After two recent conversations with wealth advisors, who were also nonprofit board members and were wrestling with whether they should discuss their own philanthropic priorities with their clients, I began to give this topic some thought. These individuals understood that, as board members, they were expected to be connectors, but they were trying to balance… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Board Development
Examining Your Board: Notes from the AFP International Conference
At this year’s Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference in San Antonio, I participated in two sessions on board leadership and how to create a dynamic, purposeful group of volunteers. Kay Sprinkel Grace, spoke passionately about the need to create an environment where there is permission to innovate. Board members and staff should be encouraged to… Read more »
Board Service: How Many Is Too Many?
Last week I led a class for the Board Development Academy hosted by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in Charlottesville, VA. The Board Development Academy is for engaged community leaders, people either early on in their board careers or those who have never been on a board, who want to learn how to effectively serve… Read more »
Engaging Board Members in Fundraising is Key to Success, Latest NRC Study Finds
The latest Nonprofit Research Collaborative (NRC) study on board member engagement in fundraising concludes, among other things, that board members serve two primary fundraising functions: helping the organization reach new prospective donors (access) and indicating the organization’s value to the community by their own association with the group (signaling). Here are some key findings: –… Read more »
Building a Strong Board: Tips From a Seasoned Veteran
Last week we attended the first of the 2012 AFP-Hampton Roads luncheon series. Susan Hirschbiel, philanthropist, community volunteer, and recipient of the National Philanthropy Day 2011 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, spoke on the topic of building a strong board. It’s not often that nonprofit professionals have the opportunity to hear about board service from an actual board… Read more »
Do Your Board Members Have the Arrows They Need?
Earlier this week Keith and I led a workshop during the Virginia Association of Museum’s Annual Conference. As part of our session, entitled Making a Successful Major Gift Ask, we recruited our friends and clients, Page Hayhurst, Executive Director, Carolyn Cuthrell, Director of Development, and Joe Witt, Board Member, from the Virginia Living Museum to… Read more »
Board Roles & Responsibilities: Part 2
In Tuesday’s post, Keith mentioned that I attended a BoardSource webinar this week on the roles and responsibilities of board members. Here’s a quick summary of the material. A nonprofit board has three main roles. The first is to establish organizational direction. This covers setting the mission, as well as determining the board’s role in… Read more »
Board Roles & Responsibilites: Part 1
Last week while making a presentation, I asked the group if the members of their boards were hesitant to make calls asking for gifts. When many attendees said yes, I assumed that a big reason was the current economy. Instead, I learned that the problem was much more basic. What it boiled down to was that… Read more »
Tuesday Fundraising Tip
It’s that time of the week. Here’s our seventh tip to help you remain a philanthropic priority during the economic recovery: Develop new fundraising leadership by recruiting and engaging people who have a passion for your organization. Too often the board recruiting process goes like this: “I met someone at a civic club meeting who… Read more »
Tuesday Fundraising Tip
Last week, we talked about the board’s role. This week, the board focus continues in our fourth tip to remain a philanthropic priority during the economic recovery: Help your board by having regular training sessions. A board member sharing his or her story with a potential donor is one of the most effective ways to raise… Read more »
