Join Gail Perry live from AFP ICON 2024 conference in Toronto as she unveils insights & tips from some of her favorite fundraising professionals.
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This happens to too many boards – they lose their enthusiasm and zip. It’s sad to see in board members who have their energy to create change and make a difference in the world. Every board needs board training!
However, staff and board leaders can certainly change this situation using these 7 steps. What’s more, you’ll create happier board members as a result.
Here is our recipe for creating change, renewing enthusiasm and firing up these wonderful volunteers who care so much about your cause. But staff and board leaders also have to assume some responsibility.
Whether you are a staff member, manager, executive — or a board leader — the change will really start with you. Be willing to be a spark plug of energy. Assume leadership if there is a void. Find a way to promote the idea of freshening things up and. . . use these strategies to help.
Here are our 7 Steps to Fire Up Your Board:
1. Fire Up Their Passion by Asking Them To Share Their Personal Stories
Board members are serving on your board for a reason. It’s probably a deep personal — even emotional — connection with your mission.
Do you ever talk about it? Probably not. We have found that the quickest way to reengage board members’ passion for the cause is simply asking them to share their story of why they care.
Tip: Asking people why they care can open the floodgates of energy and commitment – even bring people to tears.
2. Create Interesting Meetings
Ah, the boring board meeting. Fate worse than death?
Listening passively to presentation after presentation. Death by PowerPoint. There’s no interesting discussion. Or if there is a compelling discussion, it’s often on a trivial topic.
Yes, we’ve all been there!
Reorganize your agenda to put the boring topics last rather than first. Set a time limit on committee reports of only two minutes each. Create a consent agenda. Give your board chair training in meeting facilitation.
Tip: Check out our post: “12 Ways to Liven Up Your Board Meeting.”
3. Clarify Their Roles and Scope
Often board members are confused about their exact role as a trustee of an organization. When that happens, board members can easily veer off into operational issues rather than big-picture strategy.
It’s up to the staff leadership to guide the board. Help them determine what is appropriate for their attention and where they should steer clear.
Here’s the challenge: Based on variations in organizational culture, the organization’s history, and customs, often boards take on different scopes. For example, in smaller organizations, board members may assist in operational matters. In large organizations, board members tend to focus on building awareness and connections, external partnerships, and fundraising.
Tip: It’s appropriate for staff leaders to take charge and guide board leaders to clarity their roles. Everyone will be much happier and more productive.
4. Educate Your Board About Your Fundraising Program
Often board members have no idea how your organization raises money. They often don’t understand the ROI of fundraising, the concept of donor retention, and how they can help.
However, when board members are educated, then they will be much more helpful. Above all, they will be able to make far better strategy and budgetary decisions.
Consider educating them on where the money comes from, AND where the money goes. Once they know the facts, they often get fired-up.
Try setting up these discussion questions:
- Why does it cost so much?
- Why do we need to spend money on this or that?
- How much does it cost to help one kid (clean one stream, present one performance, etc.).
And the most important question your board members need to know is “What do we need the MOST but can’t afford?”
Tip: When board members understand the urgency and the numbers, they might be calling everyone they know to help. (We’ve seen it happen.)
5. Decide on Action Items
What do your board members need to “do” in order to be good board members?
Simply attend meetings and offer their judgment and opinions?
We like to see board members equipped with the actions they are supposed to take.
Whether it is calling five donors to say thank you, or introducing five new people to your organization, or selling five tickets, or opening the door to an important connection, or advocating for your nonprofit at a community forum, or researching roofers so you can get a new roof donated — there’s lots they can do.
Tip: Send board members out the door with a clear idea of what they need to do between now and the next board meeting.
6. Give Board Members What They Want
Want to give board members a “terrific experience?” If you do, you’ll be rewarded with enthusiasm, energy and lots more engagement.
What do board members really want? June Bradham’s research in her book “The Truth About What Nonprofit Boards Really Want” shared some mind-blowing insights.
Ms. Bradham found that board members want to:
- Work with people who are as passionate and excited about the organization as they are.
- Feel that their time is used wisely.
- Get their hands dirty with real work.
- Meet the other board members.
If one of the top things board members want is to meet the other board members, then we recommend more social time. That’s why coffees and lunches before and after meetings are so important.
Social time helps foster closer personal relationships among your board members, and a sense of trust among them all. Then they can function better as a team or a committee.
Tip: Give your board members some meaningful work that will actually help your organization.
7. Personally Take Charge
Staff and board leaders really can step up and provide guidance to the rest of the trustees. They can gently lead everyone to focus on what’s most important, and stay away from the trivial.
Lighten up. When you talk about fundraising or any strategy, see if you can smile. Show everyone that fundraising is not something to be feared.
Model the energy that you want your board to have. Be a spark plug of energy and enthusiasm – it can be contagious.
Bottom Line: Try Out These 7 Steps
Take the responsibility to rev up the energy and enthusiasm of your board.
Try these ideas and see what erupts. We’ve tested these strategies, and they really do work!
As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights as we discuss new fundraising trends.
If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.
RESOURCES
Is a major capital campaign on the horizon for your institution? Do you feel a little overwhelmed because, as you know, campaigns can be a heavy lift? Would three secrets to success help guide you in the right direction?
Our goal is for campaign clients is to get focused in three key areas that will set them up for a campaign that brings in extraordinary fundraising results.
Three Secrets of Success
1. Begin your planning with a deep prospect analysis.
The major gifts in a campaign always come from a very few people. We are seeing as much as 95% of the money coming from only 5% of an organization’s donors.
Even more, the success of capital campaigns is always built on a small number of large gifts.
So one of our key success secrets is to analyze prospect data early in the game.
We recommend that all campaign planning begins with a wealth screening on your donor database. This enables us to identify our clients’ sleeper prospects. Those are the wonderful donors who are passionate about the cause – and who have significant wealth.
Most importantly, the screening allows us to organize the prospect pool using our Campaign by the Numbers approach. This means you will work with the right prospects at the right time yielding optimal results.
This deep analysis and organization of your campaign prospect pool is THE essential activity for the campaign planning stage.
2. Use a conversational approach with donors.
Once the priority donor prospects are identified, we recommend that our clients start spending quality time with them. These are very special people who believe in the cause – they often are happy to learn more about the work and engage more deeply.
But how do you really engage a donor?
Many people think their goal is to “present” to a donor. They spend hours crafting laborious pitch decks about their institution’s work, so they can “wow“ their donors.
That’s not it at all. The best way to engage a donor is to get them talking about WHY they care.
The fundraiser’s job is to find out what makes the donor tick. What does the donor want to do that your organization can help them achieve? We call this approach “listening your way to a major campaign commitment.”
We teach our clients an approach that we call the Conversational Ask. And, you can move directly into a Conversational Ask with a donor at almost any time. That is, if you know the right questions to ask!
Involving and engaging these top prospective donors early is literally the key to successful campaign fundraising. You are creating true partners – donors who are invested in your institution’s success and want to help.
3. Go slow to go fast.
Often board members and/or executive team members don’t understand capital campaign strategy. They don’t understand why we go very slowly and silently in the beginning.
Organizational leaders often ask: “Where is the money?” “Why aren’t we out in public yet?” “Where are the balloons and parades?” “We want events and hoopla!”
In fact, being out in public too early could hurt you.
We strongly recommend a careful strategy of going slowly in order to go faster later.
Early in the game, you engage privately with those very few potential lead donors, laying the groundwork and involving them. This takes time, and it might be the most important activity in the entire campaign.
Organizing a campaign is like setting up dominos: take your time to enlist the right volunteers and to engage the right major donors. Take all the time you need to secure the support of key influential leaders.
Then, when all your ducks are in a row – so to speak – or the dominoes are all lined up, you’ll be amazed at how quickly everything can move forward. Because you took the time to deeply involve key donors and leaders, doors that were once closed will fly open for you. It’s because the right person knocked on the door.
Bottom Line: Use These Three Secrets for Capital Campaign Success
All smart major gift fundraisers understand this strategy. As consultants – one of our key goals is to help our clients’ leadership teams understand and embrace this approach. It’s the winning approach every time!
As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly insights with you as we cover important fundraising strategies.
If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.
I wish you could have been there.
It was a hot Friday evening in July, and a group of friends had gathered together for supper at my house.
My new daughter was a year old, and I was just starting to think about going back to work, after taking a year off to enjoy being with her.
As we enjoyed the cooling air on the back deck, one of my friends spoke to me directly.
It was my good friend Michael Rierson, who was the head corporate fundraiser at Duke University.
And he said some magic words:
“Gail, are you ready to go back to work?
There’s a fundraising job at Duke that you’d be great for.”
Hmmm, I thought to myself. Fundraising. I had several years of professional sales experience but had never thought about getting started in fundraising.
Yes, at 35 years old, I had already served on several nonprofit boards, and even chaired a board. Yes, nonprofit causes and making the world a better place definitely interested me.
To me, it seemed like the perfect match: Professional sales plus nonprofit mission. And I heard a little tiny voice in my head:
“Fundraising. That feels like fun. Yes.”
Now and then in people’s lives, a small voice speaks clearly inside their heads. Some people ignore that voice. The lucky ones hear the message, listen to it – and take action. That voice is how I started in fundraising.
I jumped at the opportunity to interview for the position of Major Gifts Officer at Duke. Six weeks later, I started my new job. Hurray!
Now, raising money at Duke University was a lesson in advanced fundraising. These people knew the art of cultivating donors. As a result, the gifts were flowing into Duke. Here are some of the lessons I learned at my very first fundraising job at Duke:
Lessons learned at Duke University.
1. Make the first gift such a nice experience for your donors that they will quickly give again.
Make it an occasion of joy and celebration on the part of the receiving institution AND the donor. So – the first gift from a donor is (hopefully) never the largest!
2. Set objectives for each donor meeting.
Once you get started in fundraising, if you don’t have a plan for each visit with a donor, you may end up wasting your time. It’s easy to be social, and avoid having a direct conversation. But if you don’t engage the donor in a conversation about their interests, you lose a valuable opportunity.
3. Find seven ways to thank your donor, and they’ll give again.
Donors who are thanked properly are highly likely to give again. There are all sorts of ways you can acknowledge and appreciate your donors – videos, impact reports, personal notes, events, invitations, etc. It takes a lot of work but it’s totally worth it when your donor gives more and more and more.
4. 95% of the money comes from 3% of your donors.
A whopping majority of your gifts and contributions comes from very few people. If they are wildly passionate about your work, then they deserve your focused attention. You must focus on the very few people who can give the most.
5. Stay in front of your prospects.
There is a direct correlation between the number of contacts a donor has from the organization – before the ask – and the amount of the gift. This also means that the longer you wait to ask, then the bigger the gift will be.
6. Ask for a specific amount always – based on the donor’s values and explicit motivation.
Say: Would you consider a gift in the range of _X dollars_ for _X years_ if we can show you how it could be done? In the life cycle of a donor there are perfect moments for asking for money. You are just nudging the inevitable.
As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you. Let us know what you think of our new branding in the comments below!
Over and over, we all fight the same battle: how to control our talking when we are meeting with a donor. After all, talking too much is the kiss of death.
It’s a challenge for everyone – newbies, experienced fundraisers, executive directors, board members, academic leaders alike.
So, let’s review why it’s so important to listen to the donor, rather than to make a presentation. Why do we want the donor to do most of the talking? Why is talking too much the kiss of death in fundraising?
You will turn your donor off.
Guess what – in a meeting, your donor is probably expecting to do most of the talking. She has opinions, she’s been thinking a lot about your organization, and she wants to express her point of view. She’s expecting to be heard, and she is not expecting to be presented to by you.
Above all, you want your donor to stay interested and involved in the conversation. If you are talking and talking, she may start taking mental side trips. Her eyes may start to glaze over. And then, the worst thing can happen – she may feel bored.
If that happens, she just might not want to see you again. Who wants to visit with someone who talks and talks all the time?
Put yourself in your donor’s shoes.
How long has it been since you felt stuck in a meeting with someone you could not escape from? And you were longing for a way out?
You certainly don’t want your donor to feel like she’s desperate to get away from you. Not at all; you want her to enjoy the visit and want to see you again.
You may think you’re being interesting, but your donor may think that you are droning on and on.
Are you guilty of the kiss of death – the “talking problem?”
Too many nonprofit leaders – CEO’s, development directors and board volunteers alike – are guilty of the “talking problem.”
Everyone thinks they need a presentation that can sell the donor on their cause. Even more, too many people think they need a sales pitch.
Here’s the truth.
You don’t need a pitch. You need to listen to your donor instead.
Why are listening skills more important than presentation skills?
Because in fundraising, we have to follow our donor’s lead. When meeting with a donor, we cater to them. Always, we try to bring the donor out and make them feel comfortable. It’s far more important to listen than it is to talk.
As major gift fundraisers, we pay very close attention to what is on our donor’s mind, so that we can find out where she stands. If we want to develop her interest, then we have to know where her strongest interests are.
If we truly want a warm relationship, then we need to know what is important to her. What her values are, and WHY she is so interested in our cause.
If we have this information, we can probably engage her deeply, get her involved, create a happy long term relationship and develop some wonderfully generous gifts.
Without this information about your donor, you are pretty much at a dead end. There is no cultivation pathway, and no way to plan an appropriate ask.
Our recommendation is that you and your team should never do more than 50% of the talking. You’ll find that you can become quite comfortable, simply sitting there, holding the space for your donor to share her thoughts. You can relax, watch, gauge and listen.
We think that self-awareness, self-control and a light touch should be very highly prized skills for major gift fundraisers.
Bottom line. Make this your fundraising motto: “Listen Your Way to the Gift.”
The donor will show you the way.
As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you.
If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.
If you are serving as a nonprofit board member, I’m sure you are often asked to help in fundraising.
Here’s how you and your fellow board members can help increase donations to your organization by 39% – without having to do any “asking.”
To Increase Donations, All You Have to Do is Say “Thank You.”
Are you and your fellow board members nervous about having to solicit or ask for gifts? We understand.
So we’d like to suggest a different role in fundraising for you. How about taking on a thanking role with donors?
When you, as a board member, offer your personal thanks to your organization’s donors, you can make a huge difference. In fact, you can directly impact your institution’s bottom line, while avoiding gift solicitations that could be awkward.
Special Thank You Treatment for Donors.
Try this test and track your results. Then you can evaluate how this strategy works for you and your fellow board members.
The next time your organization sends out a fundraising appeal, work with your staff to select out a random group of donors to receive a special thank you treatment.
Organize a team of board members to make thank you phone calls to these donors within 24 hours of the gift being received. It’s important to make the call immediately after your organization receives the gift.
If the donor does not answer, the board member can leave a message that simply thanks the donor.
The phone calls are not about asking for another gift. They are for stewardship only.
If any of the board members are adventurous, they can take another step and ask the donor why they chose to make this gift. That would create a rich conversation that the donor will enjoy.
Track Your Results.
A few months after this first gift, your organization should send another fundraising appeal to all donors – both those who received the extra thank you phone call and those who just received a standard acknowledgment letter.
And when repeat gifts come in, compare the results of both groups.
You’ll find, when all other things are equal, some interesting results.
The donors who received a prompt, personal thank you from a board member within 24 hours of the gift being received, will usually give up to 39% more than the other group.
This is how board members help increase donations without having to ask.
3. The Original Research Findings.
Fundraising pioneer Penelope Burk performed the original research that found these amazing results. Her team originated the “Donor Centered Fundraising” philosophy, a paradigm shift that changes the emphasis away from the organization’s needs and instead focuses on helping the donor create an impact.
Penelope Burk shared this data on board member thank you calls at an AFP International Conference from her research:
- Donors received a thank you phone call from a board member within 24 hours of receiving the gift.
- The next time they were solicited, they gave 39% more than the other donors who did not receive a call.
- After 14 months, those called were giving 42% more.
4. How to Implement Board Member Thank You Calls.
Some board members may offer to make calls, but not follow through. So you will want only those who are enthusiastic and committed to sign up for this project.
- First, share the data with board members about the financial results from making prompt, personal thank you calls to donors. Be sure everyone understands the “why” of the project and the upside positive potential from making these calls promptly.
- Have one or two board members take charge of the project. Enlist a small committee. Be sure to coordinate closely with your staff.
- Make sure the committee members all understand that prompt timing is essential.
- Give each committee member specific phone calls to make. Don’t send out a whole list to the entire committee and hope that someone will make the calls.
- Have each board member report back weekly on the results of their calls.
One organization we know asked the board members to post their thank you call results on a shared Google document. That way each board member could see who was making their calls. Word had it that a competition took hold and each board member tried to outdo the others.
The busiest person on the board – a busy lawyer – made sure his calls were as up to date – or more up to date – as all the others. Now that is productive and friendly competition!
A Success Story of How Board Members Can Help Increase Donations:
Here’s an example from our own history:
One of our consulting clients, a local Rape Crisis Center, was staging their annual auction. One of our friends attended with us, and apparently purchased a lot of items at the auction.
The next day I was sitting in my office, when our friend called.
Excitedly, he said, “You won’t believe what just happened!”
“I’m speechless,” he continued. “I just got a phone call from a board member of the Rape Crisis Center thanking me for . . . for . . . for being the largest donor at the auction last night!”
“I just can’t believe it,” he gushed. “I’ve given money all over the country and I’ve NEVER gotten a call from a board member.”
We could just feel him beaming all the way over the phone. He was absolutely thrilled.
The next year, he asked us “Is the Rape Crisis Center having their auction this fall? I haven’t gotten an invitation yet?”
That year, he bought an entire table and hosted the president of the largest foundation in North Carolina at his table. I think the Rape Crisis Center has him for life now, because they gave him such special treatment.
Bottom Line: Board Members Can Increase Donations to Their Organizations – Simply by Saying Thank You.
A little effort goes a long way – remember that and remind your board. A simple acknowledgement phone call could be just the thing your donor needs to become a loyal lifelong major donor.
As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you.
If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.
As we all know, a culture of philanthropy lays the foundation for excellent fundraising results. So the true question to ask is: Does your institution have a true culture of philanthropy?
Diving deeper, the real question is:
Is there really full support for fundraising across your entire organization?
All the way from your board members to program staffers?
Often, we find many fundraising teams are not getting full support from their institutions. They are forced to operate in a silo – walled off from other departments. A sense of camaraderie between colleagues is missing.
When fundraising operates in a vacuum, results will be less successful. You’ll never reach your true financial potential in this type of environment.
If you want to reach your ultimate revenue goals you must have broad support for fundraising across your entire organization.
So how do we build broad-based organizational support for fundraising – a true culture of philanthropy?
1. Building a culture of philanthropy: it’s an Attitude Thing
We find that non-fundraisers tend to think of fundraising as only one activity: “asking for money.”
What’s more, it’s not understood that smart fundraising requires much, much more than just the act of asking.
If your colleagues and leaders get stuck on the issue of asking, they might default to thinking that fundraising is distasteful. As a result, they certainly don’t want to get involved.
Your colleagues may think if you ask them to get involved in “fundraising,” then you’ll ask them to solicit, which they very likely will avoid.
So, you are dealing with an attitude thing – people’s thoughts and their feelings.
If you want to create change – remember meet people where they are. Your job is to slowly start to land different ideas in their heads.
2. Redefine “Fundraising” into Something Broader and Bigger Called “Philanthropy”
The idea of “fundraising” carries with it ideas like sales, money, asking, soliciting and hitting people up.
The term “fundraising” can put people off.
Yet, on the other hand, the idea of “philanthropy” feels grand and lovely. It carries with it a sense of nobility and community.
The term “philanthropy” can attract people. It makes them want to get involved.
Don’t forget: When you redefine fundraising into the more lofty concept of philanthropy, you open people to new ideas and new possibilities.
Jeanne Tedrow, CEO of Passage Home , (now head of the NC Center for Nonprofits) told us, “Philanthropy just feels different when you are talking to your board and volunteers – they are not so scared to get involved.”
3. To Build a Culture of Philanthropy, Start by Asking Everyone to Help Thank Donors
Thanking donors is an easy job. It’s enjoyable and satisfying, and it’s the right thing to do.
Why not ask colleagues across the organization about creative ways to thank your donors? This can be interesting and fun, while introducing the idea that donors are important, wonderful people.
When you make it about honoring the awesome people who make your work possible – then it’s not about “fundraising.” Instead- it’s about philanthropy.
We find board members often really enjoy saying thank you. It’s the perfect place to get them started in fundraising. Try a thankathon to launch your next annual campaign.
Focus your board members on thanking and suddenly you just might have enthusiastic board members on the fundraising train.
Sue Acree of Literacy Connections summed this up during an Insiders webinar:“Focus on the donors and the money will follow.”
4. Find Ways for Everyone to Engage with Your Lovely Donors
Just think how much fun you could have if you got the entire organization actively engaging with, and celebrating your donors.
You may be asking: how can you engage donors with your mission? Here are a few ideas:
- Give them tours.
- Invite them to panel discussions.
- Introduce them to program staffers. Bring your key “subject matter expert” program heads to meet donors. Donors always love to meet your program colleagues who are carrying out your mission.
- Ask donors to volunteer. Ask them what they think of the work.
- Share stories and more stories about your organization’s work. Donors love to hear often about how they are making a difference through YOU.
As Meg Revelle from Arts Together shared after an INSIDERS webinar:
“At our board meeting, we brainstormed all the ways we could help engage donors. Each Board member left with at least one idea to implement. They chose what excited them and they wanted to do – and it was such fun!”
Bottom Line: Creating a Culture of Philanthropy
If you want to create a culture of philanthropy at your organization, make it easy and make it enjoyable for everyone. You’ll find broader support across your organization once more colleagues participate.
As Suzie Acree said, “This is changing my thinking….I am gaining a new perspective on donors that makes it more fun, for not only me, but my staff and board!”
- For more on building a culture of philanthropy, check out this report: Beyond Fundraising: What Does It Mean to Build a Culture of Philanthropy by Cynthia Gibson.
- And my posts: Want to Develop a Culture of Philanthropy? Take This Simple Quiz
- The New Paradigm: From “Fundraising” to “Philanthropy”
As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you.
If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. We’re with our clients every step of the way, inspiring their teams and board, building confidence, driving action and measuring success. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a strategy or consulting call with us.
We all dream about securing transformational gifts. Those are the gifts that can change your organization’s trajectory into a new, expanded reach. These are the gifts that can blow your mind – with all they can accomplish and the impact they can make.
So how do you find the very special donor who has the capacity, interest and commitment to make a transformational gift?
What’s the Pathway to securing a Transformational Gift?
First of all, you have to start at the beginning. You’ll need to do deep discovery and qualification work. Your goal is to actually identify the donors who might be in a position to consider a truly transformational gift.
Usually, they have been giving to your institution for a while. They know and respect you, your team, and the CEO. They’ve seen your impact firsthand. They are treated like insiders because they already have a long-term commitment to your work.
You Need a Transformational Project.
Never forget! Small ideas trigger small gifts; transformational ideas bring transformational gifts.
Where’s your transformational project? Can it change the world? Do you have Big Ideas about who you can be and what your institution can do in the world?
Transformational gifts usually require a transformational project in order to inspire your donor. It has to be something that will trigger the donor to think bigger than they have ever thought before. Something inspiring and exciting.
You Need a Transformational Conversation.
Stand in the place of vision and possibility – that’s where the power is. This is the place that holds such energy – the power of potential, of goodness, of expansion and abundance.
Your donor may have a personal, visceral reaction to this vision and possibility. It’s exciting. It’s energizing. And it can mobilize their energy!
Speak to your donor’s heart – and their imagination. Transform the donor’s ideas about the impact they can truly have.
You Need a Transformational Mindset.
It’s time for you to shift your mindset and relationship with your donor. You are no longer across the table from them, pitching ideas. Instead, you shift from “soliciting” to standing right beside them.
In a way, you are transforming your position. It’s like you are standing with your donor in that place of possibility, walking along with them, helping them explore the future. That’s when you truly become a philanthropic advisor, facilitating a gift.
Join the Major Gifts Intensive coaching program for 2021
If you really want to learn how to set up and close transformational gifts, join our Major Gifts Intensive course. You’ll get deep training on the permission-based, conversational approach to a gift. We’ll teach you five different ways to set up and close a major, principal or capital campaign gift.
The Major Gifts Intensive is live training with Gail and Kathryn. We’ll help your organization instill major gifts as part of a true culture of philanthropy, so that you have the systems, skills and infrastructure to expand major gifts to your institution.
What’s more, if you do the work with us, you can typically receive a minimum ten to one return on your organization’s investment in the course. Most organizations have seen a much higher ROI. The program more than pays for itself, even the first year.
Applications close next week on Feb 24th. Orientation is on March 2. Let us know if you are interested by going to this page, and submitting your interest so we can schedule a call. We can help you and your team ramp up your skill sets and close more gifts.
Here’s a call to action for all board chairs!
You have a big job. Especially these days. Many organizations are facing major decisions – about funding, staffing, service delivery – and everything else.
As we said two weeks ago, a small vision and a small goal won’t cut it in this environment. If your board needs a wakeup call, here’s a format that will work!
Board Chairs: It’s Time to Rally the Troops.
If you need to motivate your board members and challenge them to take action, try following these guidelines. Here’s how to marshal your forces, encourage everyone to pull together, and inspire action.
1. Take the First Step Yourself
Be the first to step up to the plate. Board chairs need to personally take the first action that you are asking of your board members. Ask them to follow you.
Remind your board members that it’s really up to them. They also have a responsibility to lead by example.
2. Professional and Business-Like Tone
If you are writing to your board members, watch your tone when you ask them to take action. It’s easy to sound like you are lecturing or complaining.
Make a request that is professional and business-like – no pleading or manipulating. Just make a request plainly and succinctly. Above all, treat your board members as the capable professionals they all are.
3. Call Them to a Higher Purpose
Rally your board members with inspirational thoughts. What’s the ultimate vision that everyone is trying to achieve?
Always remind them of their higher purpose and what they want to accomplish – in the biggest sense possible.
4. Clear Set of Actions to Take
Lay the problem out clearly. Then, point out possible solutions or steps the board can take to move forward.
By all means, give everyone clear actions they can take – and a choice of actions.
5. Ask Board Members to Personally Respond Back to You
When you write your board members, here’s a way to get their attention. Ask them to respond back to you directly – not to respond to someone else.
When you do that, you let them know that this is a direct and personal request from you, the board chair. And you can keep tabs on who is doing what.
6. A Deadline!
Absolutely, everyone performs better with a deadline. Why? Because it provides a clear time frame, and accountability to take action.
Board Chairs Can Make It Happen:
Once, our local AFP chapter needed an intervention. We were facing a major event – our National Philanthropy Day celebration, and everyone needed to jump into action.
Fortunately our chair was a skilled leader. She wrote us a Call to Action email, asking us all to step it up. With only a part-time staff person, we had to rely on our board volunteers to make it happen. So, if we didn’t pull through, we wouldn’t even have an event.
Take a look at this professional and very specific note to her board members:
Good morning,
Our event committees have been working diligently to make this occasion a great success. I’m proud of their efforts and the incredible creativity they have brought to the event planning.
However, the ultimate success of our event will depend on the community’s response and we, as board members, must lead by example.
This week, I am asking each of you to consider how you personally (and your organization) can participate. Please consider these 3 opportunities to help your donors, volunteers, your cause, and AFP shine:
* Commit to a table of 10 at the non-profit, special rate of $400 to honor an outstanding volunteer.
*Nominate one, two or more donors and volunteers for an award. It’s so easy and you can do it online. My organization is nominating in two categories this year.
* Help secure a sponsor at the $500 or $1000 levels. We have turn-key packets for you to personalize for your prospect.
I would like to ask each person to either reply to all or send me an e-mail indicating to what extent you are able to commit to one, two or all three of the above. It will boost our “ask” to others to step up. It will also help us get an early snap shot of what our board participation will be.
I appreciate all that you do to make our chapter excellent and look forward to hearing back from you by the end of the week.
Warm regards,
Bottom Line: Board Chairs – Try this Approach When You Need to Rally Everyone.
These difficult times need us all to pull together and make it happen. If not us, then who? If not now, then when?
As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you.
If you are planning a capital campaign and would like to learn about our unique Capital Campaigns by the Numbers approach, let us know.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
