You just left your board meeting, and now you're riddled with anxiety or have already muttered to yourself “I can’t do this anymore.”
How could they burden you with the financial weight of the organization when it comes to fundraising, and there wasn’t an indication they were interested in helping you?
How can you possibly ask local businesses that have the capacity to give a significant sponsorship, when you don’t have a warm lead…but your board does?
As someone who has spent nearly 20 years in fundraising I get the mental exhaustion of trying to wrap my head around a board meeting that went sideways. Instead of getting the help I needed to open doors to potential donors, I left with a sense that they were disappointed in the way I was fundraising, and little to no direction, help or encouragement.
But working with 100’s of organizations over the last 6 years on this very real pain of feeling the full weight of fundraising falling on your shoulders, there are ways to help you get a board that raises money.
One thing to do?
Write a script for your board to ask their network for a gift or meeting.
A quick note – no more than three sentences – that each board member can copy and paste into emails of people they know, text messages for family members that would love your organization, or to use in casual conversation when meeting with folks in their rolodex.
Yes, I've been fundraising so long, I actually still say "Rolodex".
I know. You’re probably thinking, “These are grown adults who write emails all day, why can’t they just do it themselves?” or “Won’t they be offended by me sending them words, as they are capable individuals in their own right?”
You’d also be right. Your board members are not dumb. Nor are they incapable of creating these scripts themselves.
But they are busy with business, life and other things that have nothing to do with your nonprofit.
Your job? Make it so easy to help with your fundraising that they enjoy it. And don’t think twice when you ask for their help.
And sure, this sounds like a pretty simple task to ask of individuals who have committed to helping you grow your nonprofit and lead from a position on the board. But that doesn’t mean they will jump up and down at the prospect of you suggesting they get off their rear ends and help you reach the goal they set and dictated at the last meeting.
There’s a distinct possibility that they’ll look at you like you have 12 heads and are speaking a dead language with your mouth full of a peanut butter sandwich.
Which, frankly, might lead to even more anxiety as someone in charge of reporting back to them in a month with news that the fundraising needle hadn’t been moved forward.
However, it certainly doesn’t have to be that way.
In fact, it could be the exact opposite of feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. I’m here to help.
It’s kinda my bit.
I know you have about 100 more questions on how your board can help you fundraise, open doors, and generally be a better cheerleader for you and your donor engagement plan – and I’m excited to give you the answers to all of them next week at our FREE Webinar “Everything You Wanted to Know About Board Fundraising...But Were Afraid to Ask!”
This LIVE Q&A is for you – the overstressed and overworked do-gooder in charge of fundraising…and also in charge of reporting to your board. And I’m happy and excited to help!
Bring any question that you have or situation you’re in that needs clarity to help you get a board that raises money, and we’re going to answer them all!
There WON’T be a replay (It’s no fun to watch other’s have their questions answered and you get to watch everyone else find success – so we won’t torture you if you can’t make it) so block out the time on Wednesday, May 3rd at NOON CST.
Listen, if you had a raging headache, you'd take an aspirin. So, if you feel this pain? We'll offer you a boatload of relief.
See you next week!