The Boards Role in Fundraising

Clearly, fundraising and the role of the board is on the minds of many nonprofit executives. This is a topic I’m asked about frequently and recently facilitated a training session entitled, “The Boards Role in Fundraising” whereby the attendance was overwhelming.

Ultimately, the board is responsible for ensuring adequate resources to move the mission of their nonprofit organization forward. In order to carry out its responsibility, the board needs to ensure appropriate leadership, planning and capacity for successful outcomes. If staffing levels are not adequate to carry out a fundraising plan, then the board needs to be prepared for direct involvement in fundraising activities. Related to capacity, not only is staffing (paid staff or volunteers) needed, the organization also needs to be equipped with proper technology and processes for tracking dollars and donors, especially if those dollars are restricted for a particular purpose or timeframe.

Board member involvement can range from providing oversite and evaluation of fund development to hands-on involvement such as hosting a small gathering to share the organization’s story. It is important that communication between the board and staff is clear as it relates to roles and responsibilities. It should be noted that the board’s role is not to manage the day to day details of furndiraing, but rather, to support it by making decisions about policies, monitoring progress, and getting personally involved.

According to BoardSource, there are five essentials of to the fundraising cycle. They include:
1. Analyze the organization’s fundraising past
2. Build the organization’s case for support
3. Set goals for the organization
4. Develop implementation strategies and activities
5. Monitor results

Having a plan, with input from both board and staff (or volunteers) is a great start to having successful outcomes for your organization!

For more information on board involvement strategies or fund development plan, visit the BoardSource Web site or the Association of Fundraising Professionals Web site.