I bet you made some new year’s resolutions, didn’t you?

That’s great!

I have an additional resolution to offer you:

Take a stand.

Just take a stand for what you believe in.

Just like that.

Draw a line in the sand and say to yourself, “I want to make a difference.”

And then say “I AM going to make a difference.”  (Isn’t that powerful!)

Because when you make a declaration that you are going to do this, something happens inside.

By “naming it” and “claiming it,” you start making it happen.

Think for a moment.

What really matters to you, anyway?

What urgently concerns you?

I hope it’s the cause you work for so hard.

Because if you are that concerned, then what are you going to do about it?

Remember Gandhi famously said:

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Can you become that change that you so urgently want to see? Can you actually embody that change?

If you want to make it happen, you need these three things along with you.

You need:

1.  Courage

My, oh my, but it’s easy to sit back and expect others to take the lead.

Isn’t it?

But what happens when no one steps up to the plate?

Or when your cause’s supporters lose sight of their goal, or they dissolve into petty bickering or competition?

Well, my friends – nonprofit staffers and board members alike – the world NEEDS more people to step up to the plate.

It takes gumption as we say in the south.

How do you muster up your courage?

You get over yourself.

You hold fast to your vision of what you are trying to accomplish.

You keep your goal firmly in sight and hold on to it tight.

Because if you are totally “possessed” by your goal, then you’ll forget your self consciousness.

I remember when I first started public speaking. I was absolutely scared to death.

Standing up there and looking at all those faces staring at me, expecting me to say something interesting –  it was enough to send panic thru every molecule in my body!

But then I remembered what I was speaking about, and how passionately I felt the need to communicate.

And somehow, I lifted up out of my fear and became in some way “possessed” by my energy, passion and my ideas. And they just spilled out of me then.

Bottom Line: If you hold fast to what you believe to be deeply true, you’ll find more courage than you ever thought you had.

2.  Enthusiasm

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “nothing great was achieved without enthusiasm.”

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." -Emerson

And I so believe this.

Because if you are enthusiastic, you have happy outgoing energy.

This energy is attractive.

It pulls people to you. It pulls supporters, dollars, connections.

All of a sudden people want to hang with you. Your cause’s bandwagon is growing. And growing.

If you are a group of people who are fired-up, enthusiastic, energetic – then you can do anything.

This is the energy that can change worlds.

Pump yourself up.

That’s why I always say that board meetings need to be terrific gatherings.

They need to be like cheerleading sessions. When you pull your team together, you’ve got to fire them up with energy and enthusiasm.

And you’ve got to do the same for yourself.

Get yourself in touch with what really matters to you, and what stand you are going to take.

You’ll be motivated enough to take on the world!

Bottom Line: Everything starts with energy. Make yours expansive and happy – and you’ll attract all sorts of help!

3.  Clarity.

If you want to change the world, and rally supporters to help you, then you need a very clear goal.

You need to know what you are trying to achieve.

You've got to be totally clear and focused about what you are trying to do.

• You need to know when you want it done.
• You need to know how much money you need to raise.
• You need to know what outcomes and results you are aiming to create.
• You need to know what it will take to get there.

You’ll never be successful if you don’t have a clear goal.

If you are raising money for your cause, then you’ve got to say: “ we need xx money in order to do yyy work.”

For example,

• We need to raise $100k in order to bring meals to 2000 elderly members of our community.
• We need $500k to build an orphanage in Africa.
• We need $50k to present a concert or a performance.

I don’t know why nonprofits are so reluctant to state how much money they need.

So many of my clients just say “we need as much money as we can raise.”

That’s fine, but it doesn’t grab donors. It’s not specific enough.

You need a clear goal.

Donors – especially these days – want to know how much help you need in order to accomplish your goals.

They aren’t messing around.

And they don’t like fuzziness.

If your message is muddled, you are not going to raise the money you need.

Bottom line: You’ll never get anywhere if you don’t know where you are going. Have a clear goal!

I hope these ideas help you fire up your board, your staff, and your supporters.

Remember how urgent this is. There’s no time to waste.

There’s too much at stake.

Don’t mess around. Go for it!

Did this resonate? Let me know with a comment!

Do your board members know what to say when they have a lucky moment?

Do your board members know what to say?

I bet many of them are unsure of themselves when they get a chance to have a conversation about your wonderful organization.

Once a board member asked me, “What do I SAY about our organization?”

Here’s what I told her:

“Talk about why you care.”

“Aha,” said the board member, walking away smiling, “of course!”

Part of every board member’s training needs to be work on their own personal elevator speech.

I’m not talking about the “three main marketing messages” or your mission statement. (boring!)

I’m not even talking about a rehearsed, point by point elevator speech that everybody memorizes.

The problem with those strategies is that your board members will probably forget them when they need them.

BUT:

They will never forget why they care.

That’s an impact statement at the highest level.

It’s something they carry with them wherever they go.

And they always know that story.  Because it’s deep in their hearts.

Here’s a powerful, terrific exercise that will help your board members develop their own personal elevator speech – and have fun doing it.

Multiple objectives in this exercise:

Board members never forget why they personally care.

Not only does this give board members training and practice in an important skill, but it also:

• Gets the board members talking to each other.

• Wakes up their passion and energy, and engages them in the cause.

• Reconnects them with the reason they are taking the time out of their busy lives to serve on the board.

• Builds a sense of camaraderie and closeness among the board members.

• Adds some fun to their experience as board members.

• Boosts their morale, and sets them up to take action.

Best yet, it is a team-building exercise, too.

I begin every single one of my “Easy Fundraising for Board Members” retreats with this exercise – and it never fails. People love it!

Here’s what you do.  Ask them this simple question:

“Why do you personally care about our organization?”

It’s a pretty unusual question because board members don’t often get a chance to talk about why they care.

They are too busy doing business and being efficient.

In the interest of using their time wisely, we often don’t take the time to go deeper and touch their hearts.

We rarely ask them about their OWN story.

I am always amazed and pleased with what this question evokes in people. It helps them get back in touch with that deep caring they have in their hearts for your cause.

Here’s how I set up this most important conversation so that no one is self conscious or feels put on the spot.

It’s a casual “mingle exercise.”

Mingle exercises are fun and informal.

Board members just mingle around the room and share their own perspective with other trustees.

How to set this exercise up:

1. Ask your board members what they would say if someone asked them why they cared enough to serve on this board. If they ran into someone at work or socially, what would they say? What speaks to you deeply about our work?

2. Give them a few moments to write down some notes to themselves – what would they really say if given the chance?

3. Then tell them in just a minute we will ask everyone in the room to get up out of their chairs, find a partner, and share these thoughts with FOUR other board members.

4. Explain the exercise:

• You’ll find a partner.
• Introduce yourself in case they may not know you well.
• Then share your story.
• Each person should take about 30 seconds.
• I’ll keep time and call out “Change partners!” when it’s time to find another partner.

5.  Then launch them: “Everybody up!” Have them stand up, find someone to talk to, and share their perspective briefly with four other board members, one after the other.

How to debrief when everyone is finished:

Ask these questions:

• What was their experience like?  Let different people talk.
• What were they saying?
• How were they being?
• Was it easy or difficult?
• Was it fun or awful?
• What did you learn from other board members?

I love this exercise for so many reasons.

This exercise can light a fire in your trustees!

It’s informal.  It’s fun.

And it’s remarkably productive on multiple levels.

When the board members talk repeatedly about what sparks their enthusiasm for your organization’s work, they are re-igniting their own passion as they speak.

The board members also learn from other board members.

They get great energy from the other folks in the room; and they enjoy themselves.

When you do this exercise, you’ll be surprised by the excitement and fun that it generates. You’ll see people laughing and smiling.

Board members love to talk to each other and they rarely get the chance.

It’s a great energy boost and refreshing shift away from boring board meetings.

AND it’s the best morale booster I’ve ever seen.

When they are re-inspired by their own passion for the cause, board members are now ready to go to work.

Because they get back in touch with the deeper issue of why they care, then they are much more ready to tackle the work at hand with vigor – and commitment.

I’ll bet that if you do this before a meeting, you’ll find that it’s one of the best meetings you’ve ever had with this group.

At least that’s what some of my fundraising friends say who have put this conversation in front of their board.

Try it and post a comment here to let me know how it worked!

Is your board ready to assume real leadership for your organization’s future?

Create a board that's ready to ROCK!

If your board is ready to move from “managing” to “leading,” here’s a Manifesto for them to embrace.

Wikipedia defines “manifesto” as “a public declaration of principles and intentions.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your board members had an open discussion about their responsibilities in fundraising?

Why don’t you add this to your next board meeting agenda as a discussion item?

And ask, “what are your impressions of this set of principles?”

Who knows what you might create!

Manifesto for a Fundraising Board

We agree that ALL board members are responsible for actively supporting our organization’s resource development. It is everybody’s job.

We agree that ALL board members can take an active role in fundraising by:

•       thanking donors and helping to develop long term relationships with them

•       building connections for fundraising

•       lobbying for grants and gifts

•       asking for contributions when appropriate

•       raising the visibility of our organization in the community.

We acknowledge that this will help

•       increase contributions

•       build organizational credibility

•       create long term donors who will sustain and support our organization for the long haul

•       help lay the groundwork for future capital campaigns.

Do you think your board is ready for this?

Leave me a comment and tell me why, or why not.

I had the pleasure of talking to the very smart and wonderful Michael Chatman yesterday on his popular live radio “Giving Show.”

Mention fundraising to board members and you get this look back!

We were talking about my favorite subject – how to get board members fired up and active in fundraising.

You can listen here to the 25 minute tape of the show.

I was amazed how many people tuned in.

Michael said it was because this topic is such a pain point with most nonprofit staff members.

People tweeting questions all wanted to know how to get their board members to help raise money.

Like most of my fundraising colleagues, when they ask board members to help, their trustees would get nervous and back off.

Here are my recommendations for getting your board members fired up, in action and ready to help.

And I absolutely promise you, this works!

My Fired-Up Fundraising System is based on some very important principles that can change everything.

I believe in activating people’s passion and energy first.

And you have to lighten up. Make it fun for them.

You need to fan the flames of emotion.

It’s emotion that propels action.

(How much emotion is there in a business meeting run by Roberts Rules?)

I’m all about the psychological and motivational side of dealing with volunteers.

Try motivating board members rather than lecturing to them.

It really doesn’t work to treat them like fourth graders.

Try treating them more like a sales team that needs pumping up all the time.

This exact set of strategies really does work. I refer to them in all my speeches, presentations, workshops, books and articles:

1.   Reawaken their passion for the cause.

Board members have got to get back in touch with why they care –why they wanted to serve on the board in the first place.

Fire-up your board members and you'll unleash incredible energy!

They won’t lift a finger for you unless they are fired up about the cause itself.

You need to help them re-awaken that pull in the heart that caused them to get involved in the first place.

Ask them why they care enough to serve on the board.

That’s my absolute favorite way to get them riled up.

Or, better yet, ask them what legacy they want to leave from serving on the board.

If you can get them talking, then you can make it happen.

You’ve got to let go and let them do the talking.

2. Give them practice with their elevator speech.

They need help learning how to talk about the cause. And I mean real world practice, not role plays in front of the group.

They need help creating their own, personal elevator speech.

Don’t create a “master” elevator pitch and have everybody learn it. Because they’ll forget it.

Instead let each board member craft their own speech based on why they personally care.

Here’s how to set up this exercise.

Make it fun and make it informal.

Give board members practice with their elevator speech.

Ask them to go around the room mingling with other board members and share why they care.

Or work as a group to come up with some great facts to share about your organization.

That would be a fun discussion for your board.

3. Help them understand what you are really raising money for.

Where does the money go? How many people do you help?

How much does all that cost? How much does each program cost and why?

You can have a deep discussion around "what are we raising money for?"

What could you do if you had an extra $100k?

What DO we need? WHY do we need it?

Who’s impacted by it?

How, I mean really, HOW, exactly do we change and save lives with this money we are raising?

Be careful: DON’T make this a presentation.

That will cause their eyes to glaze over and you’ll be left with the monkey on your back.

Instead make it a question and answer DISCUSSION.

Make it informal so that all board members can get into the thinking process.

Frankly, when I take board members through these three steps, I hardly need to do another thing.

When they are

1. In touch with their own passion and energy,

2. Equipped to talk about it,

3. Know how much you need and why you need it,

. . . then you hardly have to anything else, because they are ready to roll.

Sometimes you can’t even stop them. I’m continually amazed at the energy, creativity and strategies that board members come up with when we do these exercises.

This is what Fired-Up Fundraising is all about.

If you want to awaken your board’s energy and put them to work, I can help you with a board retreat that will be transformational – and that they will really enjoy.

One that is practical.

With material they can put right to use.

These exercises are just that – they are practical and experiential. And board members love this stuff!

Try these techniques and make it happen for YOUR board!

Do you want to get the most out of your warm-hearted, wonderful volunteers?

Do you wish you could generate more enthusiasm among your board members?

In my work with boards around the country, I’ve found some magic questions that can awaken their enthusiasm and energy.

In fact, I am constantly amazed at how easy it is to help them get back in touch with their passion for the cause.

Ask your board members these questions and see what happens:

Question #1: Why do you care about our organization?

When board members ponder this question, guess what:

• They get happy.
• They get enthusiastic.
• They feel their deep commitment.
• They go back to the deeper stuff of emotion and energy.

HOT TIP:

All the studies show that it’s emotion that generates action. Data and logic do not compel action.

But get someone hot and bothered and emotional about something – and watch out! Clear the way!

You can read HOW I set up a discussion of this question among board members here – and I really do get some amazing results.

Question #2: Why is our organization’s work important?

Here you are drilling down even further into emotion. Here you are evoking a discussion about impact.

This question conveys images of suffering or needy people who want and need the help that your organization is bringing to them.

Another way to ask this question is: What difference do we make in the world?

HOT TIP:

Be sure you let your board members do the talking when you ask these questions!

They are not going to get their emotions revved up unless THEY are actively engaged in the conversation.

It’s got to be a discussion that every single person participates in – that’s the way to evoke personal emotion.

Question #3: What do you want as a board member? And what do you not want?

We spend so much time thinking about what our board members can do for us – that we rarely stop to consider what we can do for them.

June Bradham, in her terrific book, The Truth About What Nonprofit Boards Want, found that the single largest indicator of board giving was how they rated the “quality” of their experience.

She said, “Great board experience leads to increased desire to contribute.”

So ask your board members what they want out of their experience as a board member.

You just might be surprised! And they will be amazed that you thought enough to ask.

They might say things like these (from June’s book and research):

• We want to work with passionate, committed people.
• We want social time so we can meet the other board members.
• We want to get our hands dirty and get close to our organization’s work.
• We want more education and training.
• We want your operations to be transparent – don’t hide things from us.
• We don’t want any surprises.

HOT TIP:

Be sure your board members are getting what they want out of serving on the board and that they are having a terrific experience.

They will be happy and much more enthusiastic. And you’ll get more out of them.

Question 4: What kind of training and education do you want?

You may be surprised to hear that your board members want more training and education. But on what topics?

Penelope Burk’s recent Cygnus 2011 Donor Survey (that I wrote about last week), found that board members wanted more training in fundraising.

Board members in her survey said they wanted training in:

• How to inspire donors to make larger gifts
• How to interact confidently with donors in a tough economy
• How to initiate conversations with donors
• How to work in teams effectively in asking for gifts

HOT TIP:

Be sure to give your board members fundraising training.

I work all over the continent helping boards work on their elevator speeches, learn how to talk to donors, how to get the door open, how to prep a donor for an ask, how to ask successfully, and find out how donors are behaving differently these days.

And board members love it!

They are often fascinated (no kidding)  by this material.

This past week I worked with the board chairs of the YMCA’s in the state of Illinois, and they were on the edge of their seats the whole time – eager and interested.

Give your board members this kind of training, and they will be ready to go to work in fundraising!

Here’s a question: what do you think YOUR board members want?

Leave a comment and let me know: