Your board can be a powerful ally in your fundraising efforts without asking

By Gail Perry

Let me end with a story of my own: When I was consulting with the Orange County Rape Crisis Center a few years ago, I dragged my boyfriend to its annual fundraising auction. It was on a Sunday night and wasn't a big social event, but it was a nice, happy gathering.

I told my boyfriend, who had plenty of money, to bring his wallet because these were good people. I dragged him around deliberately and pointed out items that I liked. Well, bless his heart, he bought all this stuff that night.

Then the next day I was sitting in my office around 1 p.m. and got a call from him.

"Gail," he said, "you won't believe what just happened!"

He was clearly wrought up.

"What?" I replied anxiously.

"I'm speechless," he said. "I just got a phone call from a board member of the Rape Crisis Center thanking me for … for … for being the largest donor at the auction last night!

"I just can't believe it!" he gushed. "I've given money all over the country, and I've never gotten a call from a board member!"

I could feel him beaming over the phone. He was absolutely thrilled.

The next year, he was asking me, "Is the Rape Crisis Center having its auction this fall? I haven't gotten an invitation yet."

That year, he bought an entire table and hosted the president of the largest foundation in North Carolina at it. I think the Rape Crisis Center has him for life now!

To take away

Every member of your board is there for a reason. The key to having a relationship with your board members that is productive is to keep them enthused about and interested in the work you do, discover their individual strengths and embrace them, and don't define "fundraising" too narrowly as  simply making an ask. FS

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Gail Perry Author's page Gail believes in parties first, rabble-rousing second, and having fun while changing the world. Gail Perry CFRE is an international fundraising coach, speaker, trainer and thought-leader. She is a leader in a new breed of fundraisers who are on the cutting edge of fundraising today. Her Fired-Up Fundraising approach, developed over the past 25 years as a nonprofit philanthropy expert, has helped organizations raise hundreds of millions in gifts. Gail's practical and refreshing approach to raising money in today's world is based on the very latest innovative fundraising strategies. An inspirational and popular speaker, she leads energizing fundraising workshops and board retreats around the globe. She particularly enjoys working with nonprofit board members, introducing them to a new perspective on fundraising and ways they can be successful at it. Gail's book, Fired-Up Fundraising, has been called the "gold standard guide to building successful fundraising boards." Gail got her start in fundraising at Duke University, and then went on to lead fundraising at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You can read Gail's weekly blogs at FiredUpFundraising.com, and also find her provocative articles at FundraisingSuccess, Guidestar, and Capital Campaign Magic.

Boards: The Secret Superheroes of Fundraising