Engaging Your Board in Fundraising
Sue Seiter, CFRE, Senior Consultant, Schultz & Williams, Florida

Many of our clients are tackling issues with their boards and we are often asked how to get board members more involved in fundraising. A recent client experience in Florida provided an opportunity to dispel some erroneous assumptions about board members and to focus on what board members really need to be engaged in an organization’s fundraising effort.

Assumption: Board members know they should give, get or get off the board.

Unless you recruit board members with a expectation of giving and helping to get gifts, you are doing board members a disservice. If you plan to change your expectation after a member joins the board, meet with each member individually to share why you are now expecting all board members to give and what size gift you would like each to consider.

Assumption: Every board member should be out asking for gifts.

Rarely are all board members talented and willing solicitors. But, all board members can and should contribute to the fundraising effort. Your mission is to develop shared ownership of the fundraising goal.

Every board member can write thank you notes to donors, if you provide the note cards, draft the text and provide correct addresses. All board members can play a host role at your friendraising events, welcoming guests and sharing their involvement with your organization. Some board members may agree to host a small event in their home or business for you and their business associates or personal friends. Other board members will be willing to call or send a letter to a prospective donor, asking the prospective donor to meet with you. Other board members will be willing to attend the meeting, sharing their passion for your cause and the reasons for their personal financial commitment. You can do the asking. And, once in a while, we find a board member who loves to ask! Use them wisely.

There are three things all board members need to be effective participants in your fundraising program:

Leadership by example: If the board chair, the executive director and the development director do not lead the way in actively giving and getting gifts, board members will not follow.

Information: Board members need to know the facts and needs of your organization. Use part of each board meeting to educate them about another aspect of your organization. Provide them with a pocket-sized "cheat sheet" with your mission statement, a brief history, key data, budget figures, and 3 current needs of your organization. Likewise, provide board members with good background information on the prospect you are visiting, including gift history to your organization and to others, and an outline of who says what during the meeting. Information is power—and board members will not be empowered to raise money without it.

Confidence: Asking for a gift is not easy. It takes training and it takes practice. Provide board members with annual fundraising training, from writing those thank you notes, to securing a meeting, to asking for the gift. Meet individually at least twice a year with board members who are connecting or soliciting, to review their prospect lists, determine strategies and next steps, review target asks, and offer your help. Then, keep in regular contact by phone and e-mail to check on the status of their activity, in a helpful, non-threatening way.

The majority of board members are truly committed to the organizations they serve. They are not all askers, but all can own and contribute to your fundraising success. Strong leadership, good information, and confidence building will make a huge difference in reaching your shared goals.

Schultz & Williams is a national consulting firm based in Philadelphia; providing management, fundraising and marketing consulting for nonprofit organizations, along with full-service direct marketing, database and creative/production services.