The Foraker Group

There are a few general rules about board giving. The most important is “opportunity, not obligation.” This means that if the board members feel like they “have to” give, then it is likely they will not give at the level that makes them feel good or is helpful to the organization in the long term. If this conversation starts for the first time when the organization wants to approach a funder, it is easy to get stuck in “how much” rather than “why” it’s important that board members make a charitable contribution to the organization.

I encourage organizations to remember several important points about board giving:

• As lead investors, board members show the community and funders that they believe the organization is a good financial investment and can be trusted.
• Board giving is also a signal to the members themselves and to the community that giving and receiving feels good and is a values driven effort. I always encourage board members to be treated like major donors regardless of what they give because they are invested in the organization in so many ways already. This means that we must treat board members like any major donor – with kindness, respect and most importantly as individuals.
• We should always thank people for what they already do before we ask them for anything else (an often forgotten step). We would never say to a donor “take out your checkbook, we have a goal to meet.” Instead, we would offer a thoughtful appeal to the person to reflect on the organization and what it means to them – then ask for a gift that represents their commitment and is within their means.

If your board struggles with these concepts, a few conversations they can have with themselves and their families may help – specifically:

1. How do I think about this gift? What would make it feel good?
2. Do I consider this donation a “have to” or a “want to” gift?
3. Can I consider giving a bigger gift if I spread it throughout the year – filling in a pledge form now to show my support but taking the year to pay?
4. Does this gift represent the top three gifts that I will make to nonprofits each year? The general rule for board members is that the answer should be “yes.” If it is “no,” then that’s another interesting conversation to have.

In some cases, these conversations can also be used for the board to learn what the organization can do better to cultivate, solicit and steward charitable gifts in a values driven way.

At the end of the day, board giving should help members understand the benefits annual charitable giving brings to an organization. It also allows the board to better understand the cultivation that occurs when each donor is personally asked and thanked for gifts in a meaningful way.

Finally, staff should not be the “asker.” This is awkward at best. A better scenario is that board members ask each other, and staff is there to lend support, structure and backup.