Making an Ask? Get R.E.A.L.
FS: What is the best advice you can offer when it comes to empowering boards to participate in fundraising?
MP: Be very specific with what your expectations are. What are you asking them to do? Are you asking them to do a specific number of solicitations? Or are you measuring how much money they raise? Give them lists with pertinent information. And provide accountability. A simple but effective idea is to have one board member ask each board member personally at every board meeting how many calls they made or how much they brought in. Most board members are successful in other areas because they've been accountable for results. This is one way to help. (But not in a dictatorial way. It needs to be more of a "we're maturing as a team and are all in this together" thing.)
