Its 12 noon you have not eaten lunch and you still have emails you need to respond to. You have a donor meeting in an hour and after that, you have several more meetings scheduled. Don’t forget you have to eat! It is all a blur but somewhere in the back of your mind is the thought about building fundraising capacity.
Really.
There never seems to be enough time. It is one of the challenges we face in the nonprofit world. However, there should always be time to build fundraising capacity. This can be done with small action steps that will allow your mission to have a greater impact.
Let’s start with the first major ingredient in fundraising, the Board of Directors.
You must engage your board. Whether you have a big or small board, this action can seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be. Print a list of your board members and start a plan to create a relationship with each of them individually. Email each one of them to set up a one-on-one meeting. It’s okay to feel a little overwhelmed at this point, especially if you have a board with over ten members. Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. It will take time, but it will work.
To get the nerves out, start with your favorite board member. Send them an email and invite them to lunch. Let them know that you’d like to talk about building fundraising capacity. They will most likely be excited and receptive to the message. They will even provide you with feedback on how to approach the other board members.
Get the point. List. Invite. Meeting. Repeat.
Space the repeat so that you do not become overwhelmed and add to the stress of what you are already doing. Remember, it’s a marathon.
When you meet with the board members make sure you have a plan on how they can help you. Do you know what role you want them to play in fundraising? Do you have a specific call to action for them? Use the time you have with them wisely. Once their commitment is confirmed follow up with them on a regular basis.
I hope this helps you in your first steps in moving towards increasing your fundraising capacity. If you know of any small actions that can be taken let me know in the comments. Sharing is Caring.
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