Keeping the Board On Track
About This Episode
Year-after-year, the IDB Project has found that only about four in ten board members are actively engaged in individual fundraising. Why might this be the case? In this episode, Andy Robinson explains why he believes we must help board members understand there are other ways to participate in the fundraising cycle that do not involve asking for money.
About Andy
Andy Robinson (www.andyrobinsononline.com) provides training and consulting for nonprofits in fundraising, board development, marketing, earned income, planning, leadership development, facilitation, and train-the-trainer programs. He specializes in the needs of organizations working for human rights, social justice, artistic expression, environmental conservation, and community development.
Over the past 22 years, Andy has worked with organizations in 47 US states and Canada. Recent clients include the American Bar Association, League of Conservation Voters, National Main Street Center, American Rivers, the Land Trust Alliance, and many, many local organizations.
Andy is the author of six books, including Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) to Raise Money, www.trainyourboard.com. His latest is What Every Board Member Needs to Know, Do, and Avoid. When he’s not on the road, he lives in Plainfield, Vermont.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Blog post: Who is Your Board Fundraising Spark Plug?
Board exercise: Ask Better Questions, Raise More Money
Key questions answered in this episode:
0:45 - Only about 4 out of 10 board members are really active. Does this statistic ring true for you?
5:35 - What does it mean for a board member to be an ambassador for the organization?
8:26 - More on what it means to be a board member ambassador.
10:16 - What questions would you suggest board members ask in the ambassadorship process?
15:36 - How do you ensure that board members understand their important role in fundraising?
19:19 - “Give up on your board”
24:34 - How do you keep board members on track with their commitments and the work that they volunteered to do?
29:00 - How can listeners connect with you [Andy] beyond this podcast?
31:37 - Do you have any final words of wisdom?