44
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR BOARD MEMBERS REFUSE TO FUNDRAISE VA VOLUNTEERISM & SERVICE CONFERENCE MAY 2019 AMY NISENSON CONSULTING, LLC 1
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR
BOARD MEMBERS REFUSE
TO FUNDRAISE
VA VOLUNTEERISM & SERVICE CONFERENCE
MAY 2019
AMY NISENSON CONSULTING, LLC
1
Pre-Requisites to Successful
Fundraising
• Strong Board and Staff Partnership
• Current Strategic Plan
• Fundraising Plan
• Passionate Board Members
• Understanding the Strategy of
Fundraising
• Understanding Fundraising
Fundamentals
2
The Strategy of Fundraising
• Strategic board composition: Do we have the ‘right’ people on
the ‘bus’?
• Discuss and identify how your organization is unique.
• Build an engaged board.
• Develop a compelling case statement.
• Develop a fundraising plan that is strategic, diverse, and
aggressive but achievable.
• Be sure to incorporate your program planning into your
fundraising strategy
3
Overview of BD Roles &
Responsibilities
The Board• Setting Organizational
Direction• Ensuring Necessary
Resources• Providing Oversight
4
Individual Board Members
• Duty of care • Duty of loyalty• Duty of obedience• Ambassadors for the
Organization• Volunteers for the
Organization
Mission
• What is your organization’s mission?
• Can your Board members articulate it?
• Are you using a mission moment at your Board
meetings?
5
Organizational Facts…
• Do your board members know your service area?
• Programs?
• Description of clients your serve?
• One or two positive outcomes?
6
WHY….Board Engagement in
Fundraising
Priority—Sustainable Funding
Objectives---
• Engage the Board to help identify resource development
targets of opportunity.
• Create fund development committee
• Provide training to Board on fundraising
7
How do we build a culture of
Philanthropy (versus just fundraising)
Board members
• Act as as Ambassadors
• Engage in relationship building
• View fund development as a mission-aligned program of
the organization
** The Executive Director and Board President are
committed and personally involved in fund development
8
Fundraising Fears, Phobias,
Excuses and Joys…
9
Why Do People Not Give to
Charity?
Solicitation is infrequent or poor.
They don’t see how their gift would make a difference.
They do not feel wanted or needed.
They receive no direct, personalized appeal.
A previous gift was not acknowledged.
The timing was not right.
ABOVE ALL: THEY WERE NOT ASKED TO GIVE.
10
© 2014 BoardSource
Some fundraising givens…
• Organizations must earn support
• Successful fundraising is hard work
• Fundraising is friend raising
• Don’t beg for money
• People must be asked for money
• Raising money takes time, patience, and planning
• Treat prospects and donors as customers in a
business
12
2017 contributions: $410.02 billion by source
(in billions of dollars – all figures are rounded)
13
2017 contributions: $410.02 billion by type of recipient organization
(in billions of dollars – all figures are rounded)
Your organization’s pie chart….
Think about your own individual organization’s pie chart
Think about the following--• Size of organization—large, med, small• How long has organization been in existence• Challenges that your are facing as an organization
and how it affects your revenue sources
14
The Board’s Role in Fundraising
Define or clarify mission
Establish the strategic plan and approve
adequate budgets
Put the organization in place — hire the
chief executive
See that there is a development plan and
monitor its progress
Create fundraising and donor recognition
policies
$
15
Other Ways the Board
Participates
• Ensure fundraising methods adhere to ethical standards
• See that there is a development plan and monitor its
progress
• Evaluate outcomes
• Participate in fundraising
16
Why 100% Board Member Giving?
• Demonstrates personal commitment
• Gives board members confidence to ask
others to give
• Encourages other funders to give
• Creates board member “ownership”
• More and more, funders and donors expect
a board to have 100% giving
17
Individual Board Member
Participation in Fundraising
• Commit yourself to the organization’s mission.
• Make a meaningful personal contribution.
• Identify, evaluate, and cultivate prospects.
• Organize and attend special events.
• Attend face-to-face solicitations.
• Write or sign appeal letters.
• Thank donors.
18
© 2014 BoardSource
Board Chair’s Role in Fundraising
Work closely with CEO, development office or
committee to maximize the board’s role
Mobilize board members to participate
Be a role model in terms of financial support,
attendance at events and donor cultivation
Ensure each board member has a role in
helping meet fundraising goals
Chief Executive’s Role in
Fundraising
• Serve as the organization’s representative to potential
• Serve as a contact for donors
• Ensure compliance with funding sources and regulatory
requirements
• Hire and supervise fundraising staff
• Initiate and assist the board in developing and setting
fundraising policy/priorities
20
The Staff’s Role in Fundraising
• Coordinate the overall fundraising process
• Develop relationships with funders
• Take the initiative: generate ideas, identify prospects, do
research, coordinate visits
• Prepare correspondence and write proposals and reports
21
The Fund Development
Committee• Model and lead board’s participation in fundraising
• Work with staff to develop fundraising plan
• Teach board members fundraising skills and techniques
• Ensure the case is strong and based on the organization’s mission
• Lead the board’s effort in identifying, cultivating, and approaching
major donors
22
Fundraising: the Pyramid of Giving
Move donors from the base level to the top level by creating
and maintaining relationships and connections
Planned Giving
Major Giving
Annual Giving
23
Annual Giving
THE GOAL: Raise money needed to support the current
budget and to find and retain donors.
Gifts typically come from:
• Individuals
• Associations and Religious Organizations
• Corporations
• Foundations
• Governments
24
Major Gifts and Campaigns
THE GOAL: Raise money to meet the long-term needs of the
organization
• Endowment campaigns; capital and special campaigns
• Major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations
• Fewer donors, larger gifts than annual giving
25
Planned Giving & Bequests
THE GOAL: Encourage individuals to give future assets through
such vehicles as bequests, charitable trusts, and annuities
• Can develop new donors and increase contributions from
current ones
• Allows establishment of a solid financial base
26
Stages of Fundraising
i.
Cultivationii. Solicitation
iii.
Stewardship
27
Stage One: Cultivation
• Building relationships with prospects
• Generating interest in the organization
• Showing prospects what the organization is all
about – history, programs, finances, etc.
Cultivation
28
Show prospects
the facilities
How Board Members Can Get
Involved in Cultivation
Make personal contact with
prospects
Share the history of
the organization Share their enthusiasm for
the mission of the organization
29
HOW TO GROW THE NUMBER OF
ENGAGED INDIVIDUALS…
• WRITE DOWN 3 WORK FRIENDS
• WRITE DOWN 3 PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED
ENTHUSIAM FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
• WRITE DOWN 3 PEOPLE WHO YOU SOCIALIZE WITH
• WRITE DOWN 3 FAMILY MEMBERS WHO MIGHT SUPPORT
YOUR ORGANIZATION
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE MORE ABOUT YOUR
ORGANIZATION WITH THESE FOLKS?
30
Stage Two: Solicitation
• Process of asking for financial support
• Various forms of soliciting support; e.g.,
• Participating in a one-on-one solicitation
• Sending direct mail pieces with personalized notes
• Making telephone solicitations
• Hosting benefits or other special events
Solicitation
31
How Board Members Can Contribute
to Solicitation
Notify the prospect you are
coming
• Bring a staff member to answer specific questions
• Research the donor’s giving history to determine the appropriate amount to
ask for
Be enthusiastic and know the
prospect’s interests in advance
Making the Ask
32
Board Members Making the
Ask
• Notify the prospect that you are coming
• Use face-to-face solicitation to share enthusiasm
• Know the prospect’s interests in advance
• Bring a staff member to answer specific questions
• Research the appropriate amount to ask for and
the donor’s giving history
33
How to Handle Rejection
• Don’t take it personally.
• Offer any additional information needed to
change the prospect’s mind.
• Learn what “no” really means. “No” may mean
not now, not yet, not for that amount, not for this
program, not until I feel more comfortable
• Try to keep the door open.
34
How can you as a Board member
impact fundraising?
• Technique 1: Raise money for the clients, not the
organization. Learn to talk about the organization in terms of
its clients and their needs, not the organization’s needs.
• Technique 2: Tell the stories. Learn to tell a story or two
about the great things happening at the organization. Tell
about an experience you’ve had.
• Technique 3: Speak from your heart. Learn to talk about the
organization with all the passion of your heart. If you believe
strongly in this organization, others will, too.
35
Remember when asking to put
yourself in the donor’s place
Donors wants….
• To be thanked timely and appropriately
• Treated and recognized as investors in organization
• To be kept up to date about the outcome(s) they are helping to
achieve
• To know that their gift was used as directed
36
What is an elevator pitch?
• A compelling 30-second description of your organization’s
plans, delivered as part of a two-way conversation, that
educates and, hopefully, elicits interest from listeners.
• A critical component of success for an organization’s self-
sufficiency and sustainability.
37
A five-minute video to watch….
Ditch your elevator pitch. Do this instead…
• Episode #257 by Erica Mills….
• Does crafting an elevator pitch cause you or your board
members stress?
• https://moviemondays.com/257-
pitch/?inf_contact_key=ebd8de1e6aeffb4e70416197cf9d8d
99451142b6f6ee89ccffb7fba24e7cbe85
38
Stage Three:
Stewardship
• Thanking donors and letting them know the
difference their gift made
• Maintaining donor relationships
Stewardship
39
Determine who on the board is
comfortable with any of these roles
• Identify and cultivate friends/colleagues who would be interested
in supporting organization
• Host a cultivation or donor recognition event for the organization
• Take people to lunch
• Invite prospects to be guest at functions, tours,etc
• Help to steward relationships
Determine who on the board is
comfortable with any of these roles
• Represent the organization at public functions (as
attendee/speaker)
• Make phone calls/write letters to officials, when asked
• Work with staff to create and engage in specific strategies to
present case to prospects-(self identified or in-connection with
staff)
Determine who on the board is
comfortable with any of these roles
• Take lead with regard to requests to potential and renewing
donors
• Generate/sign letters asking for appointments/gifts
• Make follow-up calls
• Seek sponsorship for special events
Board Responsibilities Staff Responsibilities
Approve annual operating budget and fundraising
plan that support organization’s strategic plan
Prepare fundraising plan with specific goals and
objectives that link to the strategic plan and its fiscal
imperatives
Approve fundraising policies and procedures, in
accordance with an articulated code of professional
fundraising ethics
Select and implement fundraising techniques aimed
at building and sustaining donors and prospects
Support staff by identifying potential donors,
participating in face-to face meetings and special
events, and fostering communication with donors
Develop a donor-cultivation and solicitation plan,
including identification and qualification of prospects,
recruitment and preparation of solicitation teams, and
scheduling of face-to face meetings
Support organization’s fundraising efforts with a
personal annual gift and/or a planned gift
Handle all administrative tasks associated with
fundraising, including data management, accounting,
and donor recognition
Monitor performance of fundraising results
compared to approved goals and budget
Prepare regular reports that evaluate fundraising
efforts based on gifts received, costs incurred
compared to costs budgeted, and other metrics
meaningful to the organization
Ensure funds raised are used in accordance with
legal and accounting requirements and any donor
restrictions
Maintain stewardship of donors and their gifts by
maintaining good relations and communications
Summary of Board/Staff Role in Fundraising
43
