Tips to Successful Fundraising Online
Successful fundraising requires the active and enthusiastic participation of the chairperson of your board, and free fundraising tools. He or she is responsible for setting the tone for a true “culture of philanthropy” in your organization. The chairperson first must make a financial contribution to your organization that is truly a stretch gift. He or she should also address the board and inform members of their fundraising responsibilities.
Most important, the chairperson of your board must visit each board member in person to ask for a capacity gift to your organization. It is a serious mistake to solicit these gifts by letter or—even worse—to make a speech at a board meeting and expect board members to send donations at their convenience. Solicitation of board gifts is identical to solicitation of major gifts: the asks must be made in person. Your board president should also be ready to meet with major donor prospects and with personnel from foundations, corporations, and other grantor agencies. Donors and grantors will certainly want to speak with the executive director; they will also appreciate the involvement of your top volunteer, the board chair.
Like the board chair, the fundraising committee chair is responsible for establishing and maintaining a culture of philanthropy in your organization.
The chair must ensure that the committee is made up of enthusiastic fundraisers who understand that fundraising is not genteel begging but
rather creation of opportunities to invest in your community. The chair ’s job is to make sure that fundraising committee members meet their responsibilities
as described in the plan calendar. As we have already noted, the fundraising committee chair may also have the larger job of leaning gently
on board members and other volunteers to guarantee that they complete their fundraising tasks.
Most important, the chairperson of your board must visit each board member in person to ask for a capacity gift to your organization. It is a serious mistake to solicit these gifts by letter or—even worse—to make a speech at a board meeting and expect board members to send donations at their convenience. Solicitation of board gifts is identical to solicitation of major gifts: the asks must be made in person. Your board president should also be ready to meet with major donor prospects and with personnel from foundations, corporations, and other grantor agencies. Donors and grantors will certainly want to speak with the executive director; they will also appreciate the involvement of your top volunteer, the board chair.
Like the board chair, the fundraising committee chair is responsible for establishing and maintaining a culture of philanthropy in your organization.
The chair must ensure that the committee is made up of enthusiastic fundraisers who understand that fundraising is not genteel begging but
rather creation of opportunities to invest in your community. The chair ’s job is to make sure that fundraising committee members meet their responsibilities
as described in the plan calendar. As we have already noted, the fundraising committee chair may also have the larger job of leaning gently
on board members and other volunteers to guarantee that they complete their fundraising tasks.
