Fundraising PLAYBOOK: How Anthony Got His Nonprofit Board to Raise Money
“My board doesn’t understand they are supposed to fundraise.”
It’s one of the most common phrases I hear from Executive Directors, typically followed by:
“Our board is too small.”
“We don’t have the right people on our board.”
“We’re a working-board, not a fundraising-board.”
The Executive Director then sighs, as if the discussion is over, they’re just cursed, and there’s nothing to do about it.
There’s a lot to do about it.
I’ve seen small boards, boards with challenging people on them, and working-boards be amazing at fundraising.
What’s the secret? A different, and better approach to board fundraising.
Consider my client, Anthony, who inspired his board members to fundraise alongside him, creating the most fundraising (and giving!) board in his organization’s history.
How’d he do it?
He took an inventory, set expectations, modeled cultivation behavior for the board, and took charge to lead the board to success.
Let’s get into the details.
One Big Caveat
Speaking of setting expectations…
I know that might be hard to hear. I’m not trying to frustrate you before you even get started, I want to help you shift your mindset, leading you to one that helps you develop a process that gets you closer to securing the annual donors you need every year to fully fund your mission.
Treating your board like a silver bullet isn’t going to get you there.
Here’s what will:
Checking your expectations for yourself and your board
Modeling the behavior you want to see in the major gifts process
Leading your board to action
Step 1: Check Expectations
I know it’s annoying when your board seems oblivious to their fundraising responsibility, but stop and consider for a moment: Has it ever been explained to them? As in, clearly and explicitly spelled out?
For a lot of nonprofits, the answer is, “no.”
Often when the board members were initially invited, there was little to no conversation about fundraising expectations. They may honestly not realize what’s expected of them.
So what to do differently?
Setting Expectation - deep conversations about fundraising and giving during the early recruitment meetings BEYOND a traditional Give/Get.
Let’s Talk About Give/Get For a Minute
“My board members know they’re supposed to fundraise!” you may protest. “We have a Give/Get requirement!”
The Give/Get model sets a number of dollars each donor is supposed to either donate or raise during the year, as a condition of their board membership. It’s supposed to both demonstrate their commitment to the organization and involve them in fundraising.
I don’t love it.
Your goal is to lead each board member to give an annual, meaningful amount.
When a Give/Get is in place, interactions are framed as a donor relationship vs. a board member relationship where exercising proper oversight and directing the organization into the future are crucial.
I would also add a Give/Get caps a Board Member’s fundraising activity - after all, if a board member is “required” to give $2,000 then why would they ask a colleague to give more?
Your goal is to provide amazing, customized experiences for your donors so that they give their BEST GIFT. In addition, I want your board members helping deliver great donor experiences to heir network for the same result . . . here’s an example I see all the time:
-Board Member has the ability to give personal $20K gifts annually
-The Give/Get is $5K
-Board Member owns a PR company and “gives” $5K worth of services to the #nonprofit
-PR services were nice, but the organization really needs the cash to grow
-Board Member gives an additional year-end gift of $2K and asks a few friends to do the same
In this equation, you’ve just left $18K+ on the table.
Worse yet, the board member isn’t maximizing or asking their network to give their best gifts because their own expectations were set too low. But the board member feels satisfied because they’ve exceeded what you asked for and “gave” $7K total.
Give/Gets are transactional.
So, the fundraising message you’re sending to your board members is not aligned. Your board members need to be helping build relationships - not facilitating transactions.
Relationships lead to donors and board members giving their best gifts.
Start With Fundraising
From the moment you start recruiting a board member, fundraising should be part of the conversation. It sets the tone and allows you to get started shifting your board members towards a fundraising mindset, one they probably don’t already have.
That’s not a slam on your board members. Most people don’t have a fundraising mindset. I spend my time teaching nonprofit leaders how to ask for large sums of money, and it’s an adjustment for them, too. They never had to do it in their previous careers, so they’ve never been taught to do it.
The same thing can be said about your Board Members.
They are successful business owners, community leaders, and experts in their own fields. But, when it comes to major-gift fundraising with individuals, they’ve probably never done it. So, it feels frustrating and salesy to them too.
That’s when I hear “My board member doesn’t want to ask for money.”
What to do?
✔️ Set expectations early through written board member job descriptions.
✔️ Sit down one-on-one BEFORE member is recruited and talk through the types of activities that are expected from them and that lead to major-gifts
✔️ Identify where they feel confident and where they’ll need training with the skills they’ve never done before (my guess? donor cultivation & solicitations)
✔️ Ask their permission to help teach them how to fundraise (Just because they’re successful in their corporate career doesn’t mean they know how to fundraise)
✔️ Lead, guide, lead, guide, lead, and guide
Step 2: Model Major Gifts Fundraising
Anthony learned that he had the perfect opportunity to show the board exactly what the major gifts process looked like...by performing it on them. He treated the board members like he wanted them to treat their networks. When board members actually understood the process, the mystery was reduced and they started to fundraise themselves.
Changing your approach and LEADING your Board Members can produce some really great results for your organization. In this case, Anthony’s board members are also now giving their largest gifts. One even has 4X his commitment.
Set Fears at Rest
You need your Board Members to open up their network to you. HOWEVER, there’s one question Board Members want to ask you but feel weird doing so.
Here’s the question:
“If I give you my [neighbor/colleague/friend’s] name, what are you actually going to do with them?”
Let me translate what they’re really asking:
“Are you going to be salesy, brazen, pushy, and act like a used-car salesman to my friends and colleagues? Are you going to ask them for money within the first 20 minutes of meeting them? And then are you going to bug them every 2 weeks for the rest of their lives until they give?”
Sadly, this is a misconception that often accompanies fundraising. But . . .
WE KNOW our goal is to create a long-term, warm, wonderful, mission-focused, aligned, and deeply-valued #donor experience for those who give. Then, the solicitation is a great annual experience.
If a Board Member is not getting this same approach done TO THEM, why would they assume THEIR network would receive the same experience?
Set their fears at rest by creating the most amazing donor experience for THEM. Serve the Board Member. Build a deep relationship with them (You can even tell them what you’re doing)!
Again, you must TREAT THE BOARD MEMBERS like you want them to TREAT THEIR NETWORK.
Showcase Your Solicitation
What difference can soliciting your own Board Members make in THEIR OWN fundraising efforts? It’s more than you think.
Ask my client, Matt, who just raised his Board Member’s annual gift from an average of $50K to over $80K by changing one thing.
He asked.
He did a proper, sit-down, one-on-one solicitation.
One of the greatest benefits of Executive Directors soliciting their Board Members is that it takes the mystery out of it. Your Board Members learn it’s not painful and can even be a great experience. Then they’ll be ready to open up their networks.
Matt decided to show the board how warm and approachable ‘the ask’ can be by doing it to them. And now, he heads into the last half of his fiscal year with the highest amount of Board Giving and Networking in the history of the organization.
He got super clear on HOW to ask, WHAT training and tools he needed in-hand in an ask, and the CONFIDENCE that comes when you know the exact steps.
Step 3: Lead Your Board to Action
If you’re waiting for a magical day when your board independently learns to fundraise major gifts, takes off without you, and raises a million dollars...I have bad news about how long you’re likely to wait.
Instead of waiting for your board to do something (and perhaps quietly steaming about their inaction) you’ve got to take charge. Call it “managing up,” call it “fundraising education,” but you need to show your board which activities lead to the kind of revenue you need, and how to pursue them.
“Seriously, Sherry, My Board Hates Asking for Money.”
In Module 5 of my 90-Day LET’S GROW Fundraising Accelerator, we dig into the Board dynamics and this exact phrase about hating ‘the ask’.
If your board members are picturing knocking on the door of every person they know, begging for donations, no wonder they refuse to do it. You have to help them see what fundraising actually is.
Here’s what I tell my students when they need to motivate the board to fundraise:
📋 Educate the board – ‘the ask’ is only one step of the entire process
📋 Most supporting cast members will not do ‘the ask’ – help them see they get to do the fun part
📋 Your energy is contagious - you have a huge role in pivoting their mindset from dread to drive
📋 Get everyone doing SOMETHING (thank you calls, giving a tour, host a social)
📋 Create non-threatening support metrics for the board - activity metrics over dollar metrics
Focus the Board on Major Gifts
When my client said to me, “Our board members help fundraise, but we still aren’t fully funded every year”, I immediately knew what was wrong.
As a rule of thumb, your Top 30 donors should make up around 50-75% of your annual revenue.
But, most often I see nonprofits and their boards spending time and energy on the activities that lead to small gifts.
Like Executive Directors, Board Members need to prioritize their fundraising time on the actual activities that bring in the Top 30 gifts. Then you’ll fully fund your mission.
Are you leading your board members to do the right types of networking and ‘asks’? Your board members should prioritize building deep relationships between you, them, and their networks. That looks like a customized, exclusive, donor engagement marathon, not a series of small-prize sprints.
If your Board is ONLY doing these things, it’s time for a shift in activities:
✔️ Giving you a list of names for your year-end appeal
✔️ Filling their four-some at the golf outing
✔️ Selling tickets to your event
✔️ Getting their company to get you on the sponsorship list
✔️ Collecting items for the silent auction
I didn’t say they should never do these things, but this kind of stuff shouldn’t be the majority of their fundraising activity. These activities are transactional, not relational. This is where I see fundraising go wrong-- Board Members are asked to participate in too many transactional activities and not enough relational ones that lead to the large gifts that will fully fund your organization.
If you’re having trouble picturing how to make the shift, don’t worry. I have some ideas!
💡 Idea #1:Instead of asking them to sell tickets to the next event, ask your Board Members to use that time to pre-qualify one couple to come as their personal guests. Your goal is to meet them and get a follow-up meeting scheduled to start a relationship.
💡 Idea #2:Instead of getting your name on their Corporate Sponsorship list, get a meeting with the leadership and put a plan in place for that company’s best gift. Don’t treat their company like a sponsorship bank, regard them as a partner. Don’t worry about missing out on sponsorship, Event Sponsorships are never a company’s best gift.
💡 Idea #3:Instead of asking Board Members to send a list of their friends and family to send appeal letters to, set aside five early mornings every month for Board Members to book 20-minute introductory coffees with people in their networks. Make it easy for them to be held accountable to this (near their office, with a calendy link to your schedule, etc). LEAD THEM. If your 10 board members each set up 2 coffees this year with qualified prospects that is 20 new donors.
When you can lead your Board Members to the types of activities that result in larger gifts, you will fully fund your organization.
Every Board is a Fundraising-Board
How would your nonprofit change if you had a fully engaged board?
For Anthony, it resulted in the largest number of new donors in the history of his organization.
Imagine what could happen for you. What would happen if your board of directors was super eager to give you access to their network and help you fundraise?
Seriously! How much would that change your life?
You’d be certain you had new donor prospects on a regular basis.
You’d have time back in your schedule since you weren’t the lone-fundraiser anymore.
You’d have money to be able to invest in that new program or staff member.
You’d be able to serve more people and do more good.
By following the steps of setting expectations, modeling the major gifts process, and leading your board members to action, it’s possible to make the change and fully fund your mission.
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P.S.
When you’re ready . . .
1. Download my NEW [2021 Whitepaper] and learn how to create an annual funding model that secures the unrestricted money you need to grow (especially for overhead). Click here to get it.
2. Learn how to create this exact type of growth plan that attracts larger donors, in 90-days > If you'll small and raise between $500K and $1M in charitable revenue, are ready to up-level this year with individual donations, but you’re not sure where to start, I can help. You’ll learn my proven, step-by-step methodology nonprofit leaders like you have used to find donors, secure more unrestricted funding with these ‘overhead’ conversations, and become super confident solicitors. Just apply here and we’ll hop on a chat where I’ll talk you through the details. (And applying is not committing…it’s just a conversation).
3. Capacity-building work with Nonprofit CEOs or mid-and large-sized orgs > If you’d like to speak directly with me to break free from the sector’s traditional fundraising silos and models that are limiting and restricting your growth, just email me and put “Private” in the subject line. Tell me a little about your organization, your Advancement team, and what keeps you up at night when it comes to your revenue generation, and I’ll get you all the details.
