TOP TIPS TO APPROACH BOARD FUNDRAISING 1. Deal Directly with the “Dark Side” of Fundraising. • Have honest open discussion to get over anxieties or mental blocks • Don’t talk at them, allow them to talk about how they feel • “How do you feel about soliciting and asking for money” • Pair them off to discuss • Let them get the anxiety out then ask them how they feel when they give!
2. Tell them Fundraising is NOT about money. • Ask: “How do you feel when you write a check to your favorite organization?” • Remind them they are giving the opportunity to let others share those feelings, inspire them to help change the world • Put fundraising on a higher plane • Fundraising is about desire to improve your community/world
3. Seek Friends, not Donors. • Prioritize making connections and building a friend network to just generating funds. The more friends the more successful. • Donors want to be a part of the organization, treated like people not wallets. • Creates community buzz. Want board members to be active: talking about organization, introducing people to its work, building friends and volunteers, helping to generate money and resources. • Board members love making friends and are proud to do it.
4. Tell them they don’t have to solicit. • Take money off the table and make it about friend raising and developing friendly relationships for the organization all over the community/state/region • Fundraising cycle starts with identifying potential donors, cultivating, engaging and involving them. • When they are ready ask for support and then thank, thank, thank them. • Engage board members along this process where they are comfortable. 5. They can raise money without fundraising. • Help create or evaluate a business plan for an earned income venture • Advocate for government money • Provide intelligence on prospects (potential donors) • Set up a meeting with a prospective donor • Email, call, or visit a donor just to say thanks • Explain to a prospect why you serve • Host a small gathering at your home • Recruit an in-kind service (ex. Convince their own company to provide some pro-bono marketing services to the non-profit) • Negotiate a lower price from a vendor
Source: Perry, Gail. Fired-up Fundraising: Turning Board Passion into Action. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2007.
TOP TIPS TO APPROACH BOARD FUNDRAISING 6. Don’t subject board to rejection, set them up for success. • Cold or “cool” calls worst place to put good energy of board members as they have the highest rate of failure. • Send them on easy calls that will give confidence.
7. Plan to use their time carefully. • Focus on fewer calls at higher $$$ level. • Quality not quantity.
8. They are not professional fundraisers; they need strong guidance and preparation. • If board is disconnected of not engaged, then its members will NOT tackle fundraising enthusiastically. • To be motivated they need to have the chance to “own” the organization’s goals, missions, plans, challenges. • Need to feel like active contributors.
Source: Perry, Gail. Fired-up Fundraising: Turning Board Passion into Action. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2007.