Instead of pushing your reluctant board members into cultivating and soliciting donors, ease them into fundraising at the stewardship phase of the donor lifecycle. Engage your board members in a simple thank you or stewardship program.

Author Penelope Burk (who will be presenting in Champaign on September 17!) provided study results suggesting that 95% of study donors would be very appreciative if a member of the board of directors called just to say thank you within a day or two of receiving their gifts. Additionally, 85% of individual donors and 100% of corporate donors said this would influence them to give again to the organizations that made this gesture.

Engage your board members and put these statistics to the test by creating your own donor thank-you program. Read the entire article by clicking here to learn more about putting such a program in place.

START THE CONVERSATION! Does your organization encourage board member participation in the thank you process? Do you think this is a good strategy to help ease members into donor soliciting?

Kelsey I think this is a fabulous idea! I would suggest that the board members try to get the donor talking about why they supported our organization. As board members this is powerful reinforcement. Hearing they "why" from donors will make it easier for the board member to ask. What a great first step.

What a fun phone call to make! Board members that won't make thank you calls probably...well never mind.