Guest Writers | Kathleen Kloepfer & Anne Kirkpatrick

Key Pillar of Success

The most important factor to leveraging the success of a campaign is lead­ership.  Organizations that excel in fundraising today and in the future have strong Board representation and solid leadership.  They build credi­bility, increase awareness, leverage time and money and overall, increase public confidence.  They are the basis of support for the organization.  Floundering organizations have a high turnover of Executive Directors and Board Members most likely lack vision and direction.  A Board with planned specific goals and ob­jectives will have the focus to lead the organization down the road to success.  This foundation is a prerequisite.  One indication of the organization’s health is its Board of Directors.  A floundering Board means a floundering organization. 

The Board’s role in fundraising is to provide leadership through chairing campaigns and events, prospecting, cultivating donors, closing gifts and other related sales.  Board members will give you access and contacts to other organizations.  Because, you can’t raise money from strangers, your Board is your strongest fundraising source.  People don’t give to causes; they give to people with causes.  Success will be achieved when the Board stands behind the programs they have approved and embrace the role of fundraising.

Board members play a huge public relations role.  Charitable conversations often come up when doing business.  A business deal may close and a conversation about the charitable organization may open.  Fundraising is at its best when an opportunity is matched with the needs of an organization and the influence of a Board member, connected to the right person, sees that opportunity.

Role of the Board in Fund Development

1. Donors – Board members of an organization, without exception, should make their own personal, annual contribution.  Regardless of the donations that they may help to secure from other sources, this personal contribution is an essential act of commitment, no matter the size.  No organization can expect others to invest in it if its own leaders do not do so first. 
2. Strategic Planners - Institutional planning is an extremely important component to successful fundraising.  Board member must be involved in determining and/or approving the organization’s mission, vision and plans for the future, which guide both the fundraising needs and the case articulating why people should support the organization.
3. Identifiers - The mailing/phone list is at the core of the entire fundraising program.  The names Board members contribute to that list are extremely valuable, and often provide the starting point to developing long-term relationships.
4. Qualifiers - Board members are the peers of important prospective donors – individuals, officials of companies, and foundations.  The personal knowledge that the Board members can provide of these donors is extremely important and their assistance in the evaluation process is invaluable.
5. Cultivators - Board member identified with the organization should speak out in the community and help to interest prospective donors.  By working as ‘chess pieces’ for staff, volunteer Board members can significantly accelerate a relationship between the organization and the prospect.
6. Door Openers - The most difficult part of a solicitation is gaining the first introduction, arranging for the meeting especially with corporations and foundations.  Board members, because of their familiarity with corporate officials and their standing in the community, can often help with the all-important first introduction.
7. Note Writers - When Board members append personal notes to appeal letters, success can increase significantly.  Appeals preceded or followed by phone-a-thons give further opportunity for valuable Board member participation.
8. Event Attendees - Special benefit events are not only sources of money, they also help raise public awareness and provide exposure to the organization; they are forms of public relations of cultivation.  It is important that Board members not only attend these events, but, additionally, it is particularly appropriate for Board volunteers to manage them.  This involvement ensures that the event will not divert staff from their program responsibilities which can be a common problem.
9. Stewards - Thanking donors is one of the most important functions of a Board member.  When a Board member adds an acknowledging thanks (letter, note, face-to-face, phone), to companies and foundations as well as individuals – such thanks is particularly effective
10. Advocates – Passion is what drives non-profit organizations.  Board members who can articulate and speak passionately about the causes and impact that the organization makes upon the community can add credibility to an appeal.  It is important that donors are equated with the deeds of the organization and not necessarily the needs of the community.
11. Solicitors – One effective way of requesting funds is to use a team approach.  A Board member who accompanies the CEO, a staff member, or another Board member in making a request for funds adds significant weight to the appeal.  Moreover, it is an excellent way for a trustee to become familiar with the process of asking.

Suggested Reading

• Fisher Howe,  The Board Member's Guide to Strategic Planning: A Practical Approach to Strengthening Nonprofit Organizations
•  Maurice G. Gurin, What Volunteers Should Know for Successful Fund Raising
• John Carver, Boards That Make a Difference
• James M. Hardy, Developing Dynamic Boards: A Proactive Approach to Building Nonprofit Boards of Directors
• James M. Greenfield & Tracy Daniel Conners, The Nonprofit Handbook, 3rd Edition

Guest Writers

_{Kathleen Kloepfer is a consultant for Creating Impact Ltd. and brings the strength and reputation of 26 years of business experience, with the past 13 years concentrating on activities in the charitable sector.  She has worked with numerous charitable organizations both big and small in setting up fund development strategies, running capital campaigns, refining case statements, writing grants and defining organizational needs to name a few. Her passion is mentoring organizations in the art and science of fundraising. She has been a mentor consultant in the Fund Development PLUS Program since 2001 and enjoys being able to help organizations learn, progress and achieve greatness. She also specializes in Personal Coaching which focuses on helping individuals create more powerful and fulfilling futures.}

_{Anne Kirkpatrick is currently Director of Development at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).} 

_{She started her 19 year involvement in the non-profit sector as a volunteer with the United Way of Calgary, where she subsequently joined the campaign staff and spent ten years with United Way in Calgary and Edmonton.  Anne has also worked with national organizations as a Director of Development and enjoyed two years as a consultant, assisting a variety of non-profit organizations with strategic planning and development.  An avid volunteer, Anne enjoys teaching and mentoring initiatives within the non-profit sector.}

_{She is a strong supporter of the fundraising profession and has been associated with AFP in a variety of roles over the past ten years, including being a founding member and President of the Edmonton Chapter, a Board member and co-ordinator of the mentorship program in Calgary, a 3 year member of the International Development committee and an instructor for the AFP First Course and Survey Course.  Anne is active with the CentrePoint Advancing Non-Profit Management  and has been a tutor for distance students in the fundraising program at Grant MacEwan College.}