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Our board members should be our organization’s best ambassadors…but most nonprofit staff could tell you that’s not always the case.
We ask a lot of our board members, and we can’t expect them to succeed without the proper tools. One way to support their success is to focus on how board members can support your work in addition to donating—building relationships, opening doors, stewarding your current donors.
Luckily, summer is a great time to help board members build skills and get re-energized for the year to come.
Check out these 4 simple strategies for helping your board members be the best ambassadors possible:
1. Make sure your board knows key talking points about your organization. Can every member of your board articulate your mission, values, and vision statement? Is your board kept informed of recent program wins and updates? Each board member should also be able to articulate why they support your organization and their personal connection to the work.
2. Invite your board members to attend your events, and prompt them to connect with current and prospective donors. This is a great way for your board members to serve as an ambassador in an informal setting and share info about your work. Even better if they invite their friends! Be sure to get a download from their conversations to identify ways to follow up on their conversations.
3. Ask the board to make introductions. Ask your board to think about their network - neighbors, friends, family, and colleagues - and see what connections can be made between their contacts and your work. One great way to get this conversation going is to print out a list of donors who contribute to similar organizations and ask if any board members know them.
4. Create a culture of asking on your board. It doesn’t always need to be money. Can you give each board member a list of donors and contact info and ask them to thank them? This will help make your board members more comfortable connecting with their own networks and asking for donations and other forms of support.
For more ideas of things to ask a prospective partner for besides money, download today’s freebie, 7 Things to Ask for Besides Money!
