Your Board Won't Help Fundraise? Try These 5 Tips!

The unfortunate reality of nonprofit boards is that many of them may not have been recruited to fundraise in the first place. If you're new to your role at a nonprofit, chances are you inherited a board you did not recruit, and few or none of them are willing to help fundraise for you. But fear not! There is hope for your board and your program! Because this is the story we've heard over and over with our clients, we've dialed in a few easy strategies to help cope with this ongoing difficulty.

The first thing to keep in mind is, that in 9 of out 10 cases, raising money was not mentioned when the board was recruited. They agreed to serve on their own time with no pay to help their community, and when your predecessor had the conversation, philanthropy was not part of it. This can make your board members feel blindsided when suddenly this is a new part of their job description. "I did NOT sign up for this." they will think. This is okay! And here is what to do next:

1) Make sure they have been asked for a cash gift in this calendar year or this campaign. Just leading by example is often all we need from them instead of forcing them into doing something they just won't. Sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with each member that they need to give a gift of some size so that we can check the box that "yes, 100% of our board is giving."

2) Ask for their story. People volunteer for nonprofits for all kinds of reasons, but one of the most common is a personal experience with the mission. Maybe they had an experience or maybe a friend/family member had an experience, but either way, ask them their story of why this cause is meaningful, and ask if you can share it either in writing or video. Their testimonial will encourage others to join and give!

3) Ask for names and connections. If they don't want to ask their friends and coworkers for money, that can be okay! See if they are willing to set up a meeting with you (the staff person or the ED) and the prospective donor. Bonus points if they also can attend the meeting, but a personal introduction and endorsement is absolute gold. They won't have to ask for a dime, and you just expanded your prospect list!

4) Give them the chance to serve on a volunteer fundraising committee, but be sure it's framed as an additional ask. It would sound something like "I know you already give a ton of your time to this organization, and we are putting together a philanthropy council. It would be additional time outside of your normal board commitment, but your connections would be invaluable to us. We would love for you to serve on this committee."

5) Ask them to serve as ambassadors for your fundraising project. When all else fails, and you simply can't budge them. Ask them to be keenly familiar with your current fundraising opportunities, so when asked, they can talk in depth in your community about what's going on with your philanthropy.

If you struggle with getting your board engaged year after year, you are not alone. Start small, and remember that having individual in-person conversations is always the clearest and most direct way to interact with your board. Many of them want to help, they just may have never been properly asked!

Want to take your own fundraising program to the next level? Schedule a free call with us so we can learn about your organization!