No One Has Ever Died from Fundraising

I had to laugh when I read these words. When you think about it, it is unlikely that anyone has ever died from fundraising!

Carol Weisman, president of  Board Builders indeed confirms that “Members will survive asking someone for money and being turned down.”

Perhaps, if we point that out to our trustees, we all have better luck involving our board in fundraising.

As I pointed out in my posting last month about the importance of nonprofit boards, every member of your board should be a financial supporter. But, I realize that’s often easier said than done.

I’ve experimented with several different ways to involved Atlas’s board members in our efforts — from writing letters for board members to send out to their friends, following up on their contacts,  or  hosting receptions at their homes. Some work better than others, depending on the interests of the particular board member.

How successful are you at matching up your board with different opportunities that draw upon their individual interests, talents and connections?

Take a look at the following laundry list from Weisman. See if you can find ways to leverage one or two items off this “Menu of Opportunities” to strengthen your relationship with trustees, as well as leverage their potential contributions.

Sending a news clipping to friends, donors and supporters

Researching a potential donor

Looking for funding sources

Creating an e-zine or blog

Putting photos on your Web site

Writing informational articles for your Web site

Writing e-books that can be sold

Inviting a friend, relative or business associate to the agency

Having a meeting of a group that you are involved in at the charity, and organize a tour

Having a home reception where a representative from the organization tells the story of its mission

Initiating a lunch, dinner or other visit with a “closer” and a potential donor

Inviting a potential donor to a special event

Writing an article for publication. Connect your organization with breaking news, or go on the speaking circuit, speaking at rotary clubs, churches, temples, etc. Getting contact information, and ask for more than money.

I’m about to embark on an effort to ask board members to send postcards to 10 of their friends, inviting them to participate in Atlas’s newest fundraising campaign. Hopefully, the postcard will be emotionally moving – enough to make trustees proud and willing to share our cause. I’ll let you know how it turns out. In fact, hopefully, you’ll join the cause too. It starts September 1, 2009 so stay tuned.

For more on board fundraising, read Abny Santicola’s article, “Positioning Your Board for Effective Fundraising.”