For our second entry of “FUNDRAISING DOs & DON’Ts”, we feel it would be worthwhile to touch on the importance of board involvement in fundraising.
DO encourage board members to participate in as many aspects of fundraising as possible. Board directors are the gatekeepers of the mission and are responsible for ensuring that the organization possesses the entirety of the resources needed to fulfill it. Resources may be provided in the form of people, equipment, space, services or supplies. However, easily the most contentious of all resources is money.
Beyond securing grants, fundraising is the primary means charities and community groups get the dollars necessary to do their work. Hence, it is important for members of the board to perform some fundraising-related tasks as part of their key duties.
Ideally, it is fantastic when each board director sets an example by making their own personal donation annually within their respective giving capabilities. Though it is unrealistic to expect such behaviour from a majority of Canadian organizations – particularly those with no detectable culture of philanthropy – board members should at minimum be thoroughly encouraged to engage in some aspects of their charity’s fund development activities.
This certainly doesn’t mean that board directors should be expected to “make the ask” since only a handful are genuinely qualified for this sacred task. It does mean that organizations are stronger when each board member enthusiastically plays a role in the fundraising process. An assortment of crucial jobs await committed directors including donor data management, identifying and sizing up donor prospects, organizing special events, opening doors with corporations and foundations, and stewarding relations with donors.
You may not entice all board directors to participate in fundraising matters. But if you can manage to involve 60% to 70% of your board in various types of fund development activities, your charity will be well on its way to building a sustainable base of support.
DON’T blindside board members with the expectation of participating in fundraising activities. While it’s important to encourage board members to partake in fundraising duties, it is not fair or wise to surprise them with this expectation.
Many people initially agree to join a board with no prior thought or consideration of partaking in fundraising tasks. Unfortunately, their board service experience is commonly upended by the sudden and frankly annoying demand that they immerse themselves in a fundraising assignment with which they are not comfortable. In all fairness, they did not sign up to raise money and understandably they feel deceived by this unexpected imposition.
Neither should board directors be shamed or guilted into performing a fundraising task by insisting that doing otherwise is neglecting their responsibilities. Adopting such bad faith and underhanded tactics is a surefire way of destroying board morale and preventing any semblance of a giving culture from ever taking hold with your organization.
Fund development duties and responsibilities for a board of directors must be clearly outlined and defined within an organization’s terms of reference. Moreover, they must be sufficiently understood by every prospective board member before they officially occupy the position.
If your charity currently does not include fundraising duties in its board and volunteer role descriptions, it is highly prudent to correct this in the near future. Establishing the fundraising expectation among board directors during the recruitment process ensures their service experience will be enjoyable, productive and fulfilling for everyone.
