Let's Do More Together: Board Engagement Creates More Than Donations

One of the tools Easterseals Southwest Florida employed for the 2020 Giving Challenge was to maximize board engagement.

The board members of three separate nonprofits – Easterseals, InStride Therapy and ABA Academy, all managed under the ES-SWFL umbrella – were integrated to create a board competition for the Challenge. The goal was to increase engagement with a broader audience, powered by the strong leaders within each entity's board. The result was 100 percent involvement from all the board members – a new feat for our Challenge participation.

The boards were split into teams and assigned specific time periods throughout the Challenge. The teams engaged their circles of influence, asking them to donate through the Giving Challenge to the appropriate nonprofit – Easterseals, InStride or ABA.

Easterseals Southwest Florida Board Chair John Berkey took to Facebook video in order to help motivate more engagement for donors during the Giving Challenge 2020.

We scheduled Zoom meetings with each team just before their selected donation period began, helping to raise spirits and energy. We also communicated via email to all board members about the success achieved at the end of each period. Social media tools were available for sharing — before, during and after the Challenge. Each nonprofit raised more money than in 2018 (it was ABA's first) and, better yet, enjoyed the virtual celebration on Zoom at the Challenge conclusion.

Since the Challenge, InStride and ABA Academy have merged, becoming departments with the Easterseals operation. The ability to work together was a central element as the merger transpired, something proven invaluable during the 2020 Challenge.

Our community continues to receive benefits from this collaboration and unity – an intangible yet remarkable asset.

To learn more about Easterseals Southwest Florida, visit easterseals-swfl.org/