Positioning Your Board for Effective Fundraising

6. Offer options. Create a menu of opportunities regarding how board members can get involved in fundraising for your organization that allows them to fill in where they want to help out. Some "menu" items you can offer board members Weisman include:

• Sending a news clipping to friends, donors and supporters
• Researching a potential donor
• Looking for funding sources
• Creating an e-zine or blog
• Putting photos on your Web site
• Writing informational articles for your Web site
• Writing e-books that can be sold
• Inviting a friend, relative or business associate to the agency
• Having a meeting of a group that you are involved in at the charity, and organize a tour
• Having a home reception where a representative from the organization tells the story of its mission
• Initiating a lunch, dinner or other visit with a "closer" and a potential donor
• Inviting a potential donor to a special event
• Writing an article for publication. Connect your organization with breaking news, or go on the speaking circuit, speaking at rotary clubs, churches, temples, etc. Getting contact information, and ask for more than money.

If board members sign up to take part in the ask, Weisman shared a few tips to best prepare them:

• The most effective ask is in person, one to one. Next best is in a group, then online or direct mail.
• Write your own check before asking others.
• Study the case and know how to overcome objections.
• Set up meetings with clients, friends and other potential donors with someone who can fill in pieces of the case that you don't know.
• Create a powerful, tag-team approach.
• When asking a large group, tell your story and ask the audience to get involved.
• Remember that in most cases, no means no today. Not forever.

When it comes to stewardship, it's all about the "platinum rule," (treat others as they want to be treated), Weisman said, not the golden rule. Train board members to thank people often, creatively, graciously and cheaply, as research shows that a large percentage of donors will give a second — even larger — gift if thanked by a board member.