SELECTIVE TEAM RAISING FOR SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING

Elizabeth Heys, DirectorDevelopment & Donor RelationsSan Juan Diego AcademyApril 2018

Local Resources of Exceptional Value• AFP - West Michigan Chapter

P.O. Box 6302 Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6302(616)222-6144 afpwm.org

• Michigan Council of Foundations125 Ottawa NW, Suite 437Grand Rapids, MI 49503(616)842.7080michiganfoundations.org

• Grand Rapids Grant Writers Roundtable301 Michigan Street, Suite 118Grand Rapids, Michigan(616) 331-6801sites.google.com/view/grantwritersroundtable/home

•201 Front Ave. SWGrand Rapids, Michigan 49504(616)331-7585jcp@gvsu.eduJohnsoncenter.org

REFERENCES:

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WHERE TO FIND THIS POWERPOINT?

Visit: Sanjuandiegoacademy.comClick: News and Events Select: Development Powerpoint

So, you want to gather a group of people to help you find money for your

organization.

But, what do you call that?

Name your beast…

Is it a Campaign?An Appeal?Advancement?Fundraising?Philanthropy?Development?

Will this group…Govern?Advise?Manage?Advocate?Work?

What do we call this team of people who work to develop and maintain your organization’s primary Philanthropic relationships?

Is it a Board? Is it a Council?Is it a Committee?

In the case of SJDA:

• Preserving and, when necessary reshaping the mission.• Selection of chief executive.• Financial and fiduciary responsibility• Ensuring the organization is well managed• Protecting the organization from external threats• Representing the organization to the external world• Representing the external world to the organization• Approaching issues strategically rather that focusing on operational issues

So, we call ourselves….

A (Hard) Working Development Board  

How Big Should It Be?

Small enough to be: • Agile• Intimate • Cohesive• Accountable

Large enough to:

• Offer Creative Tension• Get the Job Done

SAN JUAN DIEGO ACADEMY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

How will your board or committee function?

  What are its responsibilities?

Executive Management Should Expect Certain Things from its Board Members

• Attendance• Be prepared and informed• Speak your mind and ask hard questions/Honest Dialogue • Commit your personal financial resources • Pledge Time, Talent and Treasure to the organization, offering introductions to and connections with

business and personal relationships, family, friends and colleagues• Stewardship of the organization’s external people assets• Integrity is paramount.• Attitude of Servant leadership.• Platinum rule – treat others better

The Board Should Expect Certain Things From Its Executive Management• A cooperative and open relationship• Guidance on policy and strategy• Sufficient amounts of the right kind of information, in a timely fashion, to enable trustees individually and collectively to fulfill their duties.

• Management’s best interpretation of reports, performance and leading indicators

• Expect the organization to be good corporate citizen• Integrity is paramount• Attitude of Servant leadership.• Platinum rule – treat others better

How do you build your development board?

Your mission is too important to accept less than the best.

Effective Recruitment Gets the Right People on Board

• Build a year round nominating committee that recruits people with the skills you need to meet your mission

• Build a skills matrix to help identify the kinds of expertise you are seeking• Host a ‘Focus Group” to help bubble up interested parties• Invite guests to attend a board meeting or two or to host a presentation • Great Donors make great Board Members (They are already true believers!)• Look for people of Influence and Affluence • Look for effective skill sets• Investigate Parish Newcomers• Let prospects know right from the beginning why you want them on your board

Effective Self-Management Keeps Them There• Know your ‘product’ • Maintain transparency (and your board’s trust) • Set meeting dates a year in advance and don’t change

them• Conduct productive meetings where every voice is heard

and counts• Ask individual members to “report out” at each meeting• Review previous minutes and be sure all ‘to dos’ are done• Encourage discussion and avoid the Rubber Stamp• Have a Purposeful Agenda where All Participate• Keep meetings in the designated time frame• Create a welcoming, collegiate and professional

atmosphere

Recruitment Matrix

Three Traps of the Board Composition Matrix

1. The Skills Trap• If your organization needs help with social media, a Public Relations executive who assists local

manufacturing companies with their corporate sales content may not be as valuable to your board as the savvy part time editor of the church bulletin or the journalism professor at the area community college.

o The emphasis on skills and position often leaves out experience, knowledge and perspective . . and implies that only professionals are qualified to be on boards.

• Instead of focusing on skills: focus on actions needed. Look for someone who can and will help adapt our website and utilize Instagram rather than looking for a PR guru who is already being tapped by every other nonprofit.

2. The Inclusivity Trap ● Instead: focus on actions needed. Do we need someone who can reach the Arab grocers

association to get their support for the plastic bag ban? Do we need someone who can help recruit Spanish speaking Big Brothers?

○ Nearly all boards feel weighed down by demographic diversity imperatives. Whether it's a mostly white board thinking, "we need someone who's black," or an all Asian board thinking, "we don't have anyone from India," too often we end up with someone who lets us check the demographic box but never becomes engaged.

● By adding people to your board with action attributes rather than simply looking for someone who is Arab or Latino, your organization will be viewed as sincerely proactive and the demographics you once sought will come knocking on your door!

3. The Connections Trap 

• Too often we recruit board members because they are wealthy and know other wealthy people, or because they work for a corporation that we hope will make a corporate grant to us.

• Just because a person makes $25,000 donations to other organizations doesn't mean she wants to make one to your organization. And just because he has wealthy friends doesn't mean he is willing to introduce them to you!

(Of course, if you are being transparent and professional, you have already told your recruit what your expectations are and

that his/her connections are important to your cause)

Matrix Contrarians advise that instead of building your board solely around a Composition Matrix, we ask ourselves two questions:

What are the three most important things for our board to accomplish this year?

Do we have the right people on the board to make that happen?

Throw the Matrix Away????

• In the end, everyone has a role to play.

• Every method has a benefit.

• Leave no stone unturned in your board-building strategy toolkit

Job Descriptions

WE DON’T DO THEM!

These expectations are repeated in all communications and can be built into a signed Letter of Intent when a new member comes on board.

BUILD JOB DESCRIPTIONS AROUND GIFTS OF THE SPIRITThe gifts of the Spirit are

simply God enabling believers to do what He has called us to

do.

PIETYhelps us to see God’s holiness reflected in other people and

to love them.( People with the gift of Piety see the good in everyone.)

KNOWLEDGEis having a deep trust and sureness about the Lord

(These are positive people who bring positive energy to your

board)

FORTITUDEis the willingness to stand up for

what is right(This person will help lead the

good fight)

FEAR OF THE LORDis the feeling of amazement

before God, who is all-present(These people are inspirational

and that’s just awe-some!)

COUNSELthe ability to receive and/or give good

advice(Who doesn’t want this gift expressed

on their board?)

UNDERSTANDINGhelps us comprehend God’s message

WISDOMThe gift of Wisdom enables us to see God’s vision of the world.

Wisdom helps us develop the ability to make judgments.(This is your Big Picture person)

• Invest in your board members: Get to know every board member personally.

• Take time to discern their gifts - spiritual and temporal

• Match that personal energy - those gifts of the spirit - with an important task and ask for his/her commitment.

Have faith in your board and in yourself!

Have patience in everything:

• if it is serving, then serve; • if it is teaching, then teach; • if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; • if it is giving, then give generously;• if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.• if it is to lead, do it diligently;

Romans 12:7-8

The End