{
  "slug": "board-give-or-get",
  "title": "Board Give-or-Get Target Calculator",
  "heading": "Board Give-or-Get Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/board-give-or-get",
  "summary": "Set a fair annual board fundraising target per member.",
  "description": "A give-or-get policy sets an expectation that every board member either personally donates a target amount, raises it from their network, or some combination of both, and it should be sized realistically against your annual fund goal and board size, not picked out of thin air. This calculator divides your target board contribution to the annual fund by the number of board seats to get a baseline per-member figure, then lets you weight it by tiers since asking a retired executive and a 26-year-old emerging professional to give the same amount either overreaches on one or underreaches on the other. It also shows what percentage of your total fundraising goal the board is expected to cover, since healthy boards typically contribute 10-25% of total annual fundraising through combined give and get.",
  "formula": "Baseline per-seat target = board fundraising goal ÷ board seats, then adjusted by tier weight.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=board-give-or-get",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "boardGoal",
      "label": "Total board fundraising goal",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 100000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "boardSeats",
      "label": "Number of board seats",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 15,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 60
    },
    {
      "id": "annualFundGoal",
      "label": "Total annual fund goal (org-wide)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 600000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "highTierSeats",
      "label": "Seats in higher-capacity tier",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "highTierMultiple",
      "label": "Multiple for high-capacity tier",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 10
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "baseline",
      "label": "Flat per-seat target",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "lowTierTarget",
      "label": "Standard tier target",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "highTierTarget",
      "label": "High-capacity tier target",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "shareOfAnnualFund",
      "label": "Board share of annual fund goal",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Total board fundraising goal: 100000 $",
      "Number of board seats: 15",
      "Total annual fund goal (org-wide): 600000 $",
      "Seats in higher-capacity tier: 5",
      "Multiple for high-capacity tier: 2"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Flat per-seat target: $6,667",
      "Standard tier target: $5,000",
      "High-capacity tier target: $10,000",
      "Board share of annual fund goal: 16.7%"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter total board fundraising goal ($).",
      "Enter number of board seats.",
      "Enter total annual fund goal (org-wide) ($).",
      "Enter seats in higher-capacity tier.",
      "Enter multiple for high-capacity tier.",
      "Read your flat per-seat target on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "boardGoal": 60000,
        "boardSeats": 9,
        "annualFundGoal": 360000,
        "highTierSeats": 3,
        "highTierMultiple": 1.2
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "boardGoal": 100000,
        "boardSeats": 15,
        "annualFundGoal": 600000,
        "highTierSeats": 5,
        "highTierMultiple": 2
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "boardGoal": 160000,
        "boardSeats": 24,
        "annualFundGoal": 960000,
        "highTierSeats": 8,
        "highTierMultiple": 3.2
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What's a typical board share of the annual fund?",
      "a": "BoardSource and sector benchmarks generally put healthy board fundraising contribution, combining direct gifts and money raised through the board's networks, at 10-25% of the total annual fund goal. Below that, the board is likely under-engaged in fundraising; well above it, staff and other channels may be under-leveraged."
    },
    {
      "q": "Should give-or-get include in-kind and event ticket purchases?",
      "a": "Most policies count personal cash gifts and money actively solicited from others, but exclude the board member's own gala ticket purchase since that's really just covering their attendance cost, not a fundraising contribution. Be explicit in your written policy so nobody's surprised at year-end."
    },
    {
      "q": "How do I introduce tiered giving without offending members?",
      "a": "Frame it around capacity, not commitment level, tie tiers to publicly known indicators like being a company founder or C-suite executive versus an early-career member, and always let a 'get' (raising money from others) substitute for a 'give' so nobody is excluded purely on personal wealth."
    },
    {
      "q": "What happens if a board member can't meet the target?",
      "a": "Most well-run boards build in an alternative, like committee leadership, in-kind professional services, or committing to introduce the ED to a set number of new prospects. A give-or-get policy without alternatives quietly filters out board members who bring expertise but not wealth."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/volunteer-service-value",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/annual-fund-growth-target"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Board Give-or-Get Target Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/board-give-or-get)"
}