3 Easy Ways to Fundraise as a Nonprofit Board Member

This week, we discuss 3 easy ways to fundraise as a nonprofit board member. Fundraising as a nonprofit board member can be a contentious topic. Most people do not join a nonprofit board to fundraise. However, it is your responsibility as a board member to ensure the financial stability of your organization.

Fundraising as a board member does not mean you have to ask for money! Many people are uncomfortable making an ask. However, you should be making connections to your CEO/Development Director, participating in events, and making a personal financial contribution.

Remember, the organization in which you serve as a board member should be your primary philanthropic focus.

Timestamps

00:00 Fundraising as a nonprofit board member - You do not have to make the ask

01:45 Make connections for your CEO/Development Director

02:37 Participate in events

03:10 Make a personal financial contribution

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Visit us at: www.thecorleycompany.com/podcast

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
On this week's episode of i501c Youthe podcast for nonprofit board members.
I am speaking specifically to youboard members out there.
And first of all,thank you for your service.
Really volunteeringand serving on a nonprofit board
is admirable and it does make a differencein our community and your community.
So thank you for doing thatbecause it is a time commitment
and a personal commitmentin order to to serve.

(00:25):
But I've done a number of retreats lately,and this topic always comes
up, always comes up.
And that's the role of the boardin fundraising.
We've discussed thisa little bit in the past,
but I want to talka little bit more about it
because it just seems to bean ongoing issue.
I don't want to raise money.
That is not why I got on the board.
Fair statement.
But it is your obligation to ensure thefinancial stability of the organization.

(00:48):
One way to do that is through fundraising.
Although I will tell you, it doesn't meanyou have to ask for the money.
And that's the beautyof being a board member.
That's the executive directors job,or it's the job of the vice
president of Advancement or Developmentor whatever the
the title is in thatand your specific organization.
But there are ways
that you can help as a board member andthere are some roles and responsibilities.

(01:11):
Hey, I want to jump in real quick.
Somebody asked me the other day,what does the CORLEY Company do?
Well, we do three things for non-profits.
One, we facilitate meetings.
Yes, like board retreats
where we discuss governance and strategywith all the members of the board.
Number two, advise CEOs and help themas they make decisions
and implement actionsto drive their mission.
And then finally, we produce podcastssuch as this one, but also

(01:33):
for a number of nonprofits to help youget the word out, get your message out.
So if you're interestedin any of these services,
please feel free to reach outto [e-mail].
Now back to the podcast.
Number one, connect, connect your CEO,your executive director
to your friends, or maybe I should sayconnect your friends to the organization,
ultimately to the CEO, to organizationsyou may do business with.

(01:58):
Make those connections,those introductions.
And let the CEO let the head ofphilanthropy or excuse me, of development
speak to those people and engagein a discussion about raising money.
You do not necessarily have to do that.
Or you can make dinner introductionsto your financial planner
who makes recommendations to people on howthey should make tax deductible gifts.

(02:22):
So there are ways you can do connectionsoutside the norm, outside
of what you would normally thinkthat can benefit the organization.
If you have questions on how you can dothat, ask your CEO executive director what
he or she would like you to do.
Number two,participate, participate in events
and that your organization may havewhere that badge with pride.

(02:44):
Let everybody knowthat you're a board member.
That kind of leads to number one,more people,
you know, the more connectionsyou have, the more opportunity
you have to connect peopleto the organization.
But also, as you're at events, peoplewill ask you about the organization,
and that is a prime opportunity to sharewhat you do with the opportunities are
and how that individualmight be able to support

(03:05):
the good that you're doing in the changesthat you're making in the community.
And then finally, number three,make a financial contribution.
If you are on the board of directorsof a nonprofit,
you should make a personalfinancial contribution.
I tell you, I love having this discussionand board retreats
because there's always somebody that says,Why should I have to do that?

(03:26):
I donate my time.
Yes, Yes, you do.
But as a board member,
as a board member, there's an extra levelof responsibility and obligation.
That's why you chose to serve.
And if you're going to be
connecting people to the organizationfor fundraising purposes,
if you are responsible
for ensuring the financial viabilityof the organization and you are

(03:47):
you should make a personalfinancial contribution,
which would be in additionto any corporate contribution.
Your company, an organizationyou're associated with, may make.
Why is that important?
Well, for the reasons I just stated.
But also a lot of funders will ask, Do
all of your board member membersmake a financial contribution?

(04:10):
And they will ask thatin the grant application.
They'll ask, Do you make a personalfinancial contribution?
And don't put your CEO,your executive director, in that position
of having to lie and say, Well, yes,they all do.
When Michael CORLEY did it
through his company, well,
Michael Corley should make a personalfinancial contribution.
How much that's really up to you,your organization.
Some organizations stipulatea certain amount.

(04:32):
You should know that beforeyou become a board member.
But most say a meaningful figure.
If you're serving on the board,this should be your number one
funding obligation, in my opinion.
That's why I encourage people not to serveon really more than one board,
maybe two max,because it should be your primary focus
in philanthropyas that board that you serve on.

(04:53):
So there you go.
As a board member, really, it'snot that difficult.
It's one make connections.
You know, people just talk
about the organizationand feel free to introduce them to the
to the CEOor to the the head of development.
Number two, participate in events.
Be visible. Wear that badge with pride.
People are going to talk to you.
You're going to be able to redirect themback to the CEO, head of development,

(05:17):
and then finally makea financial contribution yourself.
Every year, whatever is meaningful to you,just make a personal
financial contributionso that your CEO, your executive director,
can mark offwhen they get the grant request.
The grant application says, Yes,all of my board members
do make a financial contribution.
So there you have it.
This is Michael CORLEYand this week's episode, the i501c

(05:40):
you the podcast for nonprofitboard members and we'll see you next week.