There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fundraisers. Fundraisers may be strong on people skills, great with processes and project management, empathetic, excellent listeners, creative thinkers, team leaders … and much more.

But for many fundraisers, understanding – or more accurately, caring about – managing the organization as a whole is something that can seem like extraneous information. Truth be told, however, there are some management issues fundraisers should be concerned with.

First is the organization’s board of directors – the group of men and women who are charged with the fiduciary responsibility of the organization (among other things) – doing their job? Are they effective? Are they actively engaged with the governance details? Being on the board of a nonprofit is a position of trust and responsibility; the government trusts the board members to guide the organization to stay focused on the purpose for which it has been granted nonprofit status. Plus, donors put their trust in the board members to ensure that their funds are properly used.

In a well-managed nonprofit organization, the board primarily interacts with the CEO or executive director, and perhaps the CFO or another one or two senior staff. Many fundraisers will have little or no communication with the board other than what is initiated by the CEO. That’s actually not a bad thing because it maintains the “chain of command.” One of the biggest challenges for a fundraiser is if his or her supervisor is saying one thing, the CEO is saying another and a board member is asking for something totally different!

Fundraisers do need to consider all board members as donors and advocates and make sure they are part of the personal portfolio of the CEO (or another key employee) and are being stewarded. While board members of a nonprofit are not compensated – which means their time is, in and of itself, a generous donation – their financial contribution matters. In fact, foundations and other major donors will often ask if you have 100 percent of board members participating as donors. Why? Because if a board member – who knows most about the inner workings of an organization – chooses not to give, why should someone outside donate? After all, that board member may not be giving because he or she suspects a problem. So while you may not know specifics about a board member’s contributions, you do need to know both that they are being cultivated as donors and that they are actually giving at some level. (Some organizations have giving requirements for board members, but many do not. If there are no requirements, make sure these men and women aren’t being overlooked when it comes to solicitation for a gift).

If you do have an opportunity to build relationships with your board members, remember that they are the leaders of the organization, but also supporters. Always treat them as you treat your major donors, and you won’t go wrong!