One of the essential elements of a nonprofit is its board. This brings up the question though of how involved should board members be in their own contributions and fundraising roles for the nonprofit. As I have followed various discussions, it seems there is quite the variety of perspectives. “Give or get” seems to be the predominant mentality. However, there is not one correct mentality for all nonprofits. Let’s examine a few of the options.
1) “Give or Get”—This model suggests that board members should be active and freely generous in supporting the organization, or ‘get’ off the board.
While I am not fond of the somewhat harsh attitude that this title conveys, I see that there is value in the underlying idea. Board members should be active participants in generosity. A good suggestion would be to sit down individually with board members and talk about development plans with them. If people feel they are part of the vision, they are more likely to give.
My critique of this idea simply leads to the next points. There is more to giving to an organization than the amount they put on their check.
2) “Give Creatively”
This is the option that is most exciting to me. If cash is already tight, shift your focus away from the checkbook. 91% of wealth is not in cash, but in other resources. Using sites such as www.idonate.com your board members suddenly have far more giving options. iDonate gives just a few examples:
-- A gift of a vehicle no longer needed provides a water well for a village in a starving nation.
--A gift of a excess inventory could equal a new orphanage for 50 orphans in Haiti.
--A gift of a diamond ring could provide hundreds of meals at a soup kitchen.
The most important thing you can do with this option is simply inform your board members. Link up with www.idonate.com so that they can easily make a non-cash donation that converts into funding for you.
3) “Give Completely”
It can be intimidating for a board member to jump straight into fundraising, so make this transition easy for them. Giving is more than a dollar amount. One of the most powerful things you can do is give them opportunities to give in unique ways. Ask them to give their time to help plan an event, volunteer in the office, serve on a development team, etc.
When your board members are immersed in your culture, they can give completely of all their resources. Be patient, be respectful, be sensitive.
I welcome your feedback as I continue writing this summer! Click here to send me an email.
--Jessica High manages research and marketing at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online