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“Ambassadors ALL!” At my talk at the AFP International Conference in New Orleans, I kicked off with a TEST! “Stand up if you think it’s true, “Board members should not be pressured into giving or helping raise money.” I’d say it was about 50/50. Answer? True. More on that in a bit.
Reconnecting with my coaching clients, MORE Major Gifts alumni and ALL of my Artful Asker “family” at the conference was a delight! Meeting tons of new friends doing great work is energizing!

A major surprise – the translation of my book into Spanish was announced in the opening session. Maravilloso! Muchas gracias Lori Gusdorf, Exec VP of the AFP Foundations for Philanthropy (Canada, Mexico and the US) and Carlos Madrid Varela, Mexico City, MX, AFP Mexico Foundation Board for this wonderful recognition. I am thrilled to serve scores of our Mexico colleagues with my book! WoHOO!

Now back to “pressuring” board members…let’s look at the ole “give it, get it or get off” description of board service. In a word, “Yuck!”

So let’s talk about Boards – Marcy Style – and in 4 Parts.

Today – PART III – Invite them to Invest! Giving their gift and helping make an Artful Ask

Last time – PART II – Board Bonanza – Creating a Joyful Giver See it HERE

Before that – PART I – Building Trust to Begin See it HERE

And Finally – Next time PART IV – The Power of a Genuine Board Thank you and other shows of appreciation

Leadership and development professionals want their boards to step up and help raise money. On the other side, when I interview board members as part of my work with Board Engagement Training or Campaign-Readiness Studies, I hear this A LOT, “Cut off my right hand, but don’t make me ask for money!”

Here are FOUR key problems we must solve to do our best work with our board members in Making an Artful Ask!

Problem #1: Board members only hear “asking for money” when they hear “fundraising” (the F word).

SOLUTION: When you recruit board members, take asking for money off the table immediately – when/if they are comfortable they can engage. In my experience, THIS IS KEY to having board members relax enough to be open to learning and growing with you.

• “Asking for money” either terrifies them or generates this brash, “I’m not afraid to ask for money. Let me at ‘em.” Neither is helpful. State this to them.
• Tell stories about other board members and their successful donor engagement.
• Assure members you will partner with them and have quality educational experiences (many board members say you “train” a dog…so I try to use a different word.) Often with some real skill building (not “Here’s your packet – make your calls.”) they are happy to be part of asks eventually. But more important, with this “hitting up my friends” asking business off the table they are much more help with donor engagement and appreciation from the start. And that helps YOU.
• Share my Cycle of Successful Relationships so they see the ENTIRE relationship-building process and the key roles they play around the cycle. This is not their life work – the fundraiser is the expert.

Problem #2: Board members have experienced pressure to give in the past

SOLUTION: We must engage and invite our Board members, personally and artfully, to experience the Joy of giving themselves and to see it as a worthwhile investment.

• Do YOU feel JOY when you give? Start there, friends, because if you feel obligated you will never be successful. YOU must fully take in the power and joy of generosity and ignite this in your current Board members. You must lead them on their own personal journey to the BEST gift they have ever given with your organization. You must empower and encourage current donors to hone their own JOY STORY! “Board members are expected to give” is just not inspirational.
• “A gift that is meaningful and significant for you” are good words to use when asked by board members or prospective board members what is expected. Add that respects how long they have been involved with you, their personal capacity, other giving plans they have and their financial situation (which they may or may not share with you).
• How are we asking current or prospective donors to be on the board? Are we “going after” those with “deep pockets?” The words we use and the authenticity of our approach will make this effort strong. I was once recruited to be on a local Theater Board. Oh yeah, it was crystal clear what they wanted me to do, but it was way too much too soon about my personal giving and expectations to ask. (And I am an expert with skill and no fear at this!) I turned them down even though it was one of my favorite organizations. I also stopped giving.

Problem #3: Board members are not development professionals.

SOLUTION: Board members must be given tools – like my 3-sentence ask – to be comfortable asking.

• Board members are lawyers, doctors, business owners, school teachers, etc etc. They are generally NOT other development professionals. Some board members may have “been through” a fundraising effort or served on other boards, but like one very major donor/board member said at my training, “Marcy, I’ve never heard it explained like this before!”
• My 3 sentence ask is simple and clear. “You have, You understand, Would you consider.” When YOU are clear with what YOU are asking for, your board member will be more willing to go along and help you on the call. When you help them or do some board training with me perhaps, this leads to them being comfortable doing their own asks down the road. Making an Artful Ask handout

Problem #4: We have a big training then nothing happens.

SOLUTION: Board meetings must include time for members to share their experiences – what you focus on grows!

• Board engagement must be a part of each and every board meeting. I am fully aware that for some, there is NO development on the agenda; perhaps the development professional is not even at the meeting (yikes!). Let me get this straight – raising money is critical to your organization but not important enough to be part of the board meetings? With successful fundraising boards, a few board members share a brief note at each board meeting. I see board meetings including mission moments – great! But this is AS important, perhaps more. Updates can be, “Had this conversation” “thought about this possibility” “went with the DOD to meet with X.” They don’t need to be detailed – updates.

• The Board Chair takes the lead in encouraging Board giving. She shares her own giving story and encourages others. BUT an Ask by the Chair at a board meeting with no personal follow up is NOT good development work – you know this! Board giving requires the same relationship-building as every other major donor – at least 3 times a year, one-on-one meetings with each board member. In these meetings one of my clients discovered that a Board member had offered a MAJOR gift in kind to a staff member and nothing ever happened. Turned out the staff member didn’t know what to do with it. The board member didn’t want to get the staff member “in trouble.” Time went by. Luckily the regular face-to-face board member personal visit was “safe” to talk about it – high six-figure gift-in-kind resulted!

Board member giving is critical to your success. Leadership must partner with development staff (or the Board Chair if no development staff) for these key, regular, individual conversations. They deepen your understanding of what each Board member really KNOWS and FEELS about what you do. Grow their passion, invite them to invest and they will become your best partners in making an Artful Ask!

Invest in JOY®

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

I get an earful about Boards.

You may feel it’s going pretty well with your Board or you may not even be a part of the Board meetings (sigh).

You may be pleased with the contributions they are making – of time and dollars – or be ready to “pass the hat” and go for $5 bucks just to get to “100% Participation” for your grant application.(sigh)

I’ll take the stage to talk about this topic twice next month at AFP ICON and NAYDO. Both are in New Orleans so I’ll be there 10 days! WoHOO – Bourbon Street and Music here I come!

So let’s talk about Boards – Marcy Style and in 4 Parts.

Today – Building Trust to Begin 

Next Time – Board Bonanza – Creating a Joyful Giver

Next Time – Giving themselves and helping Make the Ask

And Finally – The Power of a Genuine Board Thank you and other shows of appreciation

You can’t do this alone. 

Raise enough money for your mission, that is.  And even if you are doing a pretty good job of it now, it’s a fraction of what COULD be raised if you had help.

And right on the top of the list to help is your Board.  After all, isn’t raising money part of each board members’ responsibilities? Yet it often feels like pulling teeth for them to give you names, get you in the door, or ask for the gift.

The thing is, our Board members and other volunteers, too for that fact, have to be INSPIRED TO INVEST!  Ideally, they are on the board because they believe in your mission, but sometimes they just want to add that line to their “community service” accolades, or their buddy sort of conned them into it saying it would be an easy tour of duty.  Or perhaps, you very strategically got them on your board because they have MAJOR CAPACITY but you are not as clear about how they align with your work.

Frankly, none of these folks are going to be much help until you foster a deep understanding of the impact you create and the role giving plays in you getting the job done.  Then you need to help them understand just how we artfully create, foster and maintain major giving relationships.

You see to even get into the Cycle you must have ‘Shared values and interests.’

So no wonder most board members find requests to open their electronic “rolodex” offensive.  Do the people they know share their values and interests in your mission?  Well, they might, or they might not. And is your Board member even engaged enough to know if THEY share the values and interests of the organization?

Step one is to find out. This may involve having a private conversation between you, the Board president and each board member to find out the level of knowledge in what you do and how interested they really are.  As you gain clarity with your board members, it is an easier next step to suggest that their friends may well share their values and interests.  After all…people like people like themselves. The best relationships grow from people who have things ‘in common.’

Now sometimes we don’t really know.  If we can help our board member understand that this can be grown over time, they will be more likely to start the conversation with you.

All judgment – real or perceived – on their friends must be removed. These beginning conversations are simply to see it there is a fit beyond, “She’s got money!”  Board members can feel pressured to bring “good names” to the table. It may be embarrassing if their friend is not interested. Yet if you never have a conversation, how do you know?

So, “Who do you think might share your values and interests in the work we do so we can sit down with and see if it’s a fit?” is the place to start. It could be the beginning of a genuine connection to you that leads to a wonderful gift. If the conversation produces a “not really my passion” answer, that is fine – no judgment on the board member or prospective giver. Leave the door open for this to change in the future, but for now, move on to the next idea.

It is all about trust….do they trust what you will do with the names you give them? If they hear you talk about “getting others to give” how does that make them feel? Even the “old boys club” is growing tired of “Let’s get into their wallet.”  All this sort of talk makes them wonder what you say about them behind their backs.

When we use language that is respectful and genuine we grow trust and confidence in the noble mission of raising money to do our good work.  The focus is on the donor and what will bring them joy – not on your organization and how the Board member can help you “hit them up.” Take a hard listen in your next few conversations with your board members – what is the language used?

This whole process also helps board members understand why Bill Gates and Oprah may not be on the list.  Just saying.

Genuinely respect your board, even if their beliefs are not yours. Be transparent with them about how you will artfully approach someone they suggest. Report back how the conversation went and celebrate those who are interested in deepening the relationship with you.

Now you are on to Creating a Joyful Giver! Thank you for taking your board on this journey with me.

Invest in JOY®

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com