How to Prepare for a Successful Donor Ask

Categories: Board Member Roles · Fundraising · Good Board Practices · Nonprofit Funding · Prospective Board MembersTags: · Leave a comment

In this post, I share a story from a fundraising professional about the importance of preparation to making a successful ask. He describes how he tries to identify the best person to make each ask and then thoroughly prepares for each meeting so the asker – whether it is a board member, the ED, or someone else – is confident in their role. This post is the latest in my series about fundraising for nonprofit organizations. Other posts include: Successful Fundraising Requires a Great Story Fundraising Strategies for Large Institutions Organizing for Fundraising Success Having Board Members Thank Donors Role… Read more

Successful Fundraising Requires a Great Story

Categories: Board Member Roles · FundraisingTags: · Leave a comment

In this post, I continue my series on fundraising and share a story from a very experienced nonprofit fundraiser. He says that while having a volunteer board member along on an ask is helpful, a strong staff person can be effective without a board member. Key to success for staff or board members is having clear priorities, telling a story that resonates with the community and with donors, and knowing how to build relationships. Other posts in the series include: Fundraising Strategies for Large Institutions Organizing for Fundraising Success Having Board Members Thank Donors Role of the Fund Development Committee… Read more

Fundraising Strategies for Large Institutions

Categories: Board Member Roles · Fundraising · Good Board PracticesTags: · · · · · Leave a comment

In this post, I share thoughts from a board member who has served on boards for very large, institutional organizations. He correctly reflects that fundraising strategies for these boards differ from those for medium-sized or small, community-based organizations. Still many of his insights can be applied to all boards. This post is the sixth in my series about nonprofit fundraising. In my last post, in contrast to this one, a board member shares several examples about fundraising for small and even all-volunteer organizations. Going back, in the first of the series, I shared a story about a successful capital campaign… Read more

Organizing for Fundraising Success

Categories: Board Member Roles · Fundraising · Good Board PracticesTags: · · 1 Comment

In this post, I share insights from a board member who has served on smaller, community based organizations. She has several stories. In one volunteer-led organization, she wishes that someone had documented processes to make fundraising easier. She describes two situations where board members did not follow through on their commitments. And finally, she provides an example of a board that paired new board members with experienced board members to do fundraising. This is the fifth in my series of fundraising. In the first of the series, I shared a story about a successful capital campaign where a board member… Read more

Is Your Board Thankful?

Categories: Board Member Roles · Fundraising · Good Board PracticesTags: · · · 2 Comments

Next week is Thanksgiving which got me thinking about thanking. Since I have been doing a series of posts on fundraising, I decided to focus on the role of board members in thanking donors. My first post on fundraising talked about a successful capital campaign and the many ways donors can make a stretch gift. My second fundraising post stressed the importance of connecting your organizations’ values to your fundraising efforts. My last post suggested ways to board members involved in fundraising and the role of the fund development committee chair in this effort. Have Board Members Thank Donors Every… Read more