Getting Your Board To Fundraise

Getting nonprofit boards to fundraise is about as easy as pulling teeth.  You're going to get a lot of resistance and, frankly, it's going to be painful.  But there are some ways to make it a little bit easier.

One of the most common complaints from board members is that fundraising is not a part of their job description, so they shouldn't have to partake in it.  The reality is that raising money is a huge part of a board's responsibility.  If you're ready to start a board-bashing party, hold on just a second.  Although it's easy to lay all the blame on the board itself, a lot of it should actually fall on the organizational culture.

In "Nonprofit Management 101," Bob Zimmerman writes that a nonprofit should create an environment that encourages fundraising.  He lists three examples of bad organizational culture:

• Nonprofits that don't let board members know that fundraising is one of their responsibilities;
• Nonprofits that don't train the board in successful fundraising techniques; and,
• Nonprofits that don't recruit new members that have experience with giving and fundraising

If you are to get your nonprofit board on the right track, it is imperative that you make sure your organizational culture doesn't resemble the traits above.

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