I Wasn’t Recruited to the Board to Raise Money

It’s absolutely amazing what you don’t raise when you don’t ask. Board members cannot abdicate their responsibility for raising funds. No Money, No Mission. In every organization, it requires philanthropy to meet its mission.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be drawing on some of the top reasons Board Members and Volunteers give for not being willing to solicit—and more importantly— HOW TO RESPOND.

ANSWER

One of the major responsibilities of a Board member is to help raise funds. If you weren’t told that when you joined, it was certainly our oversight and error.

We need our Board members to talk to others about giving. There is something else you can do. It is far more effective than having the staff try to do it. It is to make an appointment and open the door. You have the leverage we don’t have.

You don’t have to make the ask by yourself. A staff person will always be able to go with you. Or perhaps another Board member.