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Engaging Your Board in
Fund Development
Hosted by:
Laura Goodwin
Neesha N. Rahim
Welcome!!
Laura in her natural And Neesha in hers…
habitat…
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2. 4/7/11
Our Roadmap
• Setting Expectations
• Steps to Develop
Great Board
Engagement
• Ways to Make it Work
• Questions
• Goodie Bag
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Show of Hands
What is the biggest challenge you are facing as you engage board
members in fund development?
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3. 4/7/11
Your ROI
• Board members as • Broader and deeper mission
impact
“relationship-
developers” • Enhanced relationship
• Strengthened results achieved
• A culture of philanthropy
• Intensified strategic contributions
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Keep It Simple
• …Giving joyfully and generously…
• Identifying and introducing
others
• Sharing our story
• Engaging
• Soliciting
• Providing meaningful
stewardship
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4. 4/7/11
Take Action:
• What is standing in the way?
• Are we prepared?
• Do we know each board member well?
• Are we setting up action? Or intent?
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QUESTIONS
• Type your question in
the “Questions” box
• Click on Send
Privately
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5. 4/7/11
Board Roles
Activating
the Sphere
of
Influence
Sharing
Stewarding
Your
Donors
Story
Engaging
Soliciting
In Your
Donors
Work
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Step 1: Find Champions
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6. 4/7/11
Step 1: Find Champions
Take Action: • Identify ONE champion
• Help inspire others to work
differently
• Gives personally
• Believes in philanthropy
• Knows your program from the
inside
• Articulate and passionate
• Admired by others
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Step 2: Change Culture
Take Action: • Ask the RIGHT questions
- What gets in the way?
- What would motivate?
- Share bad news?
- Change others?
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7. 4/7/11
Motivation…
• What matters most to you in your volunteer position?
• What are your aspirations for yourself while in this
important volunteer position?
• What other volunteer positions, activities, responsibilities
would you like to take on?
• Do you have a personal vision for the future? Are you
comfortable sharing it?
• Why have you stayed with us all this time?
• What do you like best about your responsibilities? What
do you like least? Why?
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Expectations…
• If, from my perspective, something has gone wrong, what
is the best way for us to discuss it?
• From your perspective, what is getting in the way of you
successfully (the agreed upon action) within the time we
agreed?
• Do I understand the issues from your perspective
correctly? (After summing them up.)
• What is inhibiting your success? What would enhance
your chances for success?
• What can I do differently to help you be more effective?
More satisfied?
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Delivery…
• What did we do right?
• What didn’t we do that helped us succeed?
• What will keep you here? What might entice
you away?
• What is most energizing about your work?
• To what degree are we fully utilizing your
talents?
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Questions?
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Step 3: Identify Early Wins
Take Action: • Provide concrete actions
- Share the story with…
- Need access to these networks…
- Invite action in…
- Ask…
- Steward…
• Support and Skills
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In Your Own Way?
• Prepared to share the story?
• Credibility to provide names?
• Catalogue of opportunities to
engage in your work?
• Partner to do the asking?
• Invitation to steward?
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Prepared to Support?
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Step 4: Identify Movers
Take Action: • Annual “review” conversation... Or
now!
• Join the Champion
• Ask questions
• Who else needs to have this
conversation?
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11. 4/7/11
Case Study
The Organization The Challenge
• Medium sized budget • Getting ready for next
campaign
• 18 person board
• A bad case of the “ask
• Successfully ended
backs”
campaign in 2008
• “You know who I know!
• Four events
There’s no one new!”
- One is gala-type
• Mail, online gifts ~7% of
revenue
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Final Questions
• Final Thoughts
• Special Offer
• Invitation to
Participate…
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12. 4/7/11
Final Thoughts & Goodies…
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Step 5: Report on Success
Take Action: • Standing meeting agenda
item
• Be ready with next step
• CAPTURE who is doing
what and report back.
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13. 4/7/11
The Foundation
• Board engagement stems from
genuine and deliberate care for each
other.
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Take Action
Training Consulting
• Retreat Facilitation • Campaign Planning &
Feasibility Studies
• Hands-on Skill Building
Workshops • Fund Development Audit
- Making the Case
• Board Development
- The Donor Puzzle
- How to Never Get a No • Strategic Planning
- Stewardship: The Second Most
Powerful “Move”
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14. 4/7/11
Goodie Bag!
• Exit Survey = Get a great tool that you can
share with your board to build a “Giving
AND Getting” board culture.
• “Like” us on Facebook = Get a copy of our
slides
• Comment on our page = Enters you to win
a FREE 30 minute consulting session…
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Copyright
The Osborne Group is a full service management, consulting
and training firm specializing in institutional advancement,
opinion research and organizational management
This presentation is the copyrighted property of
The Osborne Group, Inc.
100 South Bedford Road, Suite 340
Mt Kisco, NY 10549
It cannot be copied, used, given away or sold without written
permission from The Osborne Group, Inc.
© The Osborne Group, Inc.
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