Praise for A Fundraising Guide for Nonprofit Board Members
"Julia Walker's book is loaded with useful and practical fundraising advice for nonprofit board members and CEOs who face fundraising challenges in today's economic climate. She touches all the important bases on how to mobilize board and staff in successful fundraising campaigns. Julia Walker's book is indispensible reading for executive directors and all board members."
Gordon H. "Nick" Mueller, PhD President and CEO, The National WWII Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana
"A must reada comprehensive toolkit for board members, CEOs, and CAOs. Julia's book not only prepares prospective board members for their roles but also informs current board members of their duties and responsibilities to the organizations they serve."
John Scarpucci, President, Forum for Fundraising, Fundraising Online Seminar Resource
"With this book, Julia Walker makes it possible for nonprofit organizations to invent their future rather than struggle in a debilitating state of constant scarcity. Those boards that recommit to their dreams will want the practical advice on fundraising in this bookadvice presented in an easy-to-use format with insights gleaned from real-world examples developed by an author who has lived it."
Martha W. Gilliland, PhD Vice President, Research Corporation for Science Advancementformer chancellor, University of Missouri-Kansas City
"Julia Walker brings a wealth of professional fundraising experience to her work, and she writes it in a way that is easy and practical for those of us who are in board leadership positions. This book will be a great help to others like us who have a great vision and need guidance with fundraising efforts."
Keith M. Little, Navajo Code Talker, USMC 4th Marine Division WWIIPresident, Navajo Code Talkers Foundation
"Julia Walker offers the kind of unique insight and practical advice that is derived from years of hands-on board training and fundraising success. This book should be included in every nonprofit board member's orientation!"
K. Marianne Berner, Director of Development, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES)
"Julia's years of practical experience with boards, coupled with a good sense of humor, make this a good read, and more importantly, a satisfying read. Each chapter builds on the prior ones, and the whole book comes together as a complete guide to training a board in fundraising. Julia's book is certainly beyond the basics."
David F. Edwards, gift and estate tax attorney and charitable trustee
Julia Ingraham Walker has been active in fundraising in New Orleans and the surrounding region for over twenty-five years. She served as vice president for advancement at Tulane University, where she directed a successful $250 million campaign. For the past twelve years, Julia has worked as an independent fundraising consultant on a regional and national basis. While her specialty has been consulting on capital campaigns, she became very active in a variety of rebuilding efforts in the calamitous post-Katrina period in New Orleans. Her clients include a diverse array of local, regional, and national nonprofits, including independent schools, charter schools, animal welfare organizations, museums, parks, and arts and cultural organizations. She was named New Orleans Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for her work at Tulane and is the author of three other books published by Wiley. Julia's ongoing work with numerous nonprofit boards inspired her to write this guide for board members.
Preface
An Introductory Note to Board Members
An Introductory Note to the Executive Director/CEO
How This Book Is Set Up and How to Use It
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 Board Leadership in Fundraising
A Challenging Economic Environment
The Board&'s Leadership Role in Fundraising
Beyond “Give or Get”
Building a Fundraising Board
Recruiting the Fundraising Board
The Fiduciary Role of the Nonprofit Board
The New Role of Boards in Ensuring Accountability
Summary
Chapter 2 Setting the Pace with Board Giving
Giving and Asking at the Board Level
Setting a Minimum Gift Level
Capital Campaign Giving
Develop a Plan for Board Giving
How to Solicit Board Members
How to Increase Board Giving
Prepare for Your Fundraising Role
Become Educated About the Programs and Services Provided By the Organization
Spread the Good Word About Your Organization Throughout the Community
Understand the Big Financial Picture and How Fundraising Fits In
Become Familiar with the Fundraising Operation and Programs
Start Thinking About Who You Know Who Could Provide New Sources of Funds
Assist the Development Operation in Ways Beyond Giving Money
Practice and Ensure Ethical Behavior
Summary
Chapter 3 Getting Ready to Fundraise
Define Organizational Needs
What is Your Organization Raising Money For?
Strategic Planning and the Board
Fundraising for Current Operations
Setting Annual Fund Goals
Planning for Comprehensive Campaigns
Defining a Table of Needs
Your Role as a Board Member
Getting Organized for Fundraising
Development Committees
Annual Fund and Capital Campaign Committees
Training Board Members to Fundraise
Special Training Options
Build Board Buy-in for Fundraising
Summary
Chapter 4 Building the Team
Who Is On the Team?
Nonprofits with No Professional Fundraising Staff
The One Person Development Shop
Staffing Larger and More Complex Organizations
How to Hire: What to look for in a Chief Advancement Officer
Where to Look for a Chief Advancement Officer
Building the Advancement Team
Standards for Staffing and Cost per Dollar Raised
Big Gifts are Much Less Expensive to Raise than Little Gifts
Fundraising Consultants
Do You Need a Fundraising Consultant?
Summary
Chapter 5 The Annual Fund Raising Money for Operations
Raising Money for Operations
Annual Fund: Setting the Goal
The Importance of Board Giving
Annual Fund: The Moving Parts
Direct Mail
Phone Solicitation
Giving Electronically: Online, Through E-mail, or Texting a Gift by Phone
Making the Case for the Annual Fund
Giving Levels, Giving Clubs, and Benefits
Galas and Fundraising Events
Leadership Annual Fund Programs
How to Ask for a Leadership Annual Fund Gift
Summary
Chapter 6 Major Gifts and Mega Gifts
An Introduction to Major Gifts
The Ripple Effect
The Process Behind Major Gifts
Who Are Our Prospects?
Sources for Information on Prospects
Electronic Prospect Screening
Major Gift Prospects: What to Look For
Giving Capacity
Philanthropic Intent
Interest and Commitment to Your Cause
Connection to the Organization
Reviewing Lists with the Board
Cultivation
Three Stages of Cultivation
Transformational Gifts: Giving at the Top
How Big is Big?
Planning for Super Sized Gifts
Talking about Really Big Gifts
Don't Worry about Asking for Too Much
The Downside to Mega Gifts
Summary
Chapter 7 How to Ask for and Close a Gift
Preparing for a Successful Call
Determine the Best Team for Each Solicitation
Assign Roles to the Team
Setting the Appointment
Decide What You Are Going to Ask For
The Five Elements of the Successful Ask
The Solicitation Process
Six Common Issues in Negotiating and Closing Gifts
The Donor Wants to Consult with His Wife, His Children, or His Foundation Trustees Before He Can Respond
The Donor Replies that He Is Interested in Naming the New Building, but He Can Only Give $1 Million, Rather Than the $2 Million Asked For
The Donor Responds that He is Involved in Some Estate Planning Right Now and Isn't Ready to Make a Decision
The Donor Responds That the Gift Level Is Too High
The Donor Repeats an Old Complaint About the Organization and How He Has Been Treated in the Past
Multi-Year Pledges
When to Make a Double Ask
Summary
Chapter 8 Getting Ready for a Fundraising Campaign
An Introduction to Fundraising Campaigns
Types of Campaigns
Why Your Campaign Needs a Plan
Campaign Feasibility Studies
Setting Realistic Goals
Setting Realistic Goals
Determine Needs to Develop Goals
Analyze Past Giving and Project An Increased Rate of Giving Into the Future
Evaluate and Rate Your Organization's Campaign Prospects
Conduct a Feasibility Study
Campaign Structure: Phases, Timetables and Gift Tables
The Quiet Phase
The Public Phase
Using Gift Tables in Campaign Planning
Sample Gift Tables
Summary
Chapter 9 Fundraising Campaigns
How to Make your Campaign Succeed
Campaign Leadership
Role of the Executive Director/CEO
Articulating the Vision
Using Staff Effectively
Staffing and Tracking of Volunteer Activity
Board Leadership in a Campaign
The Role of the Board
Before the Campaign
Campaign Volunteer Structure
Campaign Chairs and Co-Chairs
Making the Case
Campaign Recognition and Pricing
Naming Opportunities in the Capital Campaign
Pricing Naming Opportunities
How to Set the Price for Naming a Building
Planning Donor Recognition
Recognition for Gifts to Endowment
Summary
Chapter 10 Additional Sources of Giving Foundations, Corporations, and Planned Giving
Giving from Foundations
Family Foundations
National Foundations
Corporate Philanthropy
Planned Giving: Add to Your Fundraising Tool Box
How to Recognize a Planned Giving Prospect
Types of Planned Gifts
Consider Charitable Trusts
Bequests: The Easiest Form of Planned Giving
How to Talk about Planned Giving
Marketing of Planned Gifts
Stewardship
Your Role as a Board Member
Summary
Appendix
Materials for a Board Retreat on Fundraising
Preparation
Board Retreat Agenda
Agenda with Discussion Points
Next Steps: After the Meeting
Materials for Board Training Exercise on Fundraising
Role Play Exercise
Glossary
Index