Your Board Members for the Win!... That Thing Called Teamwork
That Thing Called Teamwork
Earlier this summer we were engaged to lead a fundraising campaign for a national nonprofit who held their event this past October for 1200 people. Initiating a fundraising campaign a few months before an event, especially in the summer, can be daunting and we approached this group's ambitious goals with trepidation. However, once we commenced, we realized this Board of Directors was ready to jump feet first into raising money and leaving no stone unturned. The end result was extremely successful, with the project laying the groundwork for this group to extend their donor base in subsequent years.
As part of our project debrief, we highlighted the qualities and approaches of this board that apply to any organization:
Seat Your Dinner Party - Similar to developing the perfect guest list for a party, a board has to be the right mix of people, backgrounds and interests. A critical success factor in developing an effective board is identifying the skills and personality qualities you want and then to thoughtfully build your group.
No Board, No Fundraising - The days of being a board member in name only is coming to an end. Boards these days have two distinct roles; stewardship of the organization and fundraising. Working in conjunction with the Development team, board members are expected to take an active role supporting the priorities of the organization and leveraging their relationships to raise money.
What's My Role? - Providing board members with clearly defined roles and expectations ensures continued success of the organization. As part of this, it is incumbent on the organization to keep their board members updated through meeting agendas, meeting minutes with action items and a timeline of activities.
Get Engaged, Stay Engaged - Your board members have busy lives with competing interests. While they should be working towards a large, year-end fundraising initiative, being involved with small initiatives or providing ways for them to network with each other, throughout the year, allows them to grow with your organization.
And last, but not least, keep it fun! No one wants to donate their time where they don't enjoy helping a worthwhile cause.
A Few of our Favorite Things...
With fall event season upon us, you can never have enough swag. Below are some of our go to items, Swedish Dishcloths, Reusable Straws and Plantable Seed Paper...
