Have you ever wondered how to teach your board members to ask for money? It’s one of the questions I get asked most frequently.
The problem is, that’s the wrong question to ask. The right question is this:
How Do You Get Board Members to Value Helping with Fundraising?
There are two important points in that second question.
1. Fundraising encompasses asking, but asking does not encompass fundraising.
In other words, asking is one component of fundraising, but board members believe asking is all there is to fundraising. That’s simply not true. There are many aspects of fundraising, including identifying donors, building relationships, and following up with a donor after a gift was made, which are not about asking itself.
The reason the distinction is important is that asking is only a small (although important) part of the fundraising process. And yet, board members only focus on the ask — until they are shown otherwise.
2. Board members should value fundraising.
Second, we want board members to value fundraising and not see it as a nuisance or something they dread. This can happen when we use positive language, instead of negative language, around fundraising.
Notice the difference between:
I have to ask for money.
…versus…
I get to ask for money.
Here’s another:
I’m twisting someone’s arm.
…versus…
I’m inspiring someone to support an important cause we both care about.
And consider the difference between these two cliches: Is money the root of all evil? Or does it create opportunities?
There’s a huge difference in the mindset of someone who speaks about fundraising positively versus someone who does so negatively. Use positivity to try to instill courage and confidence in your board members when it comes to fundraising.
3 Steps to Teach Board Members to Ask for Money
Providing context and positivity to create the right attitude in board members is just the beginning. Here are three more important steps to teach board members to raise money for your cause.
Step 1: Provide education.
If your board members don’t know there’s more to fundraising than asking, how could they possibly make the distinction?
You want board members who are happy to help with fundraising and feel great about it. If you can give them a variety of ways they can help — like writing thank you notes, giving tours, and making introductions — then they are more likely to help.
Step 2: Practice and discuss fundraising as a group.
Fundraising education is not a “one and done” topic. Create a list of discussion topics to use at board meetings all year long. For example:
January – Dispelling Fundraising Myths
Provide examples of fundraising myths and ask board members why they believe those myths are pervasive, and how to correct them.
February – Gratitude and Follow Up
Share research as to why gratitude makes a difference in fundraising results. Have a discussion around the best ways to thank people, how your organization currently thanks donors, ways you could improve, and specific ways board members could help.
March – The Beauty of Bequests
Bequests are perhaps one of the most difficult topics for board members to wrap their minds around because they deal with death and money.
Prior to the meeting, ask board members if they have a charitable bequest (to any charity) and if they would be willing to share their reasoning at your meeting. Discuss why bequest funds are so important for the longevity of the organization.
Step 3: Reach out to individual board members.
In addition to group discussions, it’s important to have one-on-one meetings with each board member, at least annually.
Ask them what areas of fundraising they feel most comfortable and most uncomfortable with. Ask about their own gift and how they would like to help with fundraising. Ask what tools, resources, and training they need to be successful.
Bonus Step: An Insightful Exercise with Your Board
Here’s a great exercise to try at your next board meeting (whether virtual or in-person).
Ask board members to come up with a quick mental list of things they’ve accomplished or done in their lives which were challenging or scary at the time.
Give some examples — like learning to swim, ride a bike, or even coasting down a zip line. Other examples include asking someone on a first date or soliciting your boss for a raise.
After a few minutes, go around the room (or Zoom room) and ask everyone for one thing off their list.
Doing something new seems scary, but carries great rewards.
Point out how rewarding it is to do something new or scary. In retrospect, some of those scary things they did weren’t really so scary after all. Or, they were able to accomplish something — like get a date or a promotion, or a raise — which they wouldn’t have gotten if they hadn’t taken the risk.
Fundraising is no different. It might seem scary because it’s new and foreign, but the payoff is huge. And you’re going to approach fundraising by giving them fundraising training wheels, and not asking them to get on a unicycle until they’re practiced and prepared.
What was something new you tried that was scary to do, but it really paid off? Tell me about it in the comments. It’s always helpful to have more examples to get the creative juices of board members flowing.
Hello ,
This is very insightful . I would love to know more of this