fundsforNGOs - Grants and Resources for Sustainability

Grants and Resources for Sustainability

  • Subscribe for Free
  • Premium Sign in
  • Premium Sign up
  • Home
  • Latest Funds
    • Agriculture, Food and Nutrition
    • Animals and Wildlife
    • Arts and Culture
    • Children
    • Civil Society Development
    • Community Development
    • COVID
    • Democracy and Good Governance
    • Disability
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Employment and Labor
    • Environmental Conservation and Climate Change
    • Family Support
    • Healthcare
    • HIV and AIDS
    • Housing and Shelter
    • Humanitarian Relief
    • Human Rights
    • Human Service
    • Information Technology
    • LGBTQ
    • Livelihood Development
    • Media and Development
    • Narcotics, Drugs and Crime
    • Old Age Care
    • Peace and Conflict Resolution
    • Poverty Alleviation
    • Refugees and Asylum Seekers
    • Science and Technology
    • Sports and Development
    • Sustainable Development
    • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
    • Women and Gender
    • Youth
  • Awards
  • Conferences
  • Fellowships
  • Funds for Companies
  • Sample Proposals
  • Jobs
  • Submit Your Grant
  • About us
  • Contact
    • Advertise with us
Your are here: fundsforngos.org » NGO Management Resources » How board members can play a role in resource mobilization

How board members can play a role in resource mobilization

484
SHARES
ShareTweetWhatsappEmail

Board members are the core drivers of an organization. They set the direction of the organization for years to come. They constitute the board, a collective body that governs the non-profit, guide the organization to work towards its mission and vision. Despite their importance in functioning of the organization, most of the board members do not actively play role in resource mobilization. Though it is not mandated as their ‘role and responsibility’ in the non-profit, the board can definitely take a step ahead to catalyze the growth of the organization without ‘asking for money’.

 

Active involvement of the board can definitely fuel the growth, more importantly so in the case of smaller NGOs. Here are a few ideas how they may play crucial role in resource mobilization, to bring in resources to fuel the functioning of the organization, bringing a sense of responsibility towards it, and utilizing their skills, expertise, experience and goodwill to benefit the organization in the long run:

  • Advocacy

Ask them to advocate with government for your organization or cause. For example, if you are an organization working for children, you may have someone on your board who is an educationist, academician, bureaucrat, or government official. You can request him/ her to advocate for your cause with the government. He/ she may even help you in getting government schemes and projects.

  • Involving donors

The board members are very passionate towards the cause of the organization. They devote their time to actively participate in the planning, and activities too. This alone can set a very good example to motivate the donors. Thus, you may ask your board to motivate donors, or you may display their stories on your website.

  • Negotiations

The board members may contribute indirectly towards the financials, by negotiating with suppliers or vendors to supply goods or services for lower prices. Their good will and connections can help your organization in this way.

  • Diverse expertise

Your board might have highly knowledgeable people from diverse fields and backgrounds. You may ask them for support related to their domain. For example, an organization who has a lawyer in the board, can ask for legal advice from him/ her. This will help the organization gain from the learned and experienced law professional, while also saving cost if help was to be sought from elsewhere.

In this way, your board can kick start some of your resource mobilization efforts, and also can help with diverse and useful knowledge and domain expertise. 

  • Employing a donor appreciation program

For organizations which embed donor acquisition and retention strategies into their overall goals and strategy, donor recognition and appreciation are one of the very important ways to achieve long term results. And with internet, crowd-funding platforms, social media and online platforms, these strategies and programs are very easy to implement. So, involve your social media/ communications team along with your core team to employ your donor appreciation program.

  • Why a donor appreciation program

We know how important donors are for non-profits, and it is the responsibility of non-profits to thank them for their contribution, and let them know they are valuable. A simple acknowledgment will help them getting tax benefits, feeling good about their contribution, and in developing willingness to stay association in the long run, meaning donor retention. So it is a win-win for you and your donors. Though there is no limit to creativity and innovative ideas for developing and implementing a donor appreciation program, here are a few suggestions.

  • Choose a time, platform and frequency

Select a time of the year when you want to employ donor appreciation/ recognition program. It can be an ongoing activity too, on your website/ social media accounts. For example, you may contribute a section to ‘donor of the day/ week/ month’ on your website. Update it very often. Try to recognize and acknowledge every donor’s contribution. If some donors would prefer anonymity, you may provide a dashboard/ infographics on your website to show donors’ activities and contributions on weekly or monthly basis, without names or personal information.

  • Interest of donors

Know your donors. Understand their preferences. Many donors may like to hear ‘thanks’ and how important their contribution is, on social media or public platforms, while many others would like anonymity despite their ‘good deed’. It is important to respect their choices and so take consent before publishing anything with donor information.

  • Selecting a theme

A theme can provide your campaign or program with relevance and context, alongwith a sense of belongingness to the donors who relate to the cause. Theme may be women and children, water and nature conservation, etc. Give a brief background about the theme, donors who have contributed towards the cause, and appeal to those who wish to be associated.

  • Motivate them to ‘give’ more

Research has shown that appreciated and happy donors are very likely to donate again for the cause. So, demonstrating gratitude towards donors is good for them as well as for your non-profit, as they are likely to be associated with you for longer periods. Inspire them and motivate them by sharing other donors’ stories, sharing stories of people who were benefitted by their contribution, and of those who need their help and support.

  • Never forget to acknowledge

Apart from public recognitions and media posts, never forget to acknowledge the contribution of donors in form of thank you letters and receipts, which will make them avail tax exemptions as per your country’s laws, while also making them feel good.

  • Make them know you better

Keep them updated about your latest plans and actions taken on the ground. Share pictures and stories of work done, people benefitted, and of the work to be done too. Share the cause and problems that you wish to address in the future, and what kind of support you will need to accomplish your mission. Deepen their understanding of your cause, mission and vision.

About Dr Saumya Arora

Dr. Saumya Arora is a development professional with cross-disciplinary experience in project management, resource mobilization, donor relationship management, community mobilization and project execution at the field level. She is currently working towards building fundraising and resource mobilization capacity of community-based organizations, apart from developing functional linkages with donors across the world.

Comments

  1. FRANS MALEMELA says

    April 5, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    This are good guidance on how to keep funders happy and we really appreciate this guid lines.

    • Deepika Singh says

      April 6, 2016 at 5:11 am

      Hi Frans Malemela,

      Thank you very much for your kind words. You can find more good opportunities and programmes at https://fundsforngos1.wpengine.com/

      Thank You!

RSS Q&A

  • Why are the concepts of transparency and accountability important for NGOs?
  • Can you give me a list of management policies used by NGOs?
  • How to Get Core Funding?
  • How to research ideas before writing the Concept Note?
  • What should one keep in mind while managing NGO finances?
  • How Marketing and Communication Strategies can help NGOs achieve Fundraising Success?
  • How to establish Effective Governance in Your NGO?
  • What do funders look for in a grantee?
  • What to do if your grant proposal is rejected?
  • What are the challenges and problems in writing proposals for raising funds for my NGO?
  • What steps do NGOs need to follow to remain sustainable?
  • How can NGOs ensure that they achieve programmatic sustainability?
  • What type of Project Titles Could impress a Donor?
  • What are the types of Scams NGOs should be aware of?
  • How NGOs can identify Genuine Grant Opportunities and Donor Organizations and avoid Scams?
  • Why is financial management important for NGOs
  • What are the core values one should follow when establishing an NGO?
  • How NGOs can develop a quick Proposal Concept Note to apply for Grants to address the COVID-19 impact?
  • How to get started with Twitter?
  • How to set up 501(c) 3 non-profit in United States and what are its advantages?

Free Resources for NGOs

Premium Proposal Writing Resources

  • How can Short Concept Notes attract Large Funding
  • Things to Know When Applying for USAID Grants
  • 2020 Guide on How to Write Proposals
  • How to Prepare Your Proposal in under 60 Minutes
  • How can Sample Proposals help you write the Perfect Grant Proposal
  • A Simple Guide on How to Submit a Funding Request to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Sample Proposal Templates that can Succeed!
  • How to Write Proposals under Tight Deadlines
  • How to submit an Unsolicited Proposal to USAID
  • Things to know when applying for the European Commission Grants
  • Golden Tips for Writing Proposals from Top Donor Agencies
  • Simplifying Logframes: A Guide for NGOs on How to Develop a Logical Framework

Terms of Use
Third-Party Links & Ads
Disclaimers
Copyright Policy
General
Privacy Policy

Contact us
Submit a Grant
Advertise, Guest Posting & Backlinks
Fight Fraud against NGOs
About us

Premium Sign in
Premium Sign up
Secret Discount Link
Premium Customer Support
Premium Terms of Service

FUNDSFORNGOS LLC
140 Broadway 46th Floor
New York, NY 10005
United States

https://fundsforngos.org | https://fundsforngospremium.com

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE!

Click here to Get Email Alerts about the Latest Grants
We promise never to spam, sell or share your information.

Go to mobile version