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Global Philanthropic Canada General Survey - The Board's Role in Fundraising: A Governance Follow-Up to The Cost of Caution

Nonprofit boards want to advance their organization's mission, but fundraising is often where that commitment meets friction.
Global Philanthropic Canada is developing our next Knowledge Creation report, a follow-up to The Cost of Caution, exploring the board's role in fundraising: what's working, what's getting in the way and what effective boards do differently.
We want to hear directly from you. Your experience will shape a practical, research-backed resource for board chairs, board members and the staff who work alongside them. The ultimate goal is to serve as a guide for improved governance and, we hope, improved impact in the sector.
Please take approximately 8 minutes to share your insights. The survey will be open until October 16, 2026.
Your Perspective
1.Which best describes your current role?(Required.)
2.Beyond your professional role, have you personally served on the board of a nonprofit or charitable organization?(Required.)
3.Board Fundraising Engagement

Please share your own experience of your board's current engagement with fundraising.(Required.)
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral/ Unsure
Agree
Strongly Agree
N/A
Our board understands that fundraising is part of its role, not solely staff's
Fundraising is regularly discussed at our board meetings
Our board understands the return that investment in fundraising can generate
Board members are given clear expectations about their fundraising responsibilities
Our board chair actively drives fundraising engagement
Our board supports appropriate investment in fundraising capacity when needed
4.Core Board Functions and Capacity

Please rate the extent to which each of the following describes your board.(Required.)
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral/ Unsure
Agree
Strongly Agree
N/A
Our board is effective at planning and policy-setting
Our board is effective at monitoring and organizational oversight
Our board is effective at financial oversight and stewardship
Our board is effective at resource development and fundraising
Our board has the mix of skills, networks and perspectives needed to support the organization's fundraising goals
5.Board Culture and Dynamics

Please rate the extent to which each of the following describes your board.(Required.)
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral/ Unsure
Agree
Strongly Agree
N/A
Our board is more comfortable scrutinizing fundraising costs than considering the revenue those investments can generate
Board members' professional backgrounds do not always prepare them for a fundraising role
Some board members have personal or philosophical reservations about active fundraising
Our board sometimes becomes involved in day-to-day operational decisions that properly sit with staff
Where an executive committee exists, it sometimes makes substantive decisions without meaningful full-board involvement
Practices That Support Effective Board Fundraising
6.Please rate the extent to which each of the following describes your organization or board.(Required.)
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral/ Unsure
Agree
Strongly Agree
N/A
Our recruitment process considers prospective members' philanthropic commitment and willingness to participate in fundraising
We have a documented board member role description that sets out fundraising responsibilities and expected commitments
New board members receive structured onboarding and orientation
Board members receive ongoing training and development beyond their initial onboarding
Board members are expected to participate actively in at least one committee or other defined area of board work
Our board has an active standing committee focused on fundraising or resource development
Fundraising responsibility is shared across the full board rather than resting primarily with the fundraising/resource development committee
Our board regularly assesses both board member experience or satisfaction and board composition, including skills or gaps
Our organization has clear, documented policies to guide fundraising and donor relationships, including gift acceptance and stewardship
Our board has a clear expectation that members make a personal financial contribution
7.Continuity and Succession

Please rate the extent to which each of the following describes your board.(Required.)
Yes
No
Unsure
When our board chair's term ends, there is a clear process for transferring knowledge to the incoming chair
Our board has formal term limits that are consistently followed
Our organization actively keeps former board members engaged after their terms end, for example as donors, ambassadors or advisors
In the past two years, a board member has left before completing their term
8.If a board member has left before completing their term in the past two years, what were the most common reasons? Select all that apply.(Required.)
In Your Own Words
9.What is the one thing you wish board members better understood about fundraising?
About Your Organization
10.What sector does your organization fall in?(Required.)
11.Province, Territory, Country:
Where is your organization located(Required.)
12.Organization's annual revenue(Required.)
13.How many members are on your board?(Required.)
14.Follow-Up Permission
Please select any that apply(Required.)
15.If yes, please provide your contact details