How Can I Get My Board More Involved in Fundraising?
"How can I get my board to fundraise with me?" is probably the most common question I hear from non-profit CEOs and Executive Directors.
Before getting to the "how," let's look at the "why" -- why so many boards, especially at small-to-medium nonprofits, seem so reticent to fully dive into fundraising.
By definition, everyone on the board is there as a volunteer, which means they're trying to fit all of their board work into what spare time they have between their own jobs and lives.
Sometimes, boards assume that the main onus lies on the CEO/ED and the Development team to raise all of the income, while they approve the budget. In reality, one of the Board's main responsibilities is the financial health of the organization, especially raising funds, in partnership with the staff.
There are a number of misconceptions about being an effective fundraiser that can stymie participation from the start.
Those misconceptions are important, because addressing them can be the key to unlocking engagement:
I don't know any rich people, so I can't really help.
I don't like talking about money or asking for money -- it feels "icky".
I don't like public speaking, so I can't host fundraising events.
My Facebook fundraisers don't seem to raise much, so it doesn't seem worth my time.
We have professional fundraising staff, so I'm not sure why I would need to be involved when I don't have the training myself.
The healthiest nonprofits, those with sustainable and growing budgets, have boards that are fully invested and engaged in fundraising, in partnership with the staff. They have built a culture of philanthropy that is communicated to anyone seeking to join the board and is included in orientation for new board members -- it is an accepted and expected part of board service.
Getting your board there won't happen overnight and may not even happen over the course of one year. Depending on your current board makeup, it may take a few cycles of certain board members rotating off and bringing on new recruits who are fully invested before your organization finds its groove. Nevertheless, it's never to late to start building that culture of philanthropy.
Help folks get past their pre-conceived notions about fundraising and engage in the ways that best match their interests.
First, the reason board members need to be highly involved in fundraising goes beyond it being their responsibility (which it is). Building a solid bench of committed donors requires having as deep a bench as possible, which in turn requires that as many people as possible are constantly adding supporters (potential donors) to that bench. Even the best marketing and fundraising campaigns can only take you so far -- people give to people -- and major donations come from partnerships built over time. The more people on the bench who arrived there because of a personal connection (rather than from a general campaign), the more likely there are potential major donors on that bench. So when the board is bringing supporters into the fold alongside the ED and Development staff, the staff's efforts are magnified by many times and hence more effective.
Facebook fundraisers are wonderful ways for smaller donors to magnify their donation impact. But they aren't the best use of board member's time. Board members' time is better spent cultivating potential major donors, with staff support in helping to identify who to cultivate. Besides, focusing on Facebook fundraisers can inadvertently result in Board members setting their personal fundraising sights way too low.
Fundraising and asking for money isn't icky. In fact, it's the way non-profits, by law, must operate. Remind Board members that 99% of fundraising is about building relationships and geeking out with like-minded folks about the mission you both love. By the time a donor is ready for the ask, they WANT to give -- they want you to make the ask and tell them where their gift will have the most effect. And, at that point, the Board member can hand the ask off to the ED if they still don't feel comfortable making the ask themselves.
There are a million ways that Board members can effectively participate in fundraising. To name but a few --- social media influencing and campaigning; hosting local fundraising events (these don't have to be stuffy and traditional or involve public speaking, get creative); 1:1 coffees with local donors; networking for the organization and connecting the ED/CEO with potential donors, corporate sponsors, or collaborative partners; giving a shout-out to the organization during their own media interviews; spreading the word about the organization at relevant events; grant writing; etc. In short, remind them to be a champion and ambassador for the organization year-round and to get involved in the ways that match their talents and interests -- including fundraising for the program(s) that speak the most to them (because they can speak most passionately about those).
Board members are giving your organization precious spare time (of which they likely have little), so staff should help them prioritize and concentrate on where their energy and talent will lead to the highest likelihood of significant fundraising success, aligned with the overall Development strategy.
The larger a nonprofit is, the more that the staff can logistically support and guide Board member's fundraising activities and provide more tailored, individual support. Smaller nonprofits will necessarily need to rely more on self-started ideas from the Board and Board members including their own logistical planning as part of their volunteer time.
Fundraising takes practice, and building a culture of whole-team involvement takes time. But reminding board members that fundraising is really just about building relationships with people who care deeply about the same mission they do can help put a lot of unease to rest. As can reminding them that there are many ways in which they can be involved, matching with their individual skillsets and interests.
