Ways to Use Networking for Nonprofit Growth

Nonprofits, if I had to build a modern board in 2025, here’s what I’d do (and how LinkedIn would play a central role): 1. Don’t just recruit board members. Recruit digital connectors. If your board isn’t helping you expand your reach on LinkedIn, you’re leaving money (and momentum) on the table. Stop saying: “We need help with fundraising.” Start saying: “We’re building a digital-first board to open doors to new partners, funders, and allies.” Your next major donor might already be in your board member’s LinkedIn network. They just haven’t made the intro yet. 2. Give your board a LinkedIn playbook. Most board members want to help. They just don’t know how. So make it easy: • Provide a monthly post they can share • Ask them to tag 2–3 dream partners • Use Sales Navigator to identify warm intros through their connections Your board’s network is your fastest-growing asset. Start mining it. 3. Design board roles like a growth team, not a rubber stamp committee. Want your board to unlock real value? Treat them like co-founders: • Build 90-day sprints with specific KPIs (i.e. “Get 10 warm intros to CSR leaders”) • Match roles to strategic needs: capital, partnerships, policy, or tech • Replace “give/get” with “grow/guide/generate” Boards don’t scale nonprofits. Builders do. 4. Make LinkedIn your board’s secret weapon. Every board meeting should ask: “How many strategic intros have we generated this quarter?” “What corporate or philanthropic partner should we be nurturing next?” “Who in our networks needs to see our latest win?” Let your board activate their networks, not just attend meetings. 5. A good board gives. A great board multiplies. In 2025, board members shouldn’t just donate. They should: • Connect you to CSR teams • Vouch for your mission in private conversations • Share your content to audiences that matter Your board can 10x your visibility if you show them how. 6. Culture over comfort. The best boards don’t just agree, they build. They challenge your thinking. They bring fresh ideas. They push you to go bigger. In other words, they act like founding teams. This year, don’t just recruit board members. Empower digital champions. LinkedIn isn’t just a platform, it’s your nonprofit’s growth engine. Join us at our webinar this week and I’ll teach you how to do this effectively: https://lu.ma/apmlnmz4 With purpose and impact, Mario

How much funding has your nonprofit raised from LinkedIn? If your answer is “not much”… time to fix that. LinkedIn is one of my go-to places for prospect research, networking, connecting with funders, and building donor relationships. It’s honestly a goldmine if you know how to use it. A few tricks to try: - Start sharing impact stories, personal experiences, and your why. Let people connect with the heart behind your work. - Get Sales Navigator. Secret tip: nonprofits can get 75% off! - Don’t have a contact at a company? Try searching by job title + company (think: CSR, ESG, marketing, PR). - Grow your network: don’t be afraid to hit follow/connect, engage with posts, leave thought provoking comments. Most connections start in the comments. - Use tools like Apollo.io to find business emails for cold outreach. Show up and be engaging. It can help you grow your funding, partnerships, and visibility. How are you using LinkedIn for your mission?

8 unique ideas to grow your monthly giving program 👇 Yesterday, I led a workshop with the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta (YNPN Atlanta), and there were SO many questions on this, so here's some ideas! **You don’t need a huge team to do this. You just need a plan, a little creativity, and consistency. 1. Pitch yourself on podcasts - Nonprofit shows. Local shows. Mission-aligned convos. Be a guest! Share real stories and plug your monthly giving program naturally. 2. Get your name in the press Local = feel-good stories. Trade = sector-specific gold. National = trend tie-ins. Pitch ‘em all. 3. Lean on your corporate partners - They're already on your team. Co-create something—like a lunch & learn, email campaign, or co-branded content for social. 4. Activate your board Use an upcoming board meeting to write LinkedIn posts together about why the program matters and their involvement, ask if they'd host a fundraising dinner at their house, etc. 5. Make your donors the stars Record short “Why I Give Monthly” videos and sprinkle them into emails, social, and landing pages. 6. Add a referral perk Give monthly, refer a friend, get a sticker, or exclusive update. Easy and heartfelt. 7. Make it the centerpiece of your next event Make sure your monthly giving program has it's moment! When you bring people together, it's the BEST way to encourage support and explain WHY recurring gifts matter so much. 8. Always give people a next step Read this article? Donate. You spoke somewhere? Ask them to join the list. Engagement should lead somewhere. Which one are you going to try first? :)