Does your organization have trouble getting board members involved in fundraising? Have you ever heard board members declare that fundraising is not their concern since their primary job is governing the charity? Sadly this scenario is disturbingly common throughout the non-profit sector.
Resistance to the notion of boards performing key roles in fund development activities explains why so many organizations never achieve any level of sustainability and build an unhealthy dependency on government grants. Reasons for evading any fundraising roles vary from “I don’t know any rich people” to “I am uncomfortable asking people for money” to “This is the staff’s job”.
Regardless of the excuse, board members are the gatekeepers of their charities mission and vision and are ultimately responsible for ensuring staff and volunteers possess the resources needed – whether it’s money, time or in-kind support – for program delivery. Without them charities fail to create real positive change that strengthens their community.
So how do you quell their fears and entice nervous board members to participate in erecting a long-term sustainable fund development system? Here are some pointers that should help you achieve this objective:
· For starters, assure them that only a small percentage of people involved in fundraising do “the asking”. Odds are that most of your board members lack the skills and experience that are required for effective solicitation. Assigning this sacred duty to the “wrong” person can have catastrophic results for the charity.
· Significantly more people are able and willing to thank and carry on a conversation with donors between requests. When a person engages with donors following a request, they are typically in a relaxed state since the big “ask” is in the rear-view mirror. Thus, interacting with donors following requests involves considerably less pressure than the period preceding them and is well within the comfort zone of many board members.
· The most important skill when conversing with donors is listening. A well-worn misconception regarding cultivating relations with donors is it requires a bubbly personality and strong verbal capabilities. In actuality, empathetic listening skills are far more important. Absorbing information during stewardship communications enables board members to learn about their donors’ interests, needs and aspirations. Listening with purpose also allows board members to identify aspects that affect each donor’s giving ability such as their marital and employment status, number of kids in college, whether they take extravagant vacations and the like.
· Guide and encourage donors to reflect on their experiences and contributions to the cause. During stewardship communications, ask donors questions that elicit a verbose reply such as “What are your thoughts about the way the program has been managed after the pandemic?” or “Tell me about your favourite experience with the organization to date”. Over time as they begin to behave more like emotionally-invested stakeholders as opposed to pedestrian donors.
· Help donors see the impact their gifts have had on the well-being of their community. Acquaint donors with the program outcomes that their investments of money, time and in-kind support achieved and how they enhanced the quality of life of the people served by the organization. The goal of this practice is instilling donors with a sense of pride and accomplishment of the charity’s impact that inspires them to continue their support in the future.
· Donors prefer to hear from board members as opposed to staff. Board members are the leaders of the organization and the guardians of the mission. As valuable and dedicated as staff might be, the inescapable truth is they are paid for what they do. Conversely, board members selflessly donate their time, knowledge, connections and money to move the charity forward. Learning about a non-profit’s impact from its leaders can have a powerful effect on a donor’s affinity for the cause.
· Communicating with donors need not be in-person or occur in real time. A wonderful aspect of managing relations with donors is how board members can complete them according to their schedules. Although face-to-face interaction is the most potent means of communication, Zoom calls, phone calls, texts and emails can all advance relations with donors.
· Stewardship is a highly effective method for gathering facts about donors. Casually and formally conversing with donors can often reveal crucial facts about donors that are relevant to their giving ability. By listening with purpose, a board member can absorb details about a donor’s jobs, lifestyles, family responsibilities, other charities supported, hobbies and facets of their lives that impedes or strengthens their gifting capacity.
· Board involvement in donor stewardship fosters a cohesive and focused organizational environment. When a charity’s leaders view donor cultivation as a top priority, it frequently “trickles down” and inspires others to assume relationship-building roles. A burgeoning sense of community takes root as volunteers, staff and board members collectively recognize the importance of nurturing a passionate donor base and enthusiastically are willing to do everything necessary to achieve long-term sustainability.
