If you are a board member, volunteer or nonprofit staff, I bet you have said this before (or you have heard others say these phrases)-
“I have tried asking others for donations, but I got discouraged when I didn’t get a gift.”
“I don’t like bothering my friends. Asking for donations feels rude.”
“I don’t like ‘dialing for dollars,’ even if it means calling donors who have given before.”
You CAN learn to be a fundraising superhero! It just takes some training and confidence-building!
Let me ask you these questions –
- How prepared did you feel with having adequate information before making the “ask?”
- Did you demonstrate your passion for the nonprofit’s work and why you got involved in the first place?
- Did you make your own gift first, or reference another person who did and the impact it made?
- Were you able to tell a true story of the work of the nonprofit on a personal level?
- Did you know that as a board member, there are many roles you can play in the fundraising process?
Worldwide fundraising expert and my friend, Gail Perry, made an awesome video on this very subject that everyone should watch. Check out what she has to say, and I look forward to reading your comments!
