9 Ways to Get Your

Board Fundraising

© 2014 Social Velocity

1. Stop Apologizing

2. Build a Strategy

3. Reject Warm Bodies

4. Meet One-on-One

5. Message Impact

6. Create a Financial Model

7. Involve Every Member

8. Give Options

9. Hold Them Accountable

1. Stop Apologizing

The number of nonprofits grew 50x faster than businesses over the last 10 years Nonprofit revenues grew at double GDP growth rate

Millennials bake social change into work and life

Source: The Urban Institute

Charity Lives Beside the EconomySocial Change is Baked Into It

Charity Addresses Symptoms Social Change Fixes Systems

Charity Uses Volunteers Social Change Uses Experts

Charity Requires Pennies Social Change Requires Investment

Charity Apologizes Social Change Demands

“Charity”

2. Build a Strategy

Inputs

($, students,

tutors, staff,

board)

Activities

Provide daily

literacy interventio

ns

Outputs

# students tutored, # hours of tutoring

Outcomes

Students get to grade

level in reading, improve

academics

Impact

Stronger schools,

lower drop out rates

To What End?

Strategic Plan

Goal

Objective

Activity

Tactics

3-5 Goals2-3 program goals

1 money goal

1 infrastructure goals

3-5 Objectives per GoalHow you will get there

3. Reject Warm Bodies

Board Member

School boards

School Dists

Business

Alum Mktg ProgEval

Cty/State Govt

Educ Assns

Bob Jones 

X X

Jill Schmidt 

X X

Ann Goss 

X X X

Jan Philips 

X

Tom Smith 

X

Jim Ford 

X X

Recruit Systematically

Brainstorm names

Do due diligence

Interview

Discuss

Vote

Invite

Orient/train

4. Meet One-on-One

1. Why do you serve?

2. What do you bring to our nonprofit?

3. What are your individual goals this year?

4. How will you contribute financially?

Meet with Each Member Annually

5. Message Impact

A donor invests in a nonprofit with shared values

The nonprofit translates that support into change to a social problem

Community change occurs

Your nonprofit is just an

intermediary

Inputs

($, students,

tutors, staff,

board)

Activities

Provide daily

literacy interventio

ns

Outputs

# students tutored, # hours of tutoring

Outcomes

Students get to grade

level in reading, improve

academics

Impact

Stronger schools,

lower drop out rates

The Theory of Change

We bring at-risk students to grade level in reading, resulting in:

More succeeding students

Better schools

A more educated workforce

The Message of Impact

Begging

“With your $100, we can house our clients tonight.” 

InvestingWith your $100, homeless adults gain…

A place to sleep

Access to tools for a job search

Which leads them to… Find jobs, housing

Become self-sufficient

No longer be a burden

As a donor, you help create…Lower social costs

More contributing citizens

Stronger, healthier community

6. Create a Financial Model

Financing is...

A long-term strategy for bringing enough money in the door to achieve your mission.

“How much should we raise to accomplish our goals?”

“How much can we accomplish with what we can raise?”

Nonprofit’s Financial Engine

Nonprofit’s Core Competencies

Nonprofit’s Mission

Before

Mission Social services, adoption, homeless, hunger..…

Competence Undefined

Money Dwindling

After

Mission People of faith helping people in need transform their lives

Competence Transformational services

Money Diversified

Financial Model

  FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017Revenue      Individuals $250,000 $262,500 $288,750Corporations $75,000 $78,750 $86,625Government $300,000 $315,000 $346,500Earned Income $15,000 $15,750 $17,325Foundations $150,000 $157,500 $173,250TOTAL REVENUE $790,000 $829,500 $912,450       Expenses      Staff & Benefits $525,000 $551,250 $606,375Rent & Utilities $26,000 $27,300 $30,030Materials $35,000 $36,750 $40,425Marketing & Website $45,000 $47,250 $51,975Office Supplies $20,000 $21,000 $23,100Professional Services $50,000 $52,500 $57,750TOTAL EXPENSES $701,000 $736,050 $809,655       Net Income $89,000 $93,450 $102,795

7. Involve Every Member

The board raises

at least 10% of your

nonprofit’s annual budget

Set a Real Fundraising Goal

Create aGive/Get

“Give” a gift that is significant to you

“Get” the remaining amount

$500 Give/Get$50 personal gift$450 “raised”

8. Give Options

Advocate for government $

Host a friend-raiser

Get info on prospects

Create a business plan

Thank a donor

Negotiate lower prices

And much more…

“Get” Can Include…

9. Hold Them Accountable

Institute real term limits

Sign annual agreement

Meet regularly

Conduct annual 360° evaluation

Enforce give/get

Have difficult conversations

Learn More…

“How to Build a Fundraising Board”

On Demand Webinar

Download Now

Learn More…

10 Traits of a Groundbreaking

Board Book

Download Now

OtherNonprofit Tools

Books

Bundles

Webinars

Guides

socialvelocity.net/tools