Building A Fundraising Committee

Your board says they want more major gifts. So you give them a list of prospects. They freeze. Not because they don’t care. Not because they’re unwilling. But because we keep handing them tasks instead of roles. A nonprofit I worked with was frustrated. “The board won’t help fundraise,” the CEO said. When we looked closer, here’s what the board had been given: A list of 40 names A vague ask to “open doors” No clarity on what success looked like So we changed one thing. We stopped asking board members to fundraise and started asking them to be themselves—with structure. Each board member got: 2–3 people they already knew well One specific action (thank-you call, intro email, host coffee) Exact language they could use A clear outcome (“introduce,” not “ask”) No solicitation required. Within six months: More donor conversations happened Staff had warmer, faster paths to major gift meetings Board confidence went up—and resistance went down Boards don’t avoid fundraising because they’re disengaged. They avoid it because we’ve made it vague, awkward, and high-risk. Clarity lowers fear. Specificity creates movement. Stop asking boards to raise money. Start inviting them to play a clear, human role in relationships. That’s where momentum starts.

Your board members open doors. Your fundraisers walk through them. A donor was giving $50,000 annually to a nonprofit. We knew he had significant capacity and passion for the mission, but we couldn't get a meeting with him to deepen the relationship. We tried everything to get a meeting: emails, letters, skywriting “Call me?” over his house. Nothing worked. Then we put a list of our top prospects in front of the board. A board member saw the name of the donor we were trying to meet with and said, “I know him. I think I can help.” She called him and shared why she gives her time and money to the organization. She shared why this mission matters to her. The donor agreed to meet with us. The board member joined the development team for a series of meetings with the donor. When the time was right, we asked him for $5 million. The board member was at the meeting but did not do the ask. That came from the development team. The donor said yes. Without this board member, that gift would have never happened. She shared her story. She opened the door. The development team walked through it. If your board stalls at the ask or freezes when asked to help raise money, there is another way. Board members can help fundraise, but they need direction and a simple strategy, and they don’t need to be the one asking for money. Fundraisers are experts at holding the strategy, managing timing, structuring the ask, and stewarding the relationship. Unresolved lane confusion between board and staff kills momentum. Most board members are not trained solicitors. But they can be your trust builders. Your connectors. Your testimonials. When you clarify those lanes, board members make more moves. Staff can do their jobs better. And donors feel it. Board members do not need to be closers to be powerful in fundraising. They need a clear role, a strategic list, and permission to lead with their own story.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀. For many nonprofit board members, the idea of “reaching out to their network” triggers discomfort. Not because they don’t believe in the mission - but because, to them: Outreach = Asking friends for money. But what most organizations need first from their board is not a donation request. It’s an introduction. ➡️ A quick conversation to share why they’re excited about the mission. ➡️ A pulse check to see if the contact might be interested in learning more. ➡️ And if there’s a spark, a warm handoff to the right staff person - major gifts, development, or corporate partnerships - to take it from there. Here’s how fundraisers can make this work: 🔹 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸: Don’t say, “Can you ask your contact for a gift?” Instead: “Would you be willing to share what excites you about our mission and see if they'd like to meet our team?” 🔹𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁: Share 1–2 sentences board members can use. Make it conversational, not canned. (“I’ve gotten involved with an organization doing incredible work in [area]. Thought it might be worth a quick intro if it sparks your interest.”) 🔹 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲: Emphasize that the goal is exploration, not solicitation. Let the development team guide the next steps, when appropriate. 🔹 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: A simple intro can unlock significant support - not just financial, but connections, visibility, and community impact. At the end of the day, board members joined because they care. Helping them see that introductions are an extension of their passion - not a pitch - can put them at ease. What’s worked for you in encouraging board engagement in donor or partner outreach? #fundraising #nonprofits #nonprofitboards P.S. An exercise I just went through with one of my clients, after we identified potentially aligned businesses to reach out to, was to research the board of directors for each of those companies and compile a list of names and bios that the Executive Director could share with the nonprofit board simply to see if there were any connections.

Stop pitching, start listening. I lost a $250K gift because I walked into a meeting ready to close. The donor was ready to talk. I was ready to perform. Deck loaded. Budget tight. Impact projections color-coded. I thought this was professionalism. It was just... transactional. Fifteen minutes in I could feel it. The shift. They went polite but distant. "We'll think about it." Never heard from them again. What I figured out: you're not here to convince anyone. You're here to find out what they already care about, then show them how your work connects to that. That donor didn't need a pitch deck. They needed someone to listen. So I rebuilt my whole approach. First meeting? I ask questions and listen. That's it. Second meeting? I share stories, not spreadsheets. Third meeting? I invite them to experience the work firsthand. Fourth meeting? They tell me what they want to fund. The ask becomes a formality. You're already partners by then. My close rate went from 40% to 85%. Not because I got better at selling... but because I stopped trying to sell. People don't fund organizations. They fund visions they co-created with you. What's a mistake that completely rewired how you approach your work? Photo:  Having a deep conversation with Reggie Love, Obama's right-hand man. #DonorRelations #FundraisingStrategy #NonprofitLeadership #ListeningFirst #PhilanthropyTips

Nonprofit Executive Directors -- you've got to help your Board help you. Even the most high-functioning, engaged Board can't intuit your needs or help you in a vacuum. Some ideas to try: 💡 In your monthly operational updates, include a specific ask of specific committees, the whole board, and/or specific board members (one that is in line with their duties and responsibilities, of course). 💡Ask individual Board members where their sweet spot is when it comes to networking and fundraising -- maybe it's tabling at events, writing thank you cards, taking donors out for coffee, or even cold calling-on local potential brand sponsors -- and then give them the tools they need to succeed (training, donor pitch decks, social media toolkits, email templates, etc.) 💡When you encounter a major challenge, don't just try to muscle through it on your own -- tell the Board how they can help. Asking for help is part of strong leadership. And in the midst of all the 💩 coming out of the White House right now, a team effort is more important than ever. 💡Be open and transparent in your 1:1s with the Board Chair -- create a thought partnership with them. Hire a coach for joint coaching if this relationship needs strengthening or reinvigorating. 💡Be very clear and honest about what needs more budgetary investment, where you may have to go significantly over budget on expenses, etc. -- they cannot properly fulfill their duties or support you if you're always trying to paint a rosy picture to "keep them happy". 💡Aim to have a 1:1 with each Board member twice per year. Getting to know them (and they you) will better help you harness each other's strengths and interests and shore up each other's blind spots. 💡Thank your Board members regularly and authentically for their time and efforts, and tell them what is working and what have been the effects of their work. This will strengthen your relationship with them and help them better understand (and strategize on their own) where to invest their time and $$$.

“I can’t get my board to help with fundraising.” I hear this often from nonprofit leaders. Most board members aren’t refusing to fundraise. They’re unsure how to contribute in a way that matters. We recruit accomplished people, then hand them fuzzy expectations like “help with fundraising” or “open doors.” They sit through budgets and staff reports while their real strengths go untapped. Here’s a simple way to unlock them. Give clear roles that match strengths: ⭐ Connector: makes warm introductions; others do the follow-up ⭐ Host: opens their home or office; staff makes the case ⭐ Storyteller: shares mission moments; team handles logistics ⭐ Validator: lends credibility in 1:1 meetings or panels ⭐ Asker: comfortable making direct gift requests If you’re building or re-engaging a board, start by mapping each member: What type of contributor are they? Why did they say yes to this mission? What energizes them? Then assign a specific, meaningful role. When board members know exactly how they can help, they show up. Board fundraising works when we match individual strengths to specific opportunities, not when we expect one size to fit all. If this is useful, save it for your next board agenda and share with your chair. #NonprofitLeadership #NonprofitBoards #Fundraising #Development #BoardGovernance

The Downsides of Asking Boards to Help With Fundraising I get it all the time. “Jim our board (pick which kind) isn’t raising enough money for us. Could you come to their next meetings and tell them what they should be doing?” My first response is, “Are you sure that’s what you really want?” We can’t have it both ways. We can’t insist that fundraising is a profession that requires deep and broad skills honed over time and updated regularly – and then turn that delicate, sophisticated function over to someone with no experience and say, in effect, “Do our job for us.” Fundraising should be done by experts, not by otherwise gifted amateurs. If we delegate it to others because they are wealthier, more powerful or have access to people we don’t, we surrender our expertise and subject ourselves to becoming the recipients of bad advice and naïve suggestions, such as: Bad advice  You need a better elevator pitch  You need to ask more often  You need to ask for larger amounts  You need to be more aggressive  You need to hire more “super salesmen” Naïve suggestions  If we got everyone to give (pick your amount) we could raise (pick your amount)!  Why don’t you ask  Oprah  Bill Gates  Warren Buffet  McKenzie Scott  Michael Bloomberg  Those that made the billionaires’ pledge And on it goes. Add your favorites to the list. So, you don’t want to cajole or browbeat a board into becoming more active fundraisers; you want to: ❇️ Show them how they can use their access and abilities to augment and support your fundraising experts ❇️ Be very specific as to where and how they can help, asking them to select from a menu of well- chosen, high-level tasks, each of which can be done in no more than an hour, and let them choose how many hours they want to contribute ❇️ Provide toolkits that allow them work gracefully and efficiently within your systems and protocols ❇️ Provide them staff support to ensure their high-level abilities are being put to their best use ❇️ Ask them to do tasks and put them in environments that allow them to glean more of the essential truths of fundraising including: 🔸 Most of your support will come from current donors (and board members can play a powerful role in stewarding donors) 🔸 You don’t raise more money by asking for more but by showing how and where more will make a bigger difference 🔸 You don’t wow donors into philanthropic submission, you listen your way into alignments of interests When you provide wise, productive and rewarding ways for your volunteers to augment your fundraising, you better establish your expertise and build better philanthropic partnerships.

My kids' school sent me 10 reminders about early dismissal because keeping my children alive is my most important job. Your nonprofit sent your donors 2 emails this year and wonder why they're not engaged. If I need 10 touchpoints for the most important thing in my life, what does that tell you about donor communication? Let me walk you through what those 10 school touchpoints actually looked like: Three emails over two weeks. Two text messages the day before. One automated voice call that morning. Another text message two hours before pickup. A final email one hour before dismissal. For a three-hour schedule change. Meanwhile, here's your donor communication strategy: One appeal letter in November. One "final reminder" email in December. Radio silence for the other 10 months of the year. Then you wonder why only 15% of your donors give again. You're afraid to "bother" your donors with regular communication. But if my county school system knows I need constant reminders for my most important responsibility, what makes you think your donors - for whom your nonprofit is one of many priorities - will remember you with two annual touchpoints? Your donors aren't thinking about you every day. That's your job, not theirs. The organizations with 70%+ retention rates don't just send better appeals (even though they might). They send consistent communication that builds trust over time. Monthly impact updates. Quarterly leadership insights. Personal stories that show donor investment at work. They understand that staying connected isn't bothering people - it's serving them by keeping your mission front of mind when they're ready to give. You're not competing with other nonprofits for donor attention. You're competing with their mortgage payment, their kids' college tuition, and their vacation plans. Stop apologizing for regular communication. Start providing value through consistent connection. Because in fundraising, donors give to organizations they hear from regularly, not organizations they hear from desperately. See comments for full show

Your board isn’t “bad at fundraising.” You just never asked them to fundraise. Let me say this plainly: Most nonprofit boards don’t raise money because they were never trained, equipped, or expected to. They were recruited for: ✔️ Passion ✔️ Brand credibility ✔️ Networks ✔️ “Support” But not for clear responsibility. So what happens? Executive directors hope. Boards observe. Fundraising stalls. If you want a board that helps you raise your first $1M–$5M, you need more than good people. You need structure. Here’s what actually works: 1️⃣ Set Expectations Upfront Stop saying “support the organization.” Say this instead: “Every board member contributes financially and helps drive revenue.” Clarity eliminates discomfort. 2️⃣ Train Them Boards don’t need pressure, they need preparation. Give them: • Simple scripts • Clear impact stories • Tools and language • Confidence People avoid what they don’t feel equipped to do. 3️⃣ Assign Roles Not everyone asks for money and that’s okay. Some: • Make the ask • Pitch the mission • Open doors • Create pathways Everyone plays a part. 4️⃣ Build Accountability Once-a-year board meetings don’t work. You need quarterly check-ins, clear goals, and real follow-through. Here’s the truth most organizations learn too late: A strong board is not a luxury. It is a fundraising multiplier. If you want help turning your board into a revenue-driving asset, not just a group of supporters comment BOARD and I’ll show you the framework I use with clients.

Five strangers walked into a coffee shop yesterday and we all left as die-hard ambassadors for a cause: What Made It Work So Well? Today, I attended a fundraising meeting I hadn’t planned on for United Hatzalah. I was invited by a friend, and when I arrived, there were four other guests along with the organization’s founder Eli Beer and their local representative Brad Yellen. By the time I left, I wanted to help this organization succeed. I felt personally invested. I walked away asking: What went right? Here’s the breakdown: 1. Friends Bring Friends Everyone at the table had some loose connection to the organization, but no one was fully informed. That meant we came in curious and open. 2. The Founder Told His Story His story was personal and compelling—but also relatable. He wasn’t just sharing his journey; he was inviting us into it. 3. Stories That Were Both Specific and Universal He didn’t just talk about his experience—he shared real stories of the organization’s impact. He painted a picture so vivid that we could see the lives being changed. 4. A Clear, Contextualized Ask Instead of asking for a specific dollar amount, he showed different ways to make an impact: • $X trains one person • $X funds a crucial piece of equipment • $X covers full operations This let each of us find our own entry point into supporting the mission. And even those who may not be able to donate financially saw ways to help. 5. Seamless Connection and Follow-Up At the end, he pulled out his phone and had a QR code for all of us to scan with his phone number, making it easy to stay connected. But here’s the real magic: • We all wanted to hear more stories. • We saw ourselves in the mission. • We left not just inspired, but compelled to share it with others. By the time we walked away, we weren’t just attendees—we were already fundraising ambassadors. I’ve seen (and run) a lot of fundraising meetings, but this one was exceptional. And here’s the best part: • This level of engagement isn’t luck. • It’s a learnable skill. Want to make your fundraising meetings this effective? Drop a comment or send me a message—I’d love to help.