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 »
Posts Categorized: Boards of Directors
Nonprofits and Their Boards: An Evolving Relationship
A recent article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy by Maureen West titled “Charities Find Ways to Give Board Members Bigger Roles in Policy” caught our attention. So much of the work we have done with our clients for the past 23 years is meeting with the board members of nonprofits to discuss fundraising strategy and… Read more »
Giving USA Discussion at the Hudson Institute: Advice to Nonprofits and their Board Members
On Friday the Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal, in partnership with Illinois University’s Center on Philanthropy, hosted a discussion titled “Giving USA 2012: Who Gave, How Much, and to Whom in 2011?” The Curtis Group’s Vice President, Wendy McGrady, along with Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy Executive Director, Patrick M. Rooney; Nonprofit Quarterly’s… 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 »
The Right Approach to Board Solicitation
Recently, we’ve had a lot of people ask about the best way to solicit leadership gifts from board members. As with any major gift solicitation (because that’s what you’re aiming for, right?), it’s always best to make an in-person ask. Having a board member solicit another board member in-person, is hands-down the most effective way… Read more »
Who’s Really in Charge of Board Performance?
This question was posed online in the Chronicle of Philanthropy earlier this month and really struck us as good food for thought. The article recounts a debate over whether board performance is the responsibility of a nonprofit’s Executive Director/CEO or the board itself? We see this debate amongst our clients on a daily basis. Many… Read more »
The Key to Successful Fundraising: Leadership
For years, Wendy and I have conducted board training workshops and presented “The Role of the Board in Fundraising” to clients and nonprofit leaders. The one thing we try to emphasize: effective fundraising boards don’t just happen; they are built and developed – strategically. A major philanthropist once told me, “an organization’s nominating committee is the… Read more »
What Do You Need From Your Board?
In last week’s blog post, a board member talked about his expectations and role within a board. He shared his thoughts during a panel discussion that Keith and I led as part of a workshop for the Virginia Association of Museum’s Annual Conference. Friends and clients, Page Hayhurst, Executive Director, Carolyn Cuthrell, Director of Development, and Joe Witt,… 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 »
