Going Beyond the Ask in Board Fundraising

Fear of the Ask

Board members can be fearful of asking for money, so we need to demystify what “getting involved in fundraising” means for board members. There are many opportunities for board members to be involved in everything except asking if they don’t feel comfortable or confident asking for money. Start small with your board. Don’t hand them a blanket challenge of raising a couple thousand dollars. Unless they’ve had experience raising money, they won’t know how to go about it effectively.

You can call on a board member to periodically reach out to donors and say thank you. “I’m a board member of <organization>, and I’m passionate about this work. Thank you so much for contributing to our mission, because it means a lot to us and our community.” They can do this by phone or by mailed note cards. I suggest that at every in-person board meeting, give each board member five note cards, envelopes, and five names and addresses. You could even go ahead and fill out the envelopes with addresses and postage and have your board members quickly write a brief thank you note and sign them. If you consider how many of your board members could do this, the volume of thank you messages quickly adds up.

A Personal Touch Goes a Long Way

I don’t know about you, but I donate to some organizations of which I’ve never received a call or a thank you from a board member. Over my many years of contributing to nonprofit organizations, I’ve received about three phone calls to thank me, I remember them, and they had a profound effect on me. I’ve often had the opposite where I give, and then I stop giving, and nobody notices. Then I think, “Wow, they didn’t even notice that I gave or stopped giving.”

Bringing the board together to brainstorm can be a great strategy session to effectively think about all the ways they could engage people in your work and your mission. They often generate excitement with their own ideas, and maybe even volunteer to help. It could be as simple as your board inviting some of their colleagues or friends to volunteer with them at the organization, or come as a guest to a board meeting, or attend an event.

Encouraging Engagement

I tell my clients every time you get somebody to work on the behalf of your organization, they are more committed to your organization, whatever it may be. If it’s involving them in a phone call, writing a thank you card, or bringing somebody with them to an event, it all adds up to more commitment both for the board member and the person they’re engaging.

Meeting Them Where They Are

It’s important to meet board members where they are and with whatever they’re comfortable with doing. Present them with the idea that they don’t have to ask for money, and you’ll find they’re willing to assist fundraising efforts in a variety of different ways.

Brady Ware Nonprofit Advisors want to help you fulfill your mission with financial health and compliance services and a network of nonprofit consultants who specialize in strategic decision-making.