[This posting appeared as an article in the Fall 2009 edition of Guild Notes, the quarterly newsletter published by The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts]

“We’re not a fundraising board.” If I had a nickel every time board members have said this to me, I would be able to fund their organizations.

The perceived difference between an Opera Board of well-heeled community leaders and a Community Arts Board made up of the rest of the unwashed masses has driven the myth behind what effective fundraising looks like within an arts institution. This frame of thinking drives the notion that the Opera Board has the money, clout, and know-how to fundraise whereas the Community Arts Board is not wealthy, does not know anyone who is, and feels it lacks the basic skills to make an ask. In reality, the pedigree of your board member has less to do with your fundraising effectiveness than the intrinsic way they are motivated and the systems and process that are used to harness their passion for the cause. I have observed in organizations big and small that it is rare to find the board member who is automatically ready to fundraise which makes it leadership’s job (i.e. the board president, development committee, executive director, etc.) to cultivate board members’ engagement in the fundraising effort.

Here are three strategies to do this:

I. Help Board Members Understand What Connects Them to the Cause
In order to broaden your donor base, you must first deepen your relationship with each board member. It is important to think of the board member as your most important major donor, no matter how much money he or she gives. If your board member is not ready to share his or her time, money, and influence they will not be able to convince others to do the same.

When cultivating a major donor it is important to understand what motivates him or her in relationship to your cause. The same needs to happen with the board member. It is often assumed that when they agree to join the board they are already connected to the cause, but often they are not and most of the time they have very little understanding of the unique value being created by the organization. Hearing stories about the organization’s work and witnessing value being delivered to the community are important ways to help educate board members. It is also important to have conversations with them to learn how they perceive the needs that the organization is meeting, the values that guide the work, and why it is important for the organization to exist. By understanding their point of view on these matters, leadership is able to find the right incentives that will help engage each individual. In addition, it helps the board member and leadership develop a consistent narrative about the organization that can be communicated to potential donors.

II. Help Cast Them in the Right Fundraising Role
When board members talk about fundraising, they often focus on asking for money. In some people this creates an immediate paralysis, yet it is only one part of the process. Through my work with a variety of organization’s boards, my colleagues and I have identified four different roles board members can play in the fundraising process based on their natural strengths and capabilities.

Board members who are Connectors know how to work a room and listen for opportunities. They feel most comfortable being greeters at events, helping to develop a prospect list, or hosting a small gathering in their home. Storytellers love using words to paint pictures for others about the impact of the organization. They excel at standing up and speaking at board meetings and events about the life of the organization or helping write a solicitation letter. The Visionaries are strategic thinkers who know how to position what the organization needs to accomplish with the value it will create. They do well in situations helping the donor understand why their investment is needed and what it will accomplish. Finally, Closers are not deterred from their goal. They are very good at understanding the circumstances of a meeting with a potential donor always looking for the best way to position the ask.

When board members are able to see how their strengths can be engaged in the fundraising effort, they are more willing to engage in the process. It is important to note that it is leadership’s job to identify the variety of roles a board member can play, but the board member must be given the opportunity to choose the role and not be forced into it—here success in a role is critical to ensuring they will continue to be a part of the process.

III. Build a Fundraising System that Helps Them Improve
Finally, it takes a systematic approach to fundraising to help Board members improve. When given opportunities to repeat the same fundraising activity in a consistent way as well as debrief openly with other board members, they are able to go deeper into their role and recognize how what they do contributes to the whole effort. Scatter-shot approaches to fundraising lead to disengaged board members because these kinds of efforts only promote a succeed or fail mentality. Systems help leadership and board members evaluate progress and make adjustments as they come to understand what works well and what needs improvement.

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All board members need help understanding how they connect to the organization’s cause. By showing them how their personal strengths can match up with different roles in the fundraising process, they can improve their efforts by playing their role in a larger donor cultivation system. Now, when a board member says “We’re not a fundraising board,” you know it is time to bust the myth.

Article by: Carlo Cuesta, Creation In Common Managing Partner. www.creationincommon.com