Transcript Document
Help Your Board Grow – And Give or Get Will Come Cara Fox Executive Director, The Christi Center Agenda • • • • • Introductions A plan for growth Set up for success Increasing engagement in fundraising Keep it going/growing! INTRODUCTIONS • What’s your role? • How engaged is your Board? • What’s your top Board challenge? Why Bother? Unengaged Board • Takes time to manage because getting people to show up or respond is a battle. • ED makes major strategic decisions based on one perspective – their own. • Fundraising is reactive and crisis-oriented • ED is a burnt-out, one-man show • ED leaves a leadership vacuum when they leave • Not sustainable Engaged Board • Takes time to manage. But produces results! • Board provides mission/strategic plan as litmus tests and serves in advisory capacity • Fundraising is strategic and team-oriented • ED is empowered and supported • Leadership goes beyond ED or any one person • Clients continually benefit from the best leadership the organization has to offer When involvement increases, so do financial gifts Total Raised $350,000 $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 $0 2010 2011 2012 Board Life Cycle Startup Transition Mature Healthy Board Checklist D/O Insurance Enforced term limits Use of skills matrix for strategic recruitment Orientation Board member agreement 100% participation in giving and fundraising Seasoned members as mentors Board dashboard to monitor progress Annual board self-evaluation Make Board Service a Great Experience • Treat Board members as major donors – people, not wallets • Make Board meetings a good use of their time (educate on mission and energize) • Show results/impact of their time • Give them meaningful jobs that utilize their talents or help them grow • Create a team atmosphere (help them know each other’s stories, nametags, etc.) • Be positive! Believe in abundance! People on the Bus: Demographics/Connections • • • • • • • • • Age/Gender/Ethnicity/Geography Fundraising Advocacy Financial Management Law Marketing/PR Technology Real Estate Mission-specific People on the Bus: Personalities • • • • • • • Longtime friend of organization Lots of time availability Not afraid to ask Former client Knows lots of people Likes to throw parties Seasoned community leader Set the Tone • Solving a problem! • Giving others a chance to be part of the solution! • Relationship (not transaction) oriented! • Worthy of investment! • Leading by example! Reframe Fundraising IS NOT • • • • • • “Tin cup” or chasing dollars A one-man show Cookie-cuttter/one size fits all Simply about making dollar goals Panicky Magic IS • • • • • • Strategic Mission/need-oriented Developing parnterships Unique to organization’s culture Passionate Transparent Increasing Engagement Level I Talk about need Get civic/club speaking gigs Be interviewed about your involvement Participate in People on the Wall Participate in Board training Level II Share success stories Find out what your friends are involved in Add personal notes to invitations Write/call donors to thank Identify prospects and share with org Level III Identify prospects and make introductions Add personal endorsements to requests Help cultivate a list of prospects Visit with current/potential donors and make asks KEEPING IT FUN Get Them Fired Up • Organizational “pop quiz” – don’t forget prizes! • Give them team swag – nametags, business cards, personalized thank you notes • “Member of the Month” – mini celebrations • Raise the bar! – Set a goal and celebrate. Put the party people in charge. People on the Wall • • • • • • • • • Friends Relatives Colleagues Neighbors Church members Social groups (golf, bunko) Civic Groups (Rotary, Lions) Professional Associations Alumni Groups • • • • • • • • • • Throw a party Donations in lieu of gifts Jeans Day Garage Sale Pass the basket Play for charity TCC as guest speaker “Change for Change” day Game-day “bets” for charity Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn The Alphabet Game • Break into groups of 3 • Write the alphabet down the side of a large sheet of paper • Come up with one way to affect the bottom line for each letter Board Challenge Raise $500 by December 31. How? • • • • • • Ask your FB friends or Twitter followers to donate $10 to this cause that is important to you. Ask your company to write a check for $500. Write a check for $250 and get your company to match it. Ask 10 of your friends/family to contribute $50 (or 25 to contribute $25 or 50 coworkers to contribute $10, etc.) Have a birthday coming up? Ask friends and family to make a donation instead of giving you a present. Throw one of the mini-fundraisers you already brainstormed. Brainstorm and Report-Out Keep Growing! Train • Mission moments at every meeting – give them fresh material to talk about! • Training at Board meetings and in more concentrated formats • Annual skills assessment and Board self-evaluation Streamline • Enforce term limits • Thank for service • Redirect (committees, Advisory Council, etc. ) • Publicly recognize for service Recruit • In-house - Volunteers, committee members, Advisory Council • Friends – of currently involved Board/volunteers, etc. • Community – Board Expos, United Way, Junior League, Nonprofit Association, etc. Questions? Cara Fox, Executive Director The Christi Center [email protected]