How to Involve Board Members in Stewardship

Does your nonprofit efficiently engage your board members in the stewardship of your donors?

The best nonprofits I work with have board members personally thank their most generous donors.

I strongly prefer a personal phone call. Keep the call warm, friendly, and short. The outline for what is said is straightforward.

The caller should state:

1. His/her name and that they serve as a member of the board for your organization.
2. That he/she is calling on behalf of the board to express his/her personal gratitude for the donor’s recent, generous gift. The board member usually does not need to know the amount of the gift. In any case, the board member should not mention an amount because many donors are rightfully sensitive to who knows how much they give.
3. The positive impact the gift made on the nonprofit. Be as specific about the impact as possible. “Your gift makes it possible to reach more of those we serve” is good, but giving the board member a simple story to tell about the impact of the donor’s gift to change and/or save a life is best.
4. The board member is confident that the funds received by the nonprofit are put to good use and properly managed.
5. Thank the donor again, and politely close the call.

That’s it. Simple and straightforward.

Some additional notes:

• What level of donors should be thanked by a board member? Every nonprofit is different, so you will have to decide where that threshold begins based on what you can reasonably manage, the number of donors your nonprofit has, and the number of board members willing to participate. ­­­
• If a board member prefers to express their gratitude via a letter, that is 100% acceptable. Snail mail or email is acceptable depending on the donor’s communication preference. I prefer a handwritten note (no surprise to Tip readers) because it is more personal and stands out.
• Provide board members with either a draft or an outline of what they should say in their letter. I prefer an outline so the board member can write it in their voice. The goal is to make it easy for the board member to write the letter, otherwise, it may not get done.
• Remember, this is about stewardship and thanking – so no asking in the thank you letter.
• In a phone call, depending on the board member’s skill, s/he may ask simple questions about the donor’s interest in the nonprofit, connection, etc. Make it easy for the board member to share any information with you.
• Since so many phone calls go unanswered these days, it is fine to leave a message.
• Encourage board members to write a letter to anyone with whom they do not talk, even if they leave a message. A follow-up letter gets bonus points in my book.
• Board members are busy. Calls should be made to only the best and/or the most promising donors. Make this as easy as possible for your board members. Beyond all that is mentioned here, ask the board member how you can best help.
• Ask for copies/verification/information from any board communication with donors.
• When the donor sends an additional gift, it is good to let the board member know. That is an encouragement to the board member! You may want the same board member to make a thank you call to the donor. Help the donor build a stronger relationship with your nonprofit through the excellent work of your board member.

Laura Fredricks provided one last idea on engaging board members in stewardship. She stated, “Any time you ask a board member to reach out to donors, you should provide the board member with a one-page sheet with facts about your organization so the board member is prepared to answer standard questions and have a positive conversation. This seems obvious to you and me, but as WE know…board members need it!”

Highly successful fundraisers engage their board members in their stewardship efforts.