The Institute For Conservation Leadership
The Network- December 2010
Enhancing Board Capacity for Fundraising
Does your organization’s Board of Directors have the experience, enthusiasm and commitment to raise the funds needed for your group to fulfill its mission? Fundraising boards have shared goals—finding donors, developing donor relationships, and building the capacity to ask for money that will support your organization’s mission and bottom line.
How can you turn your organization’s Board of Directors into a “fundraising” Board? Moving to collectively and fully embrace the Board’s fundraising role in its governance is one of the perennial “hot topics” that arise in our leadership programs. Raising money is an acquired skill; often, anxiety, fear or avoidance of reality will decrease the capacity of a Board of Directors to effectively help an organization creatively garner needed funds to meet its budget and implement its mission.
Getting beyond these challenges takes a collective spirit, one that will pay off in dividends that extend well beyond the monies raised. But how do you get there?
Resources that you might find helpful include:
Free articles, including the classic 53 Ways for Board Members to Raise a $1000, and an assessment tool for determining how your board measures up; you can also subscribe to the Grassroots Fundraising Journal or purchase articles on their website.
Tips: Strategies For Moving Toward a Fundraising Board
As you dive into the challenge of creating a “fundraising” Board of Directors, we offer the following proven strategies and support for the process of change.
- Create easy “entry points” that aren’t directly about asking for money. Not everyone is comfortable asking a prospective donor directly for money. Find a match for other critically important tasks that support long-term donor development and utilize Board members at their comfort level.
Ideas could include:
1) hand-written thank you notes;
2) a personal note accompanying the annual report;
3) a phone call (even once a year) sharing an organizational success or thanking the donor;
4) a personalized email or letter to invite a potential donor to a special event; or,
5) a social event launching a new project or campaign.
How about you?
What has worked for you in shifting your Board of Directors to embrace fundraising? Have there been obstacles? A learning curve? Email us your ideas. And we’d love to know your thoughts about topics you’d like us to address in future issues of The Network.
To explore how ICL can help you move your organization toward effective Board fundraising in 2011, contact Peter Lane at (301) 270-2903 or peter@icl.org.