Boards and Fundraising-LA

8/6/2019 Boards and Fundraising-LA

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Boards andFundraising– How to Ask forMoney Warhol InitiativeConvening June 25, 2011

Facilitated by Nancy J. Lee,Managing Consultant



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What We’ll Cover Today

Presentation1. Basic facts: hardly anyone likes asking for money, and most

groups don’t have deep-pocket boards!

2. Roles and responsibilities: the board won’t succeedwithout good staff support.

3. Fund development precedes fund raising and effective“asks.”

4. Good communications and story-telling are essential tosuccess.

5. Nine steps to successful individual donor campaigns.6.Dialogue, share ideas about what works

Copyright © 2001 Susan Kenny Stevens. Excerpted from the bookNonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity . All rights reserved.



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Is This Really a BoardResponsibility?

The board of directors is responsible for ensuring that the organization has sufficientresources to carry out its mission. Even when

the board delegates this work to the staff, itretains ultimate responsibility for funding theorganization.

But board members need to know what,exactly, this means in this organization’scontext.



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Hardly Anyone Likes Askingfor Money

Most board members find this an anxiety-producing task, and many find ways to excusethemselves from the responsibility.

– I give my time, that’s enough. – I don’t know the right people.

– Fund raising is belittling.

– Raising money is the role of the development staff.

– My work on the board has to do with policy.



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Lessen Board Member Anxiety

Keep in mind:

• You aren’t asking for yourself, nor do you haveanything to gain financially, nor are you seekingsomething from others which you yourself havenot given.

• Your position is unassailable: you are a volunteer

working on behalf of a cause that’s in the publicinterest and serves the general good.



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Board / Staff Roles and Responsibilities –

Three Important Realities



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Board / Staff Roles – Reality#1

It is 100 percent the staff’s responsibility tomake sure the board is successful in itsfundraising.

– Define accountabilities

– Set goals and monitor them using good metrics – Determine the structure of fundraising program

– Provide board members with training, clear assignments, reminders, ongoing reports and

updates, inspiration



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Board / Staff Roles – Reality#2

It is 100% the board’s responsibility to dowhat it says it will do.

And wise organizations will set their fundraising goals accordingly.

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Board / Staff Roles - Reality #3

Working together will result in greater progresstoward meeting this responsibility and raisingmore money

– Staff must be well-suited to this work and willingto support the board

– The board must include members who

acknowledge their role and will follow throughon assignments




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Clear Communication IsCritical to Success

I. Internally: “money conversation” groundsboard members in this duty and preparesthem to develop and solicit donors

– Board members need to know what the “gap” is, how

big it is, and what won’t happen if the gap isn’tclosed

– Board members need to see the mission in actionand learn success stories first-hand

– Most board members need help describing themission and services and learning how to tell atleast one success story succinctly

– Aspects of your money conversations should be partof every board meeting (and not just the ED’s

report)




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Clear Communication Is Criticalto Success (cont)

How does your board conduct moneyconversation?

Who participates?

Do all board members know how much your organization needs to raise?




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Clear Communication Is Criticalto Success (cont)

II.Externally: stories inspire others to give – Supporters and potential supporters are moved by

stories shared with authenticity and clarity

– Potential donors want to know what the “gap” is,

how big it is, and what won’t happen if the gapisn’t closed

– Tell your stories continually to broad targetaudiences: board, current donors, audiences,neighbors… Use all sorts of venues and

formats–

What are your inspiring stories, and how do youtell them?




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Fund Development …. ThenFundraisingGoal: developas many potential donors as

possible by engaging people in your mission,programs, success stories, events

Donors typically first engage with the organizationthrough programming and other types of participation. They agree to become donorsbecause they understand and are moved by

and value the organization’s work.

Maximize these relationships




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Fund Development …. ThenFundraising (cont.)

Put board members who are nervous aboutsoliciting to work developing donors.

1. Make phone calls to donors to thank them for their recent contribution.

2. Host donors and/or prospects at a reception in board member’s home.

3. Invite donors, volunteers, community members, family, friends,

colleagues, and others to your events, including the “get to know us”type of events that are free.

4. Take a current or former donor to coffee to thank them for their recentgift. Obviously it’s not practical to take every donor out; set aminimum donation goal for this type of activity.

5. Make an introduction to the community affairs person at their workplace.6. Give a heartfelt—but short—speech at their church or civic group to

invite interest in your organization.

7. Others you use?

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Lessen Board Member Anxietyand Get to Action

Staff - plan and structure the work• Break board members’ work into manageable pieces that

fit their skills and aptitudes as closely as possible

• Develop a timeline for the fundraising campaign – firm deadlines, tight schedules

– reporting sessions – reminders and follow-up phone calls

Cultivate board members’ skills; provide

training in developing and soliciting donors• Facilitated workshops, half-day briefings

• Accompanying an experienced solicitor on a call



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E.D. Vision and Leadership IsEssential

Most “asks” are made by the E.D., not the board

“The contribution of this nation’s Third Sector to meeting…twenty-first-century challenges is constrained by a lack of

resources. Acquiring them with a greater sense of urgency,of competency and of creativity is a critical task. It can beaccomplished, but only if the chief executive becomespersonally engaged and catalyzes volunteers andprofessional staff with vision and by example.“

Reynold Levy in Yours for the Asking



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Executive Directors – FundDevelopment Every DayWhat amount of time have you spent today to connect with

a donor? ___ Who did you thank for their gift?

___Who did you invite to make a gift? ___Who did you contact to provide some feedback about how a recentgift was put to good use? ___Where did you deepen a connection and cause someone to feelspecial for supporting your organization? ___Do you know the faces & names of your top 25 or 30 or even 100supporters?

___Do those supporters know that they are special to your organizationfor more than just their annual check? ___ In what specific way(s) can you lead a board member towardparticipating with you in one or more of these tasks?

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Nine Steps to Successful Individual Donor

Campaigns

From Lori Jacobwith, www.lorijacobwith.com



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Nine Steps to Successful IndividualDonor Campaigns from www.lorijacobwith.com

Successful campaigns share nine fundamental characteristics.How many does your fund development program include?

____ 1. Campaign is led and supported by key volunteer and/or

staff leadership (board chair, CEO, executive director,pastor, rabbi)

____ 2. Campaign is supported and managed by at least onestaff. (Development Director, Development Associate)

____ 3. ALL board members participate in some capacity.

Successful Individual Donor



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Successful Individual DonorCampaigns (cont.) from

www.lorijacobwith.com

____ 4.The goal is well defined, there is a clear messageof need and a specific timeline that creates a sense of urgency.

____ 5. Campaign creates an emotional connection –making it personal for people to participate.

____ 6. Keep donors and interested parties informed andengaged with follow-up emails, calls, meetings or letters.

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Successful Individual Donor



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Successful Individual DonorCampaigns (cont.) from

www.lorijacobwith.com

____ 7. Keep the goal visible in print all year, on website &via multiple forms of communication to encourage

widespread participation.

____ 8. Communicate & invite participants to do veryspecific things with a deadline for doing them.

____ 9. Utilize a web-based donor data managementsystem to allow others to assist with tracking donor

contacts and gifts.



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About Step #3 - ALL BoardMembers Participate• Staff needs to invite board members to fill specific

roles and carry out specific duties in thecampaign. Don’t leave them to figure it out ontheir own, and don’t assume they’ll remember after one telling!

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• Is there one board member who would take chargeof the project and create a small committee towork with them? (Choose committee members

who will be focused, committed, ready/willing todo this.)•

• Are there experienced fundraisers and/or advocateson the board you can lean on in other ways?



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About Step 4 - Clear Goal,Need, Timeline• Set goals and tell people about them.•

• Include a clear statement about the need – in amanner that allows people to visualize realpeople and how lives/the community willchange as a result of their gift

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• Develop an “elevator speech” that staff andboard can easily remember

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About Step 5 – EmotionalConnectionWhat causes you to give?

Think about the most recent gift you gave to anonprofit organization. What caused you to writethe check or click on ‘donate now?’

• What form did the appeal take? Were you asked inperson?

• Did you know the person who made the ask?

• What about the ask “hooked” you? Did they convey a

story? Emotion? Result/impact?• Were you asked to fulfill a specific need, support a specific

project?



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Step 6 - Keep Everyone Informedand Engaged

Staff

• Create the ability for allboard members to seeyour mission in action and to learn a story of aclient by actually meetingsomeone your organization serves

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• Provide reports that showgoals and activity andresults. Measure successas it relates to realpeople.

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Volunteer Leadership

• Routinely have one boardmember tell a story of a realperson at each boardmeeting. Hold board

meetings in different locationswhere you can be connectedto the people served by your organization.

• Request and read the reports;discuss progress at boardmeetings; adjust campaign asnecessary.

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Step 6 - Keep Everyone Informedand Engaged (cont.)

Staff

• Take GREAT meeting notes.Highlight goals and actions.Always list the personaccountable and agreed-upon date for

accomplishing the action.

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• Make specific phone call

assignments to eachcommittee member. Haveeach board member reportback weekly on the resultsof their calls.

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Volunteer Leadership

• READ the meeting notes. Dowhat you said you’d do, bywhen you said you’d do it. If the timing doesn’t work…

contact the appropriate staff person and “re-promise” witha date that works for you.

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• Follow the instructions of

these hard-working,talented people.

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About Step 7 – “RedundantInoculation”• Use multiple forms of communication and keep

all eyes on the goal•

• Show the goal in dollars and number of donors•

• Continually update the amount remaining toreach goal; donors feel great when they seethe gap shrink

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• If falling short, let people know what stepsyou’ve taken to reach it

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About Step 8 – Invite Participants toDo Specific ThingsMake the ask using specifics

• Tell a story that conveys what you need: specificgoal for this campaign / project, including atimeline if it will help to add a sense of urgency

• Remind the potential donor about what the impactof a successful campaign will be

• Honor the individual’s participation andengagement to date

• Ask the individual to join others and participate inthis campaign, and suggest a specific amount,range or specific options

Ab t St 9 “Mi ” Y



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About Step 9 – “Mine” YourData!If you don’t have robust information about donors

and prospects and a system for managing it,develop it now. It will make asking easier andmore productive.



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Resourceswww.lorijacobwith.com (Lori Jacobwith is a highly-regarded fundraising professional

based in Minneapolis who takes this information to the next level in her work withboards.)The Soul of Money, Lynne Twist, W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 2003.The Trance of Scarcity, Victoria Castle, Sagacious Press, 2006.The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Guide to Financial and Personal Fulfillment, Maria

Nemeth PhD., Ballantine Wellspring, 1999.Donor-Centered Fundraising: How to Hold On to Your Donors and Raise Much More

Money, Penelope Burk, 2003.Yours For the Asking: An Indispensible Guide to Fundraising & Management, Reynold

Levy, President, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Wiley & Sons, 2008.Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Social profits, Leslie R. Crutchfield &

Heather McLeod Grant, 2009.Raising More Money: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Lifelong Donors, Terry Axelrod,

RMM Publications, 2000. Can be ordered from the Benevon website:www.benevon.com

Asking: A 59 Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers & Staff Must Know to Secure the Gift, Jerold Panas, Emerson & Church, Publications, 2009.

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http://www.lorijacobwith.com/

http://www.lorijacobwith.com/



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Contact Information

Nancy Lee, Managing Consultant LarsonAllen Nonprofit and Government Group

220 South Sixth Street, Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55402

651.261.5670 [email protected] and [email protected]

www.larsonallen.com/publicservice

mailto:[email protected]




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