Getting  Your  Board   On  Board    

Techniques  for  Using  Vision  to  Engage  Your  Board  in  Fundraising    

4/23/15  

1pm  Eastern  

The  presentation  will  begin  shortly.

Before  We  Get  Started3

This  presentation  is  being  recorded!  

The  recording  and  slides  will  be  emailed  to  you    later  this  afternoon.  

Please  chat  in  any  questions  for  our  guest.    We  will  answer  them  in  the  formal  Q&A  session    

at  the  end  of  the  presentation.

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Our  guest  presenter  »Susan Detwiler

• Licensed Standards for Excellence™ Consultant, with 12 years in the nonprofit world following 23 years in the for-profit sector.

• Facilitates customized board and staff retreats, has an MBA from University of Michigan and a B.S. from SUNY Albany.

• Clients have included Portland Jewish Academy (OR), Rehoboth Beach Film Society, Food Bank of Delaware, Park East Synagogue (NYC), Delaware Theatre Company and Gaudenzia, Inc.

GETTING YOUR BOARD ON BOARD OR BUILDING A BOARD OF FUNDRAISERS A PRESENTATION OF SUSAN M. DETWILER

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About Susan Detwiler

�  Catalyst for nonprofit boards on the verge of change

�  Creating the Future Fellow and Standards for Excellence Consultant

�  Educator, coach and facilitator to nonprofit executives and boards in strategic planning, governance & development

�  12 years in nonprofit world; 23 years in for-profit world - marketing and information consulting, speaking, publishing

�  5 years Executive Director of a nonprofit; too many years to count in lay leadership

�  President of The Detwiler Group, serving nonprofit clients across the United States

�  www.detwiler.com

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About You �  Development Director

�  Executive Director

�  Board President

�  Board Member

�  Funder

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To ensure that your organization can deliver its mission

now…. and in the future.

(c) 2014 The Detwiler Group

WHAT’S A BOARD FOR?

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MISSION, VISION, VALUES

STRATEGIC PLANS THAT CREATE A PATH TO YOUR

VISION

STRATEGIC PLAN ANSWERS FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS Where you are going Why it’s important What has to be done (by whom and by when) What resources you need in order to get it done How you are going to get those resources

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STRATEGIC PLAN ANSWERS FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS Where you are going Why it’s important What has to be done (by whom and by when) What resources you need in order to get it done How you are going to get those resources

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THE GIFT OF A BOARD

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MY BOARD DOESN’T FUNDRAISE •  Inability to raise money is the major weakness of boards

of directors •  Only 5% listed fund raising as a board strength. •  Fundraising ranks #1 among board areas needing

improvement. 2007 Board Source

•  77% said educating their board members on fundraising responsibilities is their top board education priority 2011 Philanthropy in the First State survey

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THE GIFT OF A BOARD

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THE GIFT OF A BOARD

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OKAY SUSAN, BUT MY BOARD MEMBERS DON’T FUNDRAISE

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I’LL DO ANYTHING EXCEPT FUNDRAISE

I hate to ask for money. I don’t have the time. I don’t know what to say.

If I ask them I’ll just have to give to THEIR cause.

Let’s hire someone to do it for us.

Can’t we just get grants?

Isn’t that YOUR job? Let’s throw a gala!

Bill Gates has a lot of money, let’s ask him!

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THE CONTINUUM

I’ll do anything

except ask for money

I’ll sign letters

asking for money

I’ll make a few

phonecalls in a

phonathon

I’ll ask people to come to the gala

I’ll introduce the Exec

to potential donors

I’ll go with the Exec

on a major donor call

I’ll ask a major

donor for a gift

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NORMALIZING THE DISCOMFORT

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BOARD COMFORT WITH DEVELOPMENT

BUILDING A BOARD OF FUNDRAISERS

Short-term

Mid-term

Long-term

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ENGAGEMENT TOOLS SHORT-TERM

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ENGAGEMENT TOOLS SHORT-TERM Establish a comfort level Meet face to face

Provide short, specific jobs

Cultivate board members with education, personal attention

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ENGAGEMENT TOOLS SHORT-TERM Regular President/Executive/Development conversations Irregular email communications

Forwarding relevant articles

Development education in each board meeting

Cheerleading

Personal notes

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ENGAGEMENT TOOLS -SHORT-TERM SUMMARY

Reduce anxiety – normalize their discomfort Meet face to face

Provide short, specific jobs

Cultivate board members with education, personal attention

Regular top level communications

Stream of board cultivation

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MEDIUM TERM Create active development committee

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MEDIUM TERM Assign board members a limited # of donors/prospects Regularly support the board members’ activities

Develop a single stewardship sheet for each prospect

Develop a single stewardship sheet for each board member

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ENGAGEMENT TOOLS SHORT-TERM Establish a comfort level Meet face to face

Provide short, specific jobs

Cultivate board members with education, personal attention

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MEDIUM TERM Keep cultivating board members as you would donors Report regularly on fundraising successes

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ENGAGEMENT TOOLS MEDIUM TERM Create active development committee Assign board members a limited # of donors/prospects & support them Develop stewardship sheets for each prospect

Develop stewardship sheet for each board member

Cultivate board members as you would donors

Report regularly on fundraising successes

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LONG TERM

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LONG TERM Help Executive/President build robust, development-minded board

•  Recruit development committee members from beyond the board

•  Recruit development committee members for board and executive committee

•  Work closely with Committee on Trustees •  Continually work on identifying Board prospects

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LONG TERM Look beyond the usual suspects

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KEEP EDUCATING

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LONG TERM Get a seat at the table

•  Participate in strategic planning & budgeting process •  Educate and work closely with CEO, CFO, Board president •  Build a draft development plan with input from other stakeholders

prior to finalized budget

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ENGAGEMENT TOOLS LONG TERM Help Executive/President build robust, development-minded board Provide regular development education to the board Get a seat at the table

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IN SUMMARY: The board’s job is to make sure you can serve your mission, and that takes resources. You are not alone

•  Board members are your biggest donors •  Each board member has their own story •  Each board member is at a different place on the continuum

Short-term

•  Reduce anxiety •  Meet face to face and learn their story •  Provide short, specific jobs •  Cultivate board members with education, personal attention

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IN SUMMARY: Medium term

•  Create active development committee •  Assign board members a limited # of donors/prospects & support

them •  Develop stewardship sheets for each prospect •  Develop stewardship sheet for each board member •  Cultivate board members as you would donors •  Report regularly on fundraising successes

Long term

•  Help Executive/President build robust, development-minded board

•  Provide regular development education to the board •  Participate in budget process

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REFLECTIONS AND QUESTIONS: WHAT WILL YOU DO?

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Thank you It has been a pleasure to present this webinar to you. Special thanks to Bloomerang! Please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss a particular situation, or to learn more about Governance/Management/Development issues….and solutions! Susan M. Detwiler The Detwiler Group http://www.detwiler.com 302.463.0327

Questions?

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