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Cultivation of Board Members for Fundraising: Tensions, Tips and Trends

This article discusses the tensions, tips, and trends related to the cultivation of board members for successful fundraising in nonprofit organizations. It provides six tips on effective board engagement, highlights transformational trends in the "new" board, and offers three questions to take back to your own board for consideration.

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Cultivation of Board Members for Fundraising: Tensions, Tips and Trends

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  1. Cultivation of Board Members for Fundraising:Tensions, Tips and Trends Joe McLennan and La Sridhar April 19th, 2012

  2. Agenda • Board Excitement & Tension Points • 6 Tips on Effective Board Engagement • Transformational Trends on the “New” Board • 3 Questions to Take Back to Your Board McLennan Partners "Provocative questions, transformative responses..."

  3. La Sridhar • President and Founder, ResearchSense • The Smart Approach to Asking and Giving! • 15 years of non-profit and for-profit experience in strategy, marketing and market research • Both sides of the aisle-fundraising and marketing

  4. Joe McLennan • Managing Partner for firm that serves Boards and senior staff of wide array of nonprofits • Prior experience in career and leadership development consulting and coaching • Former CEO of employers association McLennan Partners "Provocative questions, transformative responses..."

  5. “We get the boards we deserve” --Gail Perry Courtesy: ResearchSense 2012

  6. WIIFT? • Three key reasons for joining • Passion for social change • Personal and business networking • Tradition and family legacy

  7. They are getting their time’s worth…. • High level of satisfaction and experience! • Influence to Impact • Connections to Grow • Teams to Kinship

  8. but, the journey could be less bumpy • Very rational and “fixable” • Unsure of their role • Under-utilized in their role • Unconnected and transactional • Ineffective use of time • Inadequate resources

  9. 6 Tips to make the ride smoother! • Remove the ambiguity • Make it compelling • Build trust and board kinship • Conversations vs. Communication • Don’t spring surprises • Build an intentional presence Courtesy: ResearchSense 2012

  10. 6 Tips to make the ride smoother! • Remove the ambiguity-start clear: -Honest and clear expectations on goals and objectives -A thought-out orientation process. It starts at the interview process. -Have a learning plan ready when they start -Create a buddy system • Make it compelling -Help them make it their priority -Make it fulfilling and not their “day job” -Capture individual aspirations and goals Courtesy: ResearchSense 2012

  11. 6 Tips to make the ride smoother! • Build trust and board kinship -Team & Networking opportunities (sans staff) -An inspiring board chair for engagement -Let them own the process -Have fun! • Conversations vs. communication -Be “ALL” ears-Ask, Listen, Learn -3Ps of partnership- priorities, people, persuasion Courtesy: ResearchSense 2012

  12. 6 Tips to make the ride smoother! • Don’t spring surprises -Have a clear individualized giving plan (and track it) -Don’t let it get to a crisis mode (goes into fundraising)-too late in the game -Openness and honesty helps “dull” the pain • Create an intentional presence -Don’t be out of sight; out of mind -Have a board communication plan; be present on a regular basis -You have to be their top “me” choice- are you? Courtesy: ResearchSense 2012

  13. Board Trends (the “TALE”) • Transparency… Trust • Accountability… Authenticity • Leadership… Legacy • Evaluation… Ethics

  14. Change is Happening

  15. Change is Happening

  16. Change is Happening

  17. for the Nonprofit Meeting Mutual Expectations • Ensure a good use of time • Provide training to do so • Teach financial practices • Orient to what’s expected • Introduce to the role • Involve in planning process • Provide inspiration • Provide the tools • Provide help to do so for the Board Member Attend meetings Participate in meetings Be fiscally responsible Be good team member Support events Help with planning Serve 3 year term Be a good ambassador Evaluate progress

  18. Steps to a “Good Board” • Preparation…Are we ready to recruit? • Assessment...Who is ready to be recruited? • Recruitment…”Are you interested?” • Selection…Are you ready? • Nomination…We think you are ready. • Election…We confirm your readiness. • Orientation…”Here is your mentor.” • Learning and Development…It’s ongoing. • Evaluation…It’s Ongoing too.

  19. A Perspective… “The most important qualification of nonprofit Board members should be that they care for the nonprofit. This means that they care for all of the people and businesses that the nonprofit touches, and that they are determined to make that caring count.”adapted from Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership

  20. 3 questions to take back to your board members?

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