No One Is 'Off the Hook' From Fundraising

I always think the head of a nonprofit should be 100 percent focused on fundraising. Virtually everyone you come in contact with — staff, board, community members, elected officials — is a donor or a prospect. This might help you look for ways to combine activities. Perhaps in your next weekly meeting with your direct reports, you could show them a short list of donors and prospects you’ll be working with. You could ask them if they know anyone on the list. Often they won’t, but some will have helpful information. Even those that don’t will see that you value fundraising.

If you’re going on a donor visit, why not consider bringing a board member along? The donor gets the honor of speaking to one of the people charged with overseeing the nonprofit. The board member gets to see donor relations, or solicitations, in action. Seeing the process happen firsthand helps take the fear out of it. Before long, some of your board members will be asking to be involved!

I’m glad you’re leading your nonprofit. Please let me know which of these changes helps you the most! My email is marc@fundraisingcoach.com.

— To your fundraising success, Marc

Marc Pitman is the author of “Ask Without Fear!” and founder of FundraisingCoach.com and the weekly e-mail service “Fundraising Kick.” He is also a member of the FundRaising Success Editorial Advisory Board. Reach him at marc@fundraisingcoach.com or follow him on Twitter at @marcapitman