board fundraising plan b
DESCRIPTION
Options for increasing nonprofit board engagement in fundraising.TRANSCRIPT
Getting Your Board
to Raise Money:
Plan B (and C and D and…)
Presented by Andy RobinsonSponsored by Common Good Vermont
Where are you now?
● When it comes to fundraising, what is your
board doing well?
● Where do you need improvement?
To raise money successfully,
you need four things:● A strong case for giving
● Prospective donors to ask
● People to do the asking
● Systems to track data, money, donor
recognition, etc.
Most nonprofits can strengthen all
these areas, but here’s the biggest
challenge:
√ A strong case for giving
√ Prospective donors to ask
!!! Not enough askers
√ Systems to track data, money, donor recognition,
etc.
Not everyone will be an
asker, so we have to redefine fundraising to
engage our volunteer leaders:
It’s not just about asking for
money
“The Ask”
Educate &
cultivate
Thank &
recognize
Identify
prospectsInvolve
Where’s the money?
2009: $303 billion in private giving
● 13% Foundations
● 5% Corporations
● 75% Individuals
● 7% Bequests
● 68-70% of households contribute
● The typical household supports 5-10
organizations per year.
● The median amount contributed per
household is $1,300-$2,000 per year
The psychology of fundraising:
Why do you give?
The three “non-negotiables”
Everyone must:
1. Give money
2. Give names (prospecting)
3. Participate
Boards and fundraising:
Everyone must give money
because:● Karma: It’s easier to raise money if you give it
yourself
● It’s a litmus test: Are you prepared to lead if
you’re not prepared to invest?
● People are watching: Donors ask, “Do you
have 100% board giving?”
Everyone must give names
because:● All fundraising begins with the creation of lists
● 70% of the people you know give to nonprofits
● The average American adults knows 150-200
people
Everyone must participate
because:● The more people involved, the more money
you raise
● We need to break down the false division
between program work and fundraising. Effective
organizations embrace the wisdom that
fundraising equals organizing, advocacy,
education, and market research
“Plan B” for structuring your board1. Organizing the board based on your income options
● Review income mix in relation to your programs
● Compare to ideal income mix for your group: where do you
want your money to come from?
● Divide up board by funding sources: foundations,
government, membership, etc.
● Each team develops its own work planSource: Board Café, www.compasspoint.org/boardcafe, 8/13/07.
2. Seasonal board
● Create seasonal work groups or committees (3-4 per year)
● Each work group focuses on one project per season in
each of three areas: fundraising, program, and structure
(adapt as you see fit)
● Each work group includes at least a few non-board members
● Executive committee provides oversight throughout the year;
everyone else works intensively during one quarter per year.Source: “The Seasonal Board” by Jill Vialet, Grassroots Fundraising Journal, November/December 2004, www.grassrootsfundraising.org.
3. Replace development committee with four committees
● Create separate committees for acquisition, retention, and
upgrading, plus an oversight committee
● Set appropriate benchmarks for each committee – these won’t
always be dollars raised
● Everyone participates, but they get to choose their committee
assignmentSource: “How to Get Your Board to Raise Money: Plan X” by Kim Klein, Grassroots Fundraising Journal, 2000.
4. Create temporary work groups for each
fundraising project
● No standing development committee
● Create a calendar of time-limited fundraising projects: phone
bank, fundraising event, personalized membership mailing,
business breakfast, major gifts campaign, etc.
● You need enough volunteers so that no individual gets more
than two or three assigned projects and has time off in
between.Source: “How to Get Your Board to Raise Money: Plan X” by Kim Klein, Grassroots Fundraising Journal, 2000.
5. Create and use a fundraising menu that outlines board participation options
● Board develops list of options; these are formatted into a menu
● Everyone creates their own personalized fundraising plans
based on the menu
● Individual report-backs at every board meeting: “This is what I
did since the last board meeting to support fundraising”
● Development committee (or equivalent) provides oversight and
accountability
6. Create challenges and incentives
● External challenge (grants, major gifts) based on board
behavior; benchmark doesn’t have to be money, but rather
number of new prospect names, number of donor visits, etc.
● Internal challenge from a key board member
● Competition: Divide board into teams
● Individual prizes based on benchmarks: meals, services, gift
certificates, B&B nights, etc.
● Symbolic awards: Most Improved Fundraiser, Courageous
Asker, etc.
7. Board? What board? Let’s focus on the staff
● Build a fundraising component into everyone’s job description
● Invest significant time (and money?) in staff development and
training
● As an option, organize an annual all-staff major donor drive
● Engage board members as available and interested; for
example, going along on donor visitsSource: “More Askers = More Money,” Grassroots Fundraising Journal, May/June, 2007.
Developing a board fundraising
menuAdapted from the Ohio Environmental Council, www.theoec.orgBoard of Directors
“2006 Menu of Opportunities” This is an “all-you-can-eat” menu!
Please circle as many items as you like—but at least one per category . NAME: __________________________
Appetizers
Provide names of donor prospects Attend and mingle with donors on a “Real Ohio” Tour
Invite donors to attend “Real Ohio” ToursSign & personalize letters to current and prospective donors
Attend and mingle with donors at a House PartyHelp to develop a plan to solicit major gifts
Advocate for OEC and serve as an enthusiastic community relations representative (be an ambassador)
Write a newsletter article for the Watch!
Entrées
Make a significant gift Include the OEC in your estate plan
Host a House Party Accompany staff on visit to major donor
Make thank you calls to donorsRecruit Annual Reception sponsors
Recruit new board members with capacity and connections
Desserts
Help gain access to workplaces for Earth Share Promote and attend OEC Lobby Day
Collect other organizations’ annual reports, donor lists & programs Promote and attend OEC Annual Reception and mingle with donorsAcquire or donate silent auction item donations for Annual Reception
Forward emails and newsclips featuring OEC to current and prospective donors
Sample volunteer fundraising
agreementName ____________________________________ Date _________________
To support the mission of our organization, I agree to take on the following:
1. My gift: $___________ Payment completed by (date) ________________
Terms of payment (check, credit card, installments, etc.) ___________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Prospects. I will provide names and contact information for _______ prospects by (date)
________. Even if I am unable to follow up with all of these people personally, I will still add
names to the list for mailings, event invitations, etc.
Sample volunteer fundraising agreement (continued)
3. My fundraising support tasks (taken from our menu):
a. Activity____________________________________________
Date(s) ______________________
Projected revenue (if applicable) $_______
Help / support needed from staff or board _____________________
_______________________________________________________
b. Activity ______________________________________________
Date(s) ______________________
Projected revenue (if applicable) $_______
Help / support needed from staff or board _____________________
_______________________________________________________
c. Activity______________________________________________
Date(s) _____________________
Projected revenue (if applicable) $_______
Help / support needed from staff or board _____________________
_______________________________________________________
_____________________________ ______________________
Signature of board member/volunteer Signature of board chair
They said they would raise
money …
now what?Encouraging board follow-through and accountability
1. Identify a sparkplug or a team of sparkplugs – then empower
them to lead.
2. Develop a board agreement or job description that includes
fundraising.
3. At each board meeting, everyone self-reports.
4. Create a line item in the budget for board giving.
5. Create a line item in the budget for board fundraising.
6. Solicit challenge gifts based on board behavior – not
necessarily tied to dollars raised.
7. Provide regular fundraising training for your board.
8. Invite a group of your donors to talk about why they give.
9. Offer rewards to those who make an effort.
10. Make it competitive.
11. Define real consequences for not meeting commitments –
then apply them.
12. Bring in new blood.Source: “They Said They Would Raise Money … Now What?” Grassroots Fundraising Journal, July/August 2008.
Good luck and stay in
touch!www.andyrobinsononline.com
www.commongoodvt.org