A few weeks ago, Andrea and I led a webinar about teaching board members to ask for gifts. It was a lively workshop. We shared five training exercises and answered lots of questions about board involvement. Overall, it felt like an effective, engaging experience. And then… Tell us what you really think As we were wrapping up, … [Read more...]
Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go
Note: This is a guest post from our thoughtful colleague Joseph Tumolo, CAP®. Joe helps fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, and board members grow their major and planned gift programs. Visit him online at www.joetumolo.com. Thanks, Joe! Sometimes I hear nonprofit managers wrestling with the questions, “What if we invest in training our … [Read more...]
How to Build Consensus With Any Group
Do you facilitate or chair any kind of meeting or gathering – planning sessions, board meetings, work groups, or committee meetings? If so, one of your jobs is to help the group make decisions…preferably thoughtful, transparent, commonly-agreed-upon decisions. In our last post, we discussed the ways that Robert’s Rules of Order can … [Read more...]
Decisions, decisions: Consensus vs. Robert’s Rules
In my work with nonprofits, I'm always mystified by the pervasive use and abuse of parliamentary procedure, also known as Robert’s Rules of Order. Many, many board members believe that their discussions and decisions are somehow more valid when they make motions, second those motions, call the question, and hold formal votes that are … [Read more...]
The Big Ask: Training Your Board to Pitch in Public
Note: This guest post is from our colleague Crystal Middlestadt at the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training. GIFT publishes the Grassroots Fundraising Journal (one of our favorite publications) and organizes Money for Our Movements, North America’s largest gathering of social justice fundraisers. Thanks, … [Read more...]
Ambassador Training for Your Board
How big is your marketing budget? Let me guess: Not big enough. Many grassroots nonprofits struggle with marketing. They want a big brand, but have little time or money to invest. Sadly, many of these groups ignore the best tool in the marketing toolbox – and it’s free. Word of mouth! While your marketing options have expanded … [Read more...]
Making Decisions? A Simple Facilitation Tool
A few years ago, I sat down with my colleagues Nancy Wasserman and Stephanie Lahar to discuss ways to work together more intentionally. We’re friends, we’re consultants with different (but complementary) expertise, and we all run our own one-person businesses. Nancy suggested a very basic exercise. She wrote three columns on a flip … [Read more...]
When Recruiting Board Members, Look for a Willingness to Learn
Note: This is a guest post from our colleague Kim Klein, a terrific author, fundraising trainer, and mentor to many, many grassroots fundraisers. Thanks Kim! Early in my consulting practice, I had the opportunity to work with the boards of three very different organizations. A well-established theater company A welfare rights … [Read more...]
Fundraising Training, Step by Step
Name one important skill you mastered the first time you tried it. Perhaps you can find an example or two, but let’s face it – we become good at things by learning basic principles, followed by lots of practice. Fundraising is no different. It’s a skill to be mastered. If you want your board, staff, or any group to master … [Read more...]
Ask Your Board: How High Will You Go?
Note: This guest post is from our colleague Amy Eisenstein, one of the country’s leading fundraising consultants and trainers. Thanks Amy! Your board members are essential for successful fundraising, especially when it comes to major gift fundraising. Unfortunately, fundraising doesn’t come naturally to most board members, which means … [Read more...]
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