Board involvement in a charity’s fundraising activities is a contentious issue that always generates spirited conversations. For this week’s “FUNDRAISING DOs & DON’Ts” we offer a pair of tips that we feel will steer this discussion in the right direction.
DO have a board member as a part of your fundraising committee. As the guardians of your organization’s mission, it is absolutely paramount that board members participate in its fundraising events and appeals. It’s even more crucial for some board members to play leadership roles by sitting on your charity’s fundraising committee.
A cardinal responsibility of the board is ensuring that staff and volunteers have the necessary resources to deliver programs and create impact. Boards who oppose this belief or engage minimally in their charity’s fund development pursuits essentially limit the amount of help that is extended to those in need.
Encouraging board members to occupy a place on their organization’s fundraising committee is a terrific way to amplify their enthusiasm for fund development activities and advance your charity’s culture of philanthropy – where everyone within an organization not only understands the importance of fundraising, they aspire to play some role in the process. Other committee members will feel a sense of gratification knowing that the board values them enough to assign a representative to be a part of it. Board members will gain a deeper appreciation for the committee’s role and exhibit a greater willingness to participate in future fund development activities.
The optics of board involvement in fundraising committee affairs will also impress funders and prospective donors. When considering whether to support a charity, philanthropists and grantors are more likely to allocate their dollars toward causes where leaders play active roles in ensuring its sustainability. It’s a sign that the board is prepared to do anything it takes to advance the mission and make the world a better place.
DON’T discourage your board from personally donating to your organization. To give or not to give personally to their charity is one of the most divisive subjects in board fundraising. Although both sides of the debate are weighed regularly, the former is unambiguously the better choice.
Since board members are the gatekeepers of a charity’s mission and vision, they are expected to lead by example and inspire others to support the cause. When they don’t contribute financially, consequently this inaction is often viewed as a refusal to support the cause.
As cynical as it may sound, it’s a harsh truth that board members who fail to donate personally is interpreted by many as not believing in the mission strongly enough to invest their own money. In essence, they are regarded as turning their backs on the people they pledged to help. Such observations can do unthinkable harm to the charity’s brand and jeopardize its quest to fulfill its mission.
Gifts of time and energy from board members are fabulous. But cash contributions – regardless of the amount – produce a far more residual impact. Witnessing its leaders donate regularly induces a wave of altruism to permeate among the rank-and-file of the charity. A culture of philanthropy is more easily fostered, new donors are attracted to the cause and the organization’s overall sustainability is more firmly secured.
