You
may have seen my post on Facebook about a meeting I recently had with the
fundraising committee of a client's board. They wanted to discuss their
challenges and get some guidance and support. One of the first questions I
always ask when meeting with an organization about their fundraising is,
"What is your fundraising goal?" This committee of two didn't have an
immediate answer. Fortunately, the Executive Director was there to assist.
However, the amount she suggested was quite low -- $5,000. And I'm pretty sure
the "goal" wasn't based on an assessment or strategic planning.
Unfortunately,
this isn't unusual.
For
many organizations, the fundraising strategy is "get as much money as you
can from whomever and from wherever and we'll make it work with whatever with
get". For board members (staff as well), this is a recipe for
failure, frustration and burnout.
Fundraising
events was a key issue of our discussion. One member of the committee expressed
her confusion about how many events they should plan to do. She shared how the
last event was a "learning experience" that didn't raise much money.
The other member was excited to discuss an event she was already planning. Unfortunately,
the focal point of her event had very little (some would say nothing) to do
with the mission and purpose of the organization. I explained how although her
friends and associates had expressed an interest in attending the event, the
organization's core supporters likely would not attend because there is
disconnect. We discussed how it would be better to incorporate her activity
into an event that would draw their existing supporters as well as her friends
and associates.
When
mapping a plan to get to anywhere, you must first determine where you want to
go. Setting realistic and well-defined goals is the first step towards success
in any endeavor.
Overall
fundraising goals and strategies should be determined at the board level --- no
matter if your organization is only months old or has been around for decades.
And committees are where the work gets done. Here are some tips for using
committees to position your board for fundraising success:
- A "Fundraising Committee" can do more harm than
good. Many boards, recognizing
the importance of fundraising will establish a "fundraising
committee" as a standing committee of the board. The intent is to
ensure some board members are focused on fundraising. Though it is helpful
to have a few board members lead the focus on fundraising, often
establishing an official committee undermines the fact that fundraising is always the
responsibility of all board members.
When there is a fundraising committee, board members that are not members
of the committee overtime tend to believe they can opt-out of fundraising
efforts. A better approach is to establish adhoc committees, such as an
event committee, capital campaign committee, or annual fund committee.
Adhoc committees are established for a specific period of time to achieve
a specific goal and is dissolved when the goal is achieved or time in
which to complete is expires. Adhoc committees are more effective because
they allow for shared leadership and accountability through rotations of
board members as new committees come and go.
- Board members should not be your only committee members. Many boards fail to recognize the capacity
building opportunity committees represent for the board. My client's two-member
committee of members with full-time jobs simply do not have the capacity
to meet the demands of their committee's charge. Committees are also a
great training ground and a recruiting mechanism. For organizations like
my client, the board is comprised of two people with limited knowledge,
skills and time. They cannot possibly possess all of the knowledge and
skills the committee needs and even if they do, they don't have the time
to give them. Engaging volunteers and supporters to serve on committees
offers many benefits, including:
- Non-board member committee members lessen the burdon on
your board members who should serve on no more than one or two committees. With the exception of the Executive Committee and
Finance Committee, a committee generally only requires one or two board
members who don't need to serve as the committee chair.
·
Many organizations will recruit a
person "off the street" to serve on the board without any real
knowledge about their work style, work ethic or the real value (if any) they
bring to the board. Board members, unlike committee members, are given the
power (responsibility) to vote on the strategic direction of the organization --
its operations, its financials, its programs and its leadership. Having
targeted prospects and others serve at the committee level first will enable
the board to make informed decisions before voting on a board member's
application. Having a board member serving on a committee first will position
them to join the board with an understanding the organization’s needs and a
willingness to help to meet them.
·
Having non-board members serve on
committees widens the pool of potential supporters and donors and increases the
board's capacity to reach them. Each committee member brings to the
organization connections and relationships that they can tap into for the
benefit of the board and organization.
Michelle Nusum-Smith, a licensed nonprofit
consultant, coach and trainer, is owner and principal consultant at The Word
Woman LLC, a consultancy that helps nonprofits, government agencies, and
individuals to develop the skills, knowledge and resources to achieve their
missions to do good. With nearly 20 years of nonprofit experience, Michelle has
expertise in organizational development and leadership, board development,
program development, financial management, fundraising, marketing, and
community relations. She is licensed to offer consulting services for the Maryland
Nonprofit’s Standards for Excellence® program and has the knowledge, skills and
tools necessary to work with nonprofit organizations across the country.
During each conversation, I put each one of these genuinely dedicated people at ease by telling them, "The people you're trying to impress are most likely faking it, too." 
