Are Boards Enhancing Ministry Fundraising? (CSA Survey Results)
Mike Buwalda, CSA Stewardship Connections Editor
This month I asked CSA members, "Would you say your board enhanced your ministry fundraising efforts over the past 12 months, and, if so, how?" I soon discovered there is some deep emotion around this issue—from great enthusiasm to great frustration—that you'll see in the insightful responses from your peers below.
The enthusiastic survey responders cited several "best practices" that I hope will encourage you and your board to mobilize more support together for your ministry in the coming year. Examples of successful board involvement include
- 100% participation in giving
- Ongoing prayers for the ministry
- Giving tours of the ministry
- Hosting in-home dinners
- Sending "thank you" notes to donors
- Hosting banquet tables
- Many more (see survey responses below)
The frustrated survey responders described their disappointment in many ways, but in general it came down to expectations. This group feels there has been little or no clear expectation for board members to be involved in promoting the ministry. Often, there have been historical and cultural factors behind these feelings.
Whether you're feeling delighted or discouraged by your board's involvement in fundraising, I trust you'll gain fresh encouragement and realize you are not alone as you read the responses below from your peers in ministry development. (Please note that all responses are anonymous this month because of the sensitive nature of the topic).
From Your Peers
Responses from Ministries that Are Satisfied with Their Board's Involvement in Ministry Fundraising
Emphatic yes! Our board authorized "venture" capital to do new name acquisition by radio, to increase direct mail, to add my full-time position to direct mass donor development and to add a full-time phone person to make thank-you calls and solicit lapsed donors. One of our board members is actively meeting with major donors while we search for the right field representative.
Our board definitely has enhanced our fundraising efforts over the past 12 months. Their efforts are not at the level we would all want, but they are learning their roles and do not lack dedication. We are currently conducting a celebration event and have asked them to host a table. The success of the event will tell us more about their effectiveness at friend-raising and, therefore, fundraising.
My board has definitely enhanced my fundraising efforts. They carry a significant burden in personally contributing, getting their friends to contribute, and facilitating the use of executives and employees in their companies to serve on development committees in support of our operational needs. In addition, they use their business contacts to encourage businesses they do work with to consider making us a part of the community outreach to kids.
Yes, our board significantly enhanced our fundraising efforts in 3 ways: personal gifts (the board gives generously to the ministry from their personal funds), introducing friends (our board members invited friends to fundraising banquets that generated about $80K in new gifts/pledges and they are often looking for ways to bring like-minded people to see and get involved in the ministry), and ongoing prayers (our board truly does pray for the ministry regularly, and the Lord has sent specific answers to those specific prayers).
Our board has enhanced and embraced fundraising and public relations efforts. For example, each board member receives a package with a donor list and thank-you notes every month. Each board member actively thanks middle donors by calling them and/or writing a note card and even offering a tour of our ministry. There is 100% board participation at sponsoring a banquet table and inviting guests for annual event. Board members attend public events for appreciation for donors, volunteers, and alumni. Each board member carries information kits in their car with a goal to give out four between meetings. Each board member carries information cards in their wallet or purse the size of a business card to leave on tables, give out, etc.
Our board of directors commissioned a survey to determine the effectiveness of our fundraising processes and then directed the president to prepare a comprehensive funding plan to consolidate all fundraising activities within our national office and coordinate them better. The plan is nearly complete and several organizational changes have already been made to that end. Although they have not provided the answers, their initiative to ask the right questions has been helpful.
[They] participate in a capital stewardship campaign and our annual development dinner by hosting tables and inviting potential donors. They include churches they represent to be donors to our ministries and participation by taking information back to their constituents from the board. I would say [we have] 87–90% participation by the board.
In the midst of a campaign, our board has had 100% participation in giving. However, increased volunteer involvement is needed by the board to move the college to the next leve
Yes, our board has definitely helped in our fundraising efforts in the last 12 months!!! One way I have asked for the board’s help is in hosting a donor dinner in their home, church, country club, or any other appropriate place. Almost every one of our board members have helped with this and I am so appreciative. They invite people they know that could have the potential to donate or that know of our organization or people they want to introduce to our organization. They fund the cost of the dinner so we are not out any money for the dinners. My executive director and I travel to the host home and put on a short, informal program tailored to the guests that are present. We don’t do an “ask” that evening but we do let the guests know of our needs. We leave them with lots of information and ways to donate. We don’t want this to be an uncomfortable evening at all. We are building relationships and introducing new friends to our organization. In time, that will all pay off.
Our board has really stepped up in a big way and not just in the last 12 months
but over the past 2 years. Their level of personal involvement in our fundraising efforts raised over $668,000 in 2004, and over $700,000 in 2005, which led to a gift of $2,000,000 each year from a donor. This donor had been involved with the ministry for some time, but in late 2003, advised us of his conviction that board involvement was critical to the fundraising efforts of any organization so he had decided to tie his giving to what the boards of the organizations he supported did. He required at least 75% board participation at a certain level of either personal giving or giving they had influenced to receive a 3-for-1 match up to $500,000 per quarter. If there was less than 75% participation, the match went to 1 for 1. Our board saw the incredible potential being offered and rose to meet the challenge. From the first quarter of 2004 on, they not only met the requirement, but each quarter the level of what they gave or influenced went up so that every quarter the full 3-for-1 match was realized.
Yes they have in the following ways: 1) Calling top donors and saying thanks. 2) Inviting potential donors to ministry dinners. 3) Participating as donors to the ministry. 4) Being advocates for the ministry by telling others and sharing information. 5) Authorizing the hiring of a development officer.
Responses from Ministries that Want to See More Involvement from Their Board in Ministry Fundraising
Our board is not active at all in fundraising. They are wonderful men of God but have not been active in fundraising. I'm not really sure why. I have not been adamant about asking them. We are looking at embarking on an exciting, somewhat “scary” youth outreach program. If we do I will be asking them to introduce me to at least 10 people of wealth they know. That will help us address the issue at last.
A BIG NO... They have the attitude that fundraising is a staff function. This attitude is not totally their fault. Our director does not like board members meddling. The director has been around for many years and he's in charge. In my opinion, planned giving will not properly work here as long as he has to micromanage the function. Also, the board has rubber stamped the directors’ decisions for so long, they do not question him. Due to age of board members, a turnover is coming soon. I believe that turnover is coming in the 5–10 years.
They did help some during a recently completed capital campaign. However, in the year since, they've done very little.
I am sorry to say that my board doesn’t raise funds. I am in the process of trying to educate them about this but they just don’t like to ask for money. The Boardwise information you are sending is helping out a lot and I hope to get them involved in fundraising in the near future.
My board fully supports our fundraising efforts as long as they are not asked to get involved themselves. That is, do all you can to raise donations but don’t ask us to make any contacts ourselves.
In the last 12 months I made a transition from being a Bible camp executive director to an executive pastor of a large church. As I was leaving the camp, there were several fundraising needs on the table and the camp board was encouraging me to produce in that area but was not directly involved. As I have learned the goings on in the church where I now serve, I see an elder board concerned about funds. Again, aside from prayer and generous personal contributions, they are not directly involved in fundraising.
Frankly, efforts have been somewhat hampered due to some lower management changes and one upper management person who really does not seem to understand fundraising. I am not sure just how much influence our board has had in this process but the results of these changes have hindered and not helped. I am still am very excited about the ministry opportunities I have at my work and we serve an awesome Lord and I serve with very godly people, but it does pain me somewhat to see a good thing messed with for little apparent good.
Our board has not enhanced fundraising efforts to a noticeable degree. When we formed the mission many years ago, I was the first board chair. Some other board members and I convinced our founding president that he was the chief fundraiser and he has gallantly carried that banner since. We now know that is not the way things are supposed to be, so we are in process of changing that mindset as we get new board members.
The board was of no significant help with our fundraising effort the last few years. I'm not totally sure but I believe there are a couple of factors that go into it. One is that the composition of the board is such that there are very few deep pockets represented. There have been some, but the CEO has maintained a chairman for a number of years that seems a little too controlling from the standpoint that he has not allowed a deeper look at the internal finances and necessary, but difficult, actions to balance the budget. These deep pocket people also have their circle of wealthy friends. That has not been tapped because the wealthy board members could never get financial issues pinned down and long-term corrective actions taken. That created a reluctance to incorporate other wealthy friends. The chairman also has a very close relationship with the CEO and sometimes mistakes are swept under the rug with refinancing of long-term debt, which occasionally incorporate yearly budget shortfalls. If internal employees or board members try to confront issues somehow they are either let go or they leave on their own. This was pointed out by a recent resignation of a wealthy board member who tried to change the leadership so bigger issues were not glossed over. Perhaps a term limit would get new blood in board leadership positions. I realize this could have its downfall at times. However, I feel that the bigger number of the board, along with term limits, would help to keep things in check from the misuse of power by one person. I even tried to point out that a recently departed board member, who had very significant wealth, was not giving except for pacifying amounts. I said that lack of giving was communicating something very seriously. He had given quite well before joining the board. The CEO never responded to the concern. All of a sudden I realized this board member was gone. One family that was instrumental in founding our organization has contributed large amounts of money for expansion and improvement, but not yearly budget shortfalls. This source is going to dry up and there has been a small success, as well as effort to attract other donors. There isn't even an annual campaign to attract a broader base of donors and make more part of the ownership of the organization. It seems that the money is welcome but little attention is paid to correcting the yearly budget problems. Perhaps the complacency of fundraising by the CEO, because of the efforts of this family's generosity, has caused the CEO to feel that other fundraising efforts have not been needed. The reliance is on the one family. Incidentally, that family has indicated the need to seek other funding sources. They see the proverbial well drying up. The CEO has incorporated some good insight and stimulated growth in many other ways. It's just that there's a reluctance to look hard at some factors that keep creating the shortfalls. I also believe he has good intentions at heart. Sometimes though, weakness in an area is hard for any of us to confront and seek help from other sources.
Because of the structure of our board, the answer would be no. We are making some modifications, but our board is more of a denominational assigned board rather than a board focused toward development.
By and large, no, I would say the board has not been directly involved in fundraising efforts as “board members.” We operate under the Carver Governance Model and the board has been very supportive and reasonably well focused, but they haven’t seen being fundraising leaders as part of their role. There is discussion on this front though.
Unfortunately, no. There are at least a couple of reasons why. First, strong criteria have not been established for board appointment. Current members were not hired based on a need for involvement in fundraising. The ministry has not, historically, been strong in fundraising, so our board was not expected to engage. I honestly feel the answer is to go through a transition to new board members. My experience with Christians in general would indicate that “fundraising” is a dirty word, similar to “sales.” It takes a very intentional process of seeking both the passion and skill. Passion for the ministry is not sufficient, it must translate into a heart-felt willingness to share the message of the ministry and open up personal networks to intentional and specifics asks.
I have only taken over as president in the last 6 months. Up until I came in they were never educated on their responsibility of development being an important part of their role. I am in the process of reeducating them and it is difficult. I may even lose some board members along the way because of it.
No—they are really just beginning to take on that part of their responsibility as a board members now—so I am looking forward to the next 12 months!
With respect to a capital campaign, many board members supported it with generous donations. Notwithstanding this the support has neither enhanced nor detracted from my planned giving efforts—my main focus.
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