Encouraging board members to play a fundraising role is an uphill battle for charities of all types and sizes. Grassroots and established organizations that are heavily dependent on government or institutional funding are especially vulnerable to board complacency when it comes to fundraising.
The good news is that Giving Tuesday – an international day of philanthropy that falls on the first Tuesday after the US Thanksgiving where people support their favourite causes – offers us a unique opportunity to increase our boards’ enthusiasm on all matters related to fundraising. Beyond everything, board involvement in fundraising is a precondition for long-term sustainability and is an attribute that is looked upon favourably by prospective funders.
Here are three (3) ways your charity can increase your board members’ participation in its fundraising activities:
Peer-to-Peer Appeals
Inviting board members to hold their own individual peer-to-peer funding appeals on social media platforms on like Facebook and Instagram is an easy and unobtrusive way for them to become more engaged in generating more revenue for your organization. All they must do is create an attractive landing page that includes a compelling case with eye-catching images and ask everyone within their spheres of influence to donate to their charity. Using digital fundraising apps like CauseVox or CanadaHelps makes the process even simpler.
The nice thing about peer-to-peer is doesn’t require much work nor direct solicitations. Rather, it’s a neat and tidy way of mobilizing your board members and escalating their affinity for fund development, while gaining new donors and building a culture of philanthropy within your organization.
Story Gathering
Storytelling is a vital part of any fundraising strategy. Donors are more apt to respond positively to requests that feature a heart-rendering, energizing, urgent or uplifting story of someone who triumphantly conquers obstacles, perseveres against adversity, bravely battles illness or made the most of the opportunities presented to them.
Charities gather stories, thoughts and reflections from people who experience the outcomes of their programs and use them to connect with donors through fundraising appeal letters, major gift requests and stewardship activities. As their organizations’ trusted leaders, board members are ideally suited to play active roles in collecting stories that will emotionally resonate with supporters.
By reaching out and having purposeful conversations in the days preceding Giving Tuesday with current and previous program participants, family members, community partners, volunteers and others affected by their charity’s work, board members can assemble an anthology of powerful anecdotes, experiences and testimonials.
Odds are these are people with whom board members already interact on a consistent basis. Asking them to solicit stories from these individuals is a task that doesn’t demand that they venture far out of their comfort zone. Moreover, getting people to share their stories is likely to stimulate some upbeat emotions among these folks that inspires them to donate on Giving Tuesday.
Saying “Thank You”
Another effective and constructive way of getting your board to support your charity’s fundraising efforts more enthusiastically this Giving Tuesday is by personally thanking your donors. Specifically, they can ensure that your organization is up to date on extending its gratitude to supporters of all gift levels in advance of approaching them on December 3rd.
Begin by encouraging board members to touch base with major and intermediate-level donors, and sincerely make certain that each understands how grateful your organization is for their generosity. Be sure to let them know the progress achieved by your charity in no way would have been possible without them.
Next, induce feedback from them by posing questions that elicit a verbose reply. Allow the conversation to go in various directions because board members may obtain some critical new information about these donors. The important thing is to keep the conversation personal and organic. Also, it is best to have these discussions at least three weeks in advance of Giving Tuesday.
Entry-level donors should also be thanked in a less direct manner by email, text or telephone. However, these exchanges should still be personalized, and the goal is to help these donors see how their gifts created positive change that otherwise would have gone unrealized.
The enticing feature of this task is it does not involve any asking. Instead, these actions help to create the conditions for successful solicitations in the future.
