This weekend a colleague asked for advice. He had asked committee members to reach out to 25 individuals on behalf of a fundraising project. He was following this model because he had encountered it as a volunteer.
We prefer a more manageable approach. Ask volunteers — and especially volunteer and staff leadership — to focus on the things that only they can do and the things that they can do best.
With building relationships, we prefer a rule of fives for volunteers. Don’t ask a volunteer to shepherd more than five relationships or make more than five asks in a campaign.
If someone is a go-getter, a high achiever, and he or she is successful with nurturing these relationships and asking for these gifts, then, and only then, would we consider adding to the list.
Give me a list of 20 things to do and I might shut down. Give me list of five things to do, with clear instructions and a timeline, and I can excel.
Empower your volunteers (and staff) by narrowing the focus!
