Becoming a Causie: Elevate Your Nonprofit Board with Rob Acton

10/15/24 • 37 min

Do you have "Causies" on your board? Board members so passionate about your mission that they can’t stop championing your nonprofit?

In this episode, nationally recognized nonprofit governance expert Rob Acton shares insights from his new book Becoming a Causie: Champion Your Cause Through Nonprofit Board Leadership. Rob discusses how to attract, onboard, and inspire board members who are true champions of your mission. From navigating the tightrope between board governance and staff management; mastering the art of board fundraising; and more!

Rob’s approach will help you develop a board filled with engaged, passionate members who fundraise, strategize, and lead with confidence. Whether you're an executive director or a board member, Rob’s advice is actionable, inspiring, and geared toward creating a cause-driven nonprofit.

This episode answers the following questions:

How do I find board members passionate about my cause?
How do I keep my board from micromanaging me?
How do I get my board members to fundraise?

Links mentioned in this episode:

Rob Acton’s Website (book and speaking)
Causies Website (board recruitment and leadership)

Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:

Ep 205: Find your next great Board member with Rob Acton[Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]
Ep 212: The Supportive Board Chair with Monica Khant [Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]

Do you have "Causies" on your board? Board members so passionate about your mission that they can’t stop championing your nonprofit?

This episode answers the following questions:

How do I find board members passionate about my cause?
How do I keep my board from micromanaging me?
How do I get my board members to fundraise?

Links mentioned in this episode:

Rob Acton’s Website (book and speaking)
Causies Website (board recruitment and leadership)

Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:

Ep 205: Find your next great Board member with Rob Acton[Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]
Ep 212: The Supportive Board Chair with Monica Khant [Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]

Previous Episode

Nonprofit Myth-busting with Mickey Desai

Are nonprofit organizations destined to be underfunded, overworked, and underpaid? Think again! In this myth-busting episode, Mickey Desai, founder of Nonprofit Snapshot and host of The Nonprofit SnapCast, joins Dolph to debunk some of the most common misconceptions about nonprofit work. From myths about volunteers being “free” to the dangers of relying on events for fundraising, Mickey and Dolph provide insights that will challenge the way you think about nonprofit management.

Learn why offering competitive salaries is a necessity and discover how nonprofit leaders can turn board members into active, engaged participants. If you’re tired of hearing the same old “rules”, this episode is packed with refreshing perspectives and practical solutions.

This episode answers the following questions:

Why do nonprofits need to compete on pay?
How should board members really contribute to my nonprofit’s success?
Why is fundraising during a recession or election season not just possible, but essential?
What are the true costs of working with volunteers?

Links mentioned in this episode:

Nonprofit Snapshot – Learn more about Mickey’s nonprofit consulting work.
Nonprofit Snapshot – Mickey’s podcast about board development, fundraising strategies, volunteer management, and more.
The Thing About Cars Podcast – Mickey’s talk-show podcast about all things cars.

Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:

Ep 217: Time to Change the Way You Fundraise and Raise More Money with Jack Silverstein[Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]
Ep 297: Volunteer Fundraisers Unleashed with Maura McDaniel Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]

Next Episode

Leverage AI and Behavioral Psychology to Engage Major Donors with Griff Bohm

Are you leaving money on the table by ignoring the psychological triggers that drive donors to give? Join us for a compelling conversation with Griff Bohm, co-founder of Give Momentum, as we explore how behavioral psychology and AI can transform your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy.

Griff brings deep expertise in donor psychology and financial decision-making, backed by his success in the Defeat by Tweet campaign, which raised $15 million from 60,000 new donors.

He explains how concepts like loss aversion, delayed gratification, and "action-based giving" drive donor behavior, and how AI can help nonprofits build lasting donor relationships. Discover how to identify high-potential donors, automate engagement, and leverage AI to hyper-personalize your outreach. If you're ready to supercharge your donor engagement, this is the episode for you.

This episode answers the following questions:

What are the key traits of major donors?
How can I use psychology to increase donor engagement
How can I use AI to identify, engage, and retain donors?

Links mentioned in this episode:

Give Momentum GPT – Learn about their GPT assistant for fundraising best practices.
Give Momentum’s Website
Give Momentum’s Blog

Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:

Ep 351: Use Email Sequencing to unlock donor retention with Lisa Fernandez [Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]
Ep 281: Surefire ways to retain your donors with Samantha Threadgill [Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]