2015-11-10 building a strong fundraising board

Thrive. Grow. Achieve.

Building a Strong Fundraising Board

Dick Walker, Senior Consultant Orr Associates, Inc.

November 10, 2015

Prepared for Raffa Learning Community November 10, 2015 Dick Walker, Senior Consultant Orr Associates, Inc.

Building a Strong Fundraising Board

© 2015 Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI)

• Me

• You

• Today

Introduction

• The Size and Structure of Your Board Matters

• Recruit the Right Team

• Fundraising is Every Board Member’s Job

Agenda

The Size and Structure of Your Board Matters

• Big boards

• Smaller boards

Size

• Terms

• Term limits

Structure

• Internally focused

• Externally focused

Committees

• Board

• Committees

• Succession

Leadership

Recruit the Right Team

• Commitment to the Mission

• A Philanthropic Spirit

• Financial Capacity

The Three Essential Qualities

First Quarter Orient new board – identify needs for

next year using your board profile

Second Quarter Determine renewals and retirements and have conversations with both – identify candidates who meet identified needs

Third Quarter Interview candidates using a job

description – determine a “slate” to be presented to the full board

Fourth Quarter Approve the slate – inform new and

renewed board members/celebrate the services of those rotating off the board

Board Recruitment

Profile Your Board Tier Member Name Affiliation Source

Assigned To Industry / Profession Skills / Exp

Mar

ketin

g / P

R / M

edia

Healt

hcar

eBa

nking

/ Ac

coun

ting

Inve

stmen

tsLe

gal

Socia

l Wor

k / H

RBu

sines

s Dev

elopm

ent

Neigh

borh

ood L

eade

r

Insu

ranc

eFu

ndra

ising

/ Ev

ent P

lannin

g

Mar

ketin

g / P

RM

anag

emen

tTe

chno

logy

(IT)

Fina

ncial

Acco

untin

gLe

gal

• Advocacy for the organization and its mission

• Service/attendance

• Fundraising activity/financial support

• Governance participation

• Knowledge of the organization

• Access to information and confidentiality

• Collective and personal evaluation

Board Job Description

• Keep in mind your organization’s plan and its immediate priorities

• Seek new board members for what they can do to help address priorities

• In other words, recruit board members for what they do, not who they are

Recruit for Your Organizational Priorities

Sectors Skills Demographics Other Factors

Local industry Legal Age Nonprofit Board Experience

High Tech Finance & Accounting Gender Personal Wealth

Government Investment Race “Plays well with others”

Developers Human Resources Residence Corporate or foundation ties

Legal Government Relations Ties to other organizations

Education Marketing

Health Care IT

Banking Fundraising

Retail

Nonprofit

Board Diversity

• Recognize

• Involve

• Seek Counsel

• Re-enlist

Past Board Members

Fundraising is Every Board Member’s Job

• Give Generously

• Be an Advocate

• Participate in Fundraising

The Big Three

• Setting expectations

• The annual contract

• Board goes first

• 100% participation

Give Generously

• Heart

• Head

Be an Advocate

• Identify

• Cultivate

• Ask

• Thank

Participate in Fundraising

Questions and Discussion

Dick Walker (202) 719-8082 dwalker@oai-usa.com

Thanks.

© 2015 Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI)