To suggest that all not-for-profit board members and professional staff (starting with the CEO) should be capable and committed fundraisers is wishful thinking at best.
If a small handful of your volunteer leaders are willing to help with solicitation you should consider yourself fortunate. It’s a bonus if some of those are any good at it. Be grateful if your executive director and a handful of deans/directors are willing and capable of supporting you during cultivation of a potential donor.
As for the rest, most should not even be asked to fundraise. However, each has a valuable role to play, a contribution to make in raising funds.
Consider this perspective. The vast majority of significant gifts are the result of three considerations by the donor:
– WHY consider a gift – the emotional heart of the gift
– WHAT impact the gift will have; its designation
– HOW the gift will be made – when, with what assets, in conjunction with other priorities and considerations
I like the visual image of a three legged stool to illustrate these three considerations due to its stability relative to the loss of any single leg. Together the stool dependably serves its purpose – in our case to support the donor. But remove or loosen even one leg and things get shaky. This is a terrific image to use in recruiting and training your fundraising team and in planning how you present your case for support to new possible donors.
Each member of the fundraising team has a valuable role to play in the gift conversation. The volunteer leader can best speak to WHY, starting with his/her own WHY – why he serves on the board, why your organization matters to her.
Professional leadership, those responsible for mission, vision, and programs, are best equipped to address for WHAT they most need funding. After all, they have a self interest in preparing and sharing their case for funding.
That leaves HOW to best structure the gift – when, with what assets, in conjunction with the priorities and considerations you will learn from your prospect. This is the fundraising professional’s job.
If you agree with these three components of a successful gift conversation and with the strengths of the respective members of the development team it becomes easy to focus on what you should really ask of your colleagues on the fundraising team.
Let’s start with your volunteer leadership. I teach asking three things of any fundraising volunteer:
– Draft your personal story, your explanation of WHY you believe in the organization and serve it.
– Identify prospective donors with whom you are willing to share your story as you invite them to engage with your organization.
– Execute – make phone calls, invite your referrals to events and site visits, open the door for professional staff to discuss WHAT and HOW.
Professional Leadership, from the CEO to program directors, are eminently equipped to discuss mission, vision, and the details of various programs and projects. Each should be motivated to prepare or contribute to the following:
– Articulate your funding priorities.
– Draft or contribute to the organization’s case statement.
– Draft or contribute to a menu of giving opportunities.
– Prepare your elevator speech.
By the way, there is a fourth component of a successful gift discussion – WILL YOU? The solicitation, asking for the gift, is the goal. But imagine your level of confidence if your teammates have contributed to helping the new donor fully examine WHY, for WHAT, and HOW to make the gift.
The new donor’s “YES” almost becomes an afterthought.