About 95% of the nonprofits I’ve dealt with in over the past twenty years have a common challenge, wondering why their board isn’t doing more to help raise funds. Here’s three quick tips to make sure you don’t fall into the 95% or to get yourself out of the 95% if you’re currently in it.
- When you recruit board members do you provide them a ‘job description’? If no, you may want to start. If yes, does include fundraising? If it doesn’t your expectations may be out of line with their expectations.
- Consider what you need the board to donate, time, treasure, and/or talent. Maybe it’s all three, maybe they are interchangable, just make sure they know the expectations.
- Don’t shove anyone into the deep end. If someone isn’t comfortable in the fundraising lane help them get there with training or other resources. You can even partner up with them and role model if that would be helpful. Guide board members on the path, otherwise they are likely to get lost and/or wander around leaving both you and them uneasy and perhaps even a little frustrated.
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