What to Do about Fundraising on a Board When You Dont Have Lots of Money
In our last #ynpchat a participant stated that if you arent willing to fundraise you shouldnt be on the board. Fundraising is an intimidating part of being a board member, especially to those who dont have a lot of money or a lot of connections. Participants shared some great insights on what to do about the “give or get” requirement:
@CrookdRiverWmn: Remember that most boards are for small organizations. Big orgs with fancy fundraising balls & corporate contacts are minority.
@gtak: Board service – no fundraising experience & limited disposable income – offer to help research and write a grant proposal
@iaagustin: There’s more to a board than fundraising. Expertise in cause (ie stats & issues) & connections (new collaborations) r imp as well
I would add the following:
1. Ask about the give or get policy: Some organizations have a minimum amount of money they require while others ask board members to contribute an amount that is personally significant. Different organizations, at different stages in their development, require different skills and support from their board. A small organization or start up may need you to do more hands on fundraising–grant writing, event planning, for example–than a larger organization. The key is asking and seeing if needs are a good match for your skills.
2. Realize that fundraising itself is diverse: There is an image of a board member with deep pockets simply writing checks and getting his/her wealthy friends to do the same. However, this isnt always the case. There is quite a bit of hands on, hard work that goes into fundraising as a board member and what you can provide is actually quite diverse. For example, can you get in kind donations or discounts? Plan an event or get your friends to attend an event? Help write a grant? Interested in social media or online fundraising? Also, asking for people to donate, doesnt mean they have to donate thousands of dollars. We have learned that small amounts can have a big impact, so dont be afraid to ask your peers for support. What really matter are your dedication and enthusiasm.
3. Consider volunteering first: If you still find the fundraising aspect intimidating, ask to help the development team. In addition to getting to know the staff and gaining experience, you can also see what types of fundraising are used and needed–valuable experiences to bring to the board.
When I joined a board last year I asked about the give or get requirement and about current fundraising strategies. The organization I am on the board of is very small and hands on so I am able to try different ways of raising money in addition to making my own contribution. Last month I planned an event (which I had NEVER done before) and got people to attend. What strategies have worked for you?
Recommended reading: How much should board members give?
[...] I’ve written a longer response to this question with some more suggestions. [...]
Allison- awesome post that brings up many interesting points but I respectfully disagree with it. Except your point #3, which I think is really key and onto something important!
It is extremely difficult to work with nonprofit board members who don’t “give, get, or get off” because there’s an element of understanding that’s missing. Yes sir-ee, it’s HARD to give or find high-profile people to give– that’s why nonprofits really, really need board members to step-up to the plate. That doesn’t mean that’s the only thing nonprofit board members are good for by any means! It does mean, however, that if you can’t give money or get money, I agree that you should get off of the board and volunteer for the organization in another capacity that better suits what you can bring to the table (as you rightfully allude to in #3).
Among Gen Y nonprofiteers, there’s a lot of focus on “What can *I* do to help *myself* develop” with “join a board!” as the typically-touted, easy solution. I worry this tone makes serving on a board synonymous with volunteering (or maybe one step up): “why volunteer when I can serve on the board!?” This is really scary. Also, if folks are concerned about the minimum giving requirement, then they are missing the point; nobody wants you to give a minimum anything, really- they want you to give it your all!
Ask any nonprofit CEO (or high-level nonprofit employee, for that matter) what they want from their board, and chances are they will say something like, “well-connected people who can really drive significant giving.” And we don’t NEED to make serving on a board seem easy- it’s not. And any board member who says it IS easy isn’t doing it well.
I’ll step off of my soap-box now.
Thanks again for getting the brain-juices flowing! Very interesting post!
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ajlovesya Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Thanks for your comment Colleen!
Of course boards want you to give your all. However, if your goal is to create a diverse board (not just in terms of race or age but also in terms of class and the people you serve) examining the minimum requirement makes sense. I dont think boards should be full solely of people who are wealthy and connected and there are plenty of boards that arent. This isnt about a pendulum swing from one extreme (only older wealthy) to another (only younger not wealthy). it’s about a balance. If it is only about money, we should stop talking about board governance and diversity, and call boards “funders clubs.”
I do agree with your point though that it comes off ass selfish when board service is touted as merely a professional development move that is easy to fulfill. More frank conversations about board responsibilities would be helpful, although havent we heard of board members who simply want their names on buildings and newspapers? Who want to build their own networks? Not exactly purely altruistic.
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Colleen Reply:
June 5th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Is it crazy that I think they should and are (in an abstract sense) considered “funders clubs”– or more appropriately, “connectors clubs”? Eep!
I think your point about diversity and balance is spot-on, and in terms of demographic and area of expertise, I think you’re right. But I still think those people need to give or get for the organization– or get off the board. There’s certainly strategy and ways to maximize connection through the board and strength in diversity for sure– but if you cannot bring funding or connections to the table (to funding or companies that can be of service), the old 3G board adage still holds true, I think.
Holy cow you are so right about board members not being purely altruistic! I certainly don’t feel that altruism is a requirement to be on a board. I do feel, however, that folks interested in joining a board should know what they are getting into, and not– for the sake of the nonprofit– take the situation lightly. It should be thought more of as giving (to the org- time, connections, energy, enthusiasm, money) instead of getting (easy professional development). And as for folks who want their names in things? That’s cool, I think– because they are actually giving something tangible or giving names/personal connections that can strengthen the nonprofit’s mission.
Thanks for the conversation! It already made my Saturday morning! It would be cool to get some more folks weighing in here with other ideas, too!!!
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ajlovesya Reply:
June 5th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Hmmm I dont think I was clear in my post. I dont think that young people shouldnt give/get at all. However, I think the image of what it means to give/get hides the diversity of what it means to give. For example, boards that have people from various economic backgrounds will require that people give, just not the same amount. Giving reflects not just how much money you have but more of an investment in the organization’s well being. If boards should solely be composed of people that can give five to six figures then I really have to reflect on what we mean when we say we are committed to social change and equality since we willingly stop it from reflecting at the top (which is already a major criticism of this sector anyway).
And how you “get” people to give also ranges from in kind support/discounts for key services–like how a millenial board member got someone to overhaul our organization’s website for free, or how I got marketing, wine, food, and space for free for a fundraiser, allowing us to bank the money from all the tickets sold–to getting friends to purchase tickets to an event to exposing new potential streams of funding.
And while altruism may not be required the assumption that only young people arrive with some what selfish intentions is obviously not true. Yet should the desire of wanting to grow and learn be completely ignored when joining a board? I dont think so.
Allison and Colleen, I really enjoyed the post and reading your comments. This is a topic I have been thinking a lot about lately and there are valid points on both sides. For me, its more about the organization than the board member or potential board member. What I mean by that is you have to consider where an organization is in its own growth/life stages. I am a nonprofit professional who works closely with our board, and we are very clear on expectations, which include a $10k give/get/get-off. It sounds very high, but we also aren’t filling the board with the uber-rich in KC. They work hard and are wonderful volunteers. I see a big portion of my role in development to make sure they don’t fail at hitting their goals. We sit down with each board member in January to lay out their development plan.
On the other hand, I am on the board of a much smaller org where we are just trying to get to the point of implementing a give/get. I am a big proponent of using one, whatever the number. I expect ours to fall between $500-$1000. Entirely different organizations and at stages of growth, etc.
I think it hinders all of us to look at this as an us/them situation, where the wealthy big donors are the only board members “we” have. All organizations are at different places as are each of us in our careers. I wouldn’t be a good board member for my own org or the highest profile places in town, but I am a good fit for a much smaller org. All of whom should function with a give/get.
I think boards, by nature, need to be very focused on fundraising, but as we all know, fundraising is done in many ways and at many levels. As young professionals look for places to serve on boards they should look for places they will serve with peers. I am not a peer with the CEO of Sprint so shouldn’t be offended when I’m not on the same board.
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ajlovesya Reply:
June 7th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Thanks for your comment, Patrick! I think you summarize perfectly the point I was trying to make: that fundraising can be done in many ways and on many levels. Given the range of engagement, the responsibility of fundraising should not bar a young professional from pursuing a board position. And how you fundraise depends on your skills and the type of board you join. The needs of Harvard differ from the needs of your local food pantry and it’s crucial to pay attention to how you fit in.
“We sit down with each board member in January to lay out their development plan.”
I REALLY like this idea. Helping each board member reach that goal makes the goal seem more manageable because, as you mentioned, that number seems quite high. I would love to know if this approach has been successful and who works closely with the board on helping them achieve this goal.
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Patrick Reply:
June 8th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
We have seen tremendous success from laying it out in clear expectations. The board members who were our top donors, have not lowered to the “required” amount, the ones who didn’t want to do this left and those that were doing well but not this high have stepped it up.
As Development Director it is part of my job to meet with each one on one and then help them throughout the year hit those goals by providing opportunities they may not have thought of or going with them to meet with potential donors, sponsors, etc.
Each board member fills out a pledge sheet for the give and get portion and signs it. I’d be happy to share if you are interested.
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[...] Allison posted a great summary of the discussion with some key take aways on her blog. She makes some great points on how to approach your first board service. Ask about a give/get [...]