Raiser Sharp Consulting

09/12/2026

unpopular opinion: your board packet shouldn't start the night before
email isn't a system hunting inbox threads for the agenda, financials, and last month's minutes is why prep turns into a late-night panic
drive folders aren't better if nobody knows which version is final, you're sending trustees conflicting documents and calling it board governance
stop rebuilding packets one place should hold the approved agenda, current financials, prior minutes, and every document your board needs
use board i.v board i.v. keeps your packet organized and auditable, so meeting prep doesn't steal the night before every board meeting

09/11/2026

Hand renewal pricing to the board when it’s per-user vs flat + free committees

09/11/2026

10 night-before packet panics every nonprofit ops lead knows
1. Hunting the agenda across three email threads at 10pm
2. Realizing the latest financials live in someone else's Drive
3. Copying last meeting’s minutes from a PDF you can’t edit
4. Texting your ED asking which version is actually final
5. Renaming files v3 FINAL FINAL so the board isn’t confused
6. Stitching it all into one packet and hoping nothing’s missing
7. Sending it late and worrying who didn’t get the right file
8. Getting last-minute edits after you thought you were done
9. Showing up unsure if everyone’s looking at the same numbers
10. Switching to Board I.V. so your packet’s built in one place before midnight

08/08/2026

(http://www.boardiv.com/webinar)
What if your board could become more organized, more accountable, and more effective in just 30 days?

Too many nonprofit leaders are working around their boards instead of working with them.
Meetings drag.
Commitments get forgotten.
Board members disengage.
The Executive Director ends up carrying everything.

It doesn’t have to stay that way.

Join me for a FREE webinar:
THE 30-DAY BOARD TURNAROUND
Tuesday, August 18
1:00 PM EDT

I’ll show you a practical 30-day plan you can use to start changing how your board operates right away.

You’ll learn how to:
• Get your board organized and focused
• Strengthen accountability without creating conflict
• Run better meetings that lead to action
• Clarify what board members should actually be doing
• Build stronger governance systems that don’t depend on one person
• Turn good intentions into real follow-through

I’ve spent 40 years working with nonprofit organizations and boards. I’ve seen what causes boards to struggle, and I’ve seen how quickly things can change when you put the right structure in place.

This will not be another webinar filled with governance theory.

You’ll leave with a plan.

If your board has more potential than performance right now, I want you in this room.

Registration is FREE.
Reserve your spot:
[www.boardiv.com/webinar](http://www.boardiv.com/webinar)

Your board can look very different 30 days from now.
The question is whether you’re ready to change it.

07/18/2026

Is your nonprofit fundable?

Not passionate.
Not busy.
Not doing good work.

Fundable.

Many nonprofits keep chasing grants when the real problem is their structure, systems, board engagement, financial readiness, or ability to show results.

Take the free Raiser Sharp Fundability Assessment and find out what funders may already see.

15 questions. One honest score.

07/02/2026

Board Recruiting in 2026: Where to Find Real Mission Movers
Stop settling for warm bodies on your board. Learn how to recruit strategic partners who bring capital, connections, and actual work ethic to your nonprofit.

The era of the 'placeholder' board member is over. If you are still recruiting based on who has the most free time or who happens to be your cousin’s accountant, you are stalling your own mission. By 2026, the complexity of the nonprofit landscape—from AI integration to shifting donor demographics—means you need a board that functions like a high-level consultancy, not a social club.

You don't need more people to 'oversee' you. You need people who can open doors that are currently locked and solve problems that keep you up at night. This requires a fundamental shift in where you look and how you ask.

Stop Fishing in the Same Dried-Up Ponds
Most Executive Directors look for board members in the most convenient places: their current circle of friends, former colleagues, or local networking mixers. The result is a homogeneous group of people who think exactly like you do. This creates a dangerous echo chamber where no one asks the hard questions.
To find members who actually move the needle, you have to look where your mission is actually heading, not where it’s been. This means looking outside the 'professional volunteer' circuit.

Where to look instead:
Mid-market tech leads: These are people who understand scale, systems, and efficiency. They are often overlooked for board roles in favor of CEOs, but they have the technical grit to help you modernize your operations.

Displaced corporate talent: High-level executives taking a transition year or moving into fractional work often have an surplus of strategic energy and a Rolodex they are still eager to use.

Adjacent industries: If you run an environmental nonprofit, stop looking for more environmentalists. Look for a logistics expert who understands supply chains or a construction project manager who knows how to navigate local government permits.

Recruit for Skills, Not Just Status
A name on a letterhead doesn't raise money, and a title doesn't draft a strategic plan. In 2026, the baseline for recruitment should be a 'Competency Matrix' that is ruthlessly honest. If your board is full of 'generalists,' you have a board of spectators.

You need to identify the specific gaps in your organizational armor. Do you lack expertise in digital security? Are you struggling with real estate acquisition? Is your branding stuck in the early 2000s? Recruit for those exact holes.

The 'Big Three' profiles you need right now:
The Architect: Someone who understands how to build sustainable systems and governance models that don't rely on the Executive Director doing everything.

The Door-Opener: Someone who doesn't just 'have connections' but is willing to actively bridge the gap between your mission and the people who can fund it.

The Devil’s Advocate: Someone whose primary role is to challenge your assumptions without being toxic. This person prevents expensive mistakes.

The Interview Is a Two-Way Street
A common mistake is 'selling' the board position as if it's a light commitment. You tell them it’s 'just one meeting a month' because you’re afraid to scare them off. This is a recipe for a disengaged board.

You should be interviewing them harder than they are interviewing you. If they aren't asking tough questions about your financials, your staff turnover, or your five-year plan, they aren't the right fit. They should be looking for a high-impact investment of their time. If they want something easy, they can join a country club.

Questions you must ask every candidate:
"What is the most difficult strategic decision you've been part of in the last two years?"
"When we hit a budget shortfall, what is your first move?"
"What specific network or resource can you reliably bring to the table in the next six months?"
"How do you handle being the lone dissenting voice in a room?"

Onboarding Is Where the Work Begins
Finding the right person is only half the battle. Most board members fail not because they lack talent, but because they were never given a clear lane to run in. The first 90 days of a new board member’s tenure should be structured with military precision.
Don't just hand them a 200-page binder of old minutes and wish them luck. Give them a specific project. Put them on a task force that has a clear deadline and a measurable outcome. Let them see what it feels like to win with your organization early on. This builds the 'ownership muscle' that distinguishes a great board member from a mediocre one.

Best practices for 2026 onboarding:
The 'Buddy' System: Pair them with your most active current member for the first three meetings.

The Site Visit: They shouldn't vote on a single budget item until they have seen your programs in action. They need to smell the air and meet the people you serve.

The Strategic Deep Dive: A one-on-one session with you (the ED) to discuss the 'unwritten' rules of the organization and where the real challenges lie.

Cultivating a Culture of Accountability
High-performers want to be around other high-performers. If you allow 'zombie' board members to stick around, your best people will eventually leave. They will feel their time is being wasted.
As the Executive Director, you have more power here than you think. You set the temperature. Work with your Board Chair to implement annual self-evaluations. If someone isn't meeting their 'Give/Get' requirement or attending meetings, they need to be coached out. It is better to have seven highly engaged members than fifteen who just show up for the catered lunch.

Building a board for 2026 requires moving away from the 'friends and family' model and toward a professional, skills-based partnership. It’s about finding the people who aren't just interested in your mission, but are capable of advancing it. Your mission is too important to be managed by an accidental board.

You have the vision. Now, find the partners who are ready to build the infrastructure to support it. Stop settling for less than the talent your cause deserves.

Need help managing your board? Try www.boardiv.com

06/18/2026

Why Working Harder Won't Fix a Broken Nonprofit

Effort doesn't compound when the system is broken. Here's why the hardest-working EDs are often the most stuck — and what actually moves the needle.

04/17/2026

https://youtu.be/57zwEuQXdOU

Running a nonprofit board shouldn’t feel like herding cats. Scattered emails, lost documents, and last-minute meeting chaos are things of the past. Boardiv brings everything your board needs—meetings, documents, votes, chat, and more—into one simple, secure platform.

✅ Save 10+ hours each week
✅ Go 100% paperless
✅ Cut email clutter by 80%
✅ Access from anywhere, anytime

Boardiv simplifies nonprofit governance with:

✅ Smart meeting scheduling & agenda builders
✅ Digital voting with clear audit trails
✅ Centralized document hub with version control
✅ Integrated Zoom and Teams conferencing
✅ Custom roles, permissions, and committee management

Whether you’re leading a nonprofit, church, school, association, or local government, Boardiv helps your board focus on what matters most—your mission, not your inbox.

🌐 Start your free trial today: www.boardiv.com
🕒 No credit card. 2-minute setup. Full transparency.

Simplify. Collaborate. Lead better—with Boardiv.
www.boardiv.com

management software, tools, portal, governance, board meetings, board software, collaboration, board meetings, platform, management app, board operations, member tools

Boardiv, a new board management and communication platform for nonprofits, explained.Running a board shouldn’t feel like herding cats. Scattered emails, lost...

01/03/2026

A personal message from Joe Morrison

Running a board shouldn’t feel like herding cats. Scattered emails, lost documents, and last-minute meeting chaos are things of the past. Boardiv brings everything your board needs—meetings, documents, votes, chat, and more—into one simple, secure platform.

✅ Save 10+ hours each week
✅ Go 100% paperless
✅ Cut email clutter by 80%
✅ Access from anywhere, anytime

Boardiv simplifies nonprofit governance with:
• Smart meeting scheduling & agenda builders
• Digital voting with clear audit trails
• Centralized document hub with version control
• Integrated Zoom and Teams conferencing
• Custom roles, permissions, and committee management

Whether you’re leading a nonprofit, church, school, association, or local government, Boardiv helps your board focus on what matters most—your mission, not your inbox.

🌐 Start your free trial today: www.boardiv.com
🕒 No credit card. 2-minute setup. Full transparency.

Simplify. Collaborate. Lead better—with Boardiv.

management software, tools, portal, governance, board meetings, board software, collaboration, board meetings, platform, management app, board operations, member tools

https://youtube.com/shorts/QOITN2ygviY

Running a board shouldn’t feel like herding cats. Scattered emails, lost documents, and last-minute meeting chaos are things of the past. Boardiv brings ever...

12/28/2025

Hello, nonprofit family!
Let's be honest, how many of you have ever sat in a board meeting and thought, '…I could be folding laundry right now'? 😂

Building a truly effective board takes work, but it's SO worth it. A strong board can help your organization:
* Increase fundraising
* Improve strategic planning
* Boost community impact

What's ONE thing you wish your board did differently? Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇





www.boardiv.com