You Fundraising Plan - $1,497
I'll personally:
Send the form to your board and collect responses
Build your complete fundraising plan from their ideas
Facilitate the board meeting to get buy-in and commitment
Provide follow-up support for 30 days
This is for Executive Directors who want results fast without doing the work themselves.
This Is Your Moment
You have two choices:
1. Keep doing what you're doing.
Write another grant at midnight. Plan another event that breaks even. Chase the same donors. Hope your board "steps up" someday.
2. Try something different.
Give your board a clear system. Get them engaged. Start raising money together.
The toolkit is $197. You'll spend that on a failed fundraising event or a grant writer who ghosts you.
This actually works.
30-day money-back guarantee. If it doesn't, you pay nothing.
Stop fundraising alone.
P.S. - Still Not Sure?
Here's what happens when you get the toolkit:
- You'll get instant access to all the templates and guides
- You'll send the form to your board (takes 10 minutes)
- Within a week, you'll have their ideas and commitments
- You'll use the framework to build the plan (takes 1 hour)
- You'll run the meeting using the script (takes 1 hour)
- Your board will finally know what to do, and they'll actually do it
Or you can wait another 6 months and hope things change on their own.
Your call.