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By Emily Davis

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Most nonprofits expect their board members to inherently know how to fundraise for their organization. I hear comments like, “Why won’t my board members just call people and ask them for money?” Or “All I am asking is for board members to call people on the list I gave them. Why can’t they just do that?”

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There is a disconnect between the skills of board members and expectations of them. The vast majority of nonprofit board members are not professional fundraisers; unless it’s an association of fundraising professionals for example.

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Fundraising is more than just asking people for money or opening up networks. The ask is one step in an overall larger process of prospecting, cultivating, and stewarding. Here are three big considerations to set board members up for fundraising success:

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1. Provide board education on what fundraising is with a trainer who has professional experience in fundraising, board governance, and facilitation. Fundraising is much more than asking for money and the ask is the scariest part for most board members.

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2. Identify specific, overlapping areas of fundraising interest for each board member and the organization’s fundraising activities. Meet individual board members where they are at and what the organization needs; it takes a bit more time but it is well worth it in the end.

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3. Teach board members to be ambassadors – cheerleaders if you like – for the organization. Anyone can and should be able to brag about the nonprofit they serve as a board member. Toss out the idea of the elevator pitch and ask board members to practice a story and experience of connection to the organization through mission moments. (See the linked blog post for more info.)

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Take a step back and remember to bring board members along for the ride, teaching them about fundraising and finding out where they would be most comfortable in fundraising. Let’s challenge our assumptions about what everyone knows about fundraising – it’s a profession and not a hobby that we all have more to learn about.

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