Simplify Your Board Fundraising Strategy

Fundraisers, as a rule, love to complicate things.

We put barriers between the donor and their giving.

(Why ask directly when we can have 15 live auction items and 25 silent auction items?).

We use jargon and industry terms to define and limit acts of generosity.

(Your donors don’t consider themselves to be LYBUNT or SYBUNT or annual or major.)

We ask easy questions instead of helpful ones.

("Did it work?" is a different question than "Does this serve our mission and goals?")

So when it comes to asking our board members to support fundraising, it's not a surprise that we can overcomplicate things.

While systems and structures like give/get policies and sponsorship toolkits are important, they won't help a volunteer overcome their fear of fundraising. And it certainly won't help a volunteer who thinks fundraising comes down to convincing someone to give out of a sense of obligation.

So, how do we simplify the act of inspiring our key volunteers to get involved with fundraising?

Here's three places to start:

1. Think big. Fundraising is not just about asking - its's about connecting and thanking as well. Find ways that volunteers can participate in all stages of fundraising.

2. Get personal. Your volunteers (board members, committee members, etc.) are volunteering for a reason. And that reason isn't your mission statement. Get curious and learn why your volunteers are connected - because that story is the baseline for fundraising success.

3. Be the expert. Your volunteers don't need to be experts in your mission. That's your job. Help them to make authentic connections with their networks - while you handle the details and specifics.

You volunteers have passion and a personal connection to your mission - and that can make them fundraising superstars - if you help them!

Ready for more? I'm leading a webinar on November 12 - Unlocking Board Potential: Activating Volunteers for Fundraising Success. Click here to learn more and to register!.