What Nonprofit Boards Can Learn
from Penelope Burk

by Nathan Garber
January, 2007

Not being a fundraiser, I didn't know who Penelope Burk was when I arrived at the November breakfast meeting of the London Regional Fundraising Executives, but her 60 minute talk was well worth my annual membership fee. Penelope Burk is the author of "Donor-Centered Fundraising" and President of Cygnus Applied Research, Inc., a research-based fundraising consulting firm.   http://www.donorcentred.ca/

Burk’s research was both innovative and compelling in that it went to directly to donors to find out what would keep them involved and enhance their commitment to their organizations.

Through many interviews with donors, she learned that only 20% want public recognition. 80% do not. What most donors want are three things:

1. to be thanked promptly with some form of meaningful acknowledgement;
2. to be reassured that their donation would be used for the purpose they intended; and
3. to receive a report on the results of their last gift before they are asked for the next one.

 Donors told Burk that the amount of their donation is based primarily on what the organization asks for, and is frequently much less than they are willing and able to give. The message was clear -- by asking for more, you may get fewer donors but you will get more money.

Burk’s findings relate closely to my own views about recruiting and retaining board members. I have been advocating for several years, now, that we apply to board recruitment the same approach we use in cultivating major gifts. For organizations that do not seek major donors, I’ll explain what I mean.

In all but the most miraculous circumstances, obtaining a major gift is the result of a long process to build a relationship of trust and understanding. In this process, the donor is offered a range of opportunities to help the organization achieve its vision. Through this process, the organization provides the donor with the assurance that there is a good match between the organization's goals and the donor's intent, that the organization is trustworthy, and that the donor will be satisfied that the donation will achieve its intended results.

Organizations that seek support from major donors recognize that they must allocate resources to finding and cultivating relationships with people who share their vision and have the potential to help the organization achieve its goals. 

This is very different than the way most organizations develop board members.

In most nonprofit organizations, a nominating committee is formed, sometimes only weeks before the Annual General Meeting.  Their first attempts usually involve searching their address books and memories for the names of neighbours, workmates, acquaintances, distant relatives, and other living humans who might be imposed upon to show up occasionally at a board meeting and wave a hand when a vote is called. -- “ Would you be interested in joining the board? It won’t be too much work. Just one meeting a month?”

By leaving recruitment too late and by asking too little, the nominating committee sends a clear message that the work of the board is not important.

Is it any wonder that we get what we ask for?

Burk’s findings also help to explain why it is hard to retain our best board members. The work done by most boards doesn’t provide what people need to stay motivated and committed. Board members don’t get enough reassurance that they are advancing the mission of the organization . Neither do they get enough feedback on the results of the organization’s work. Poring over financial statements and listening to committee reports does not provide enough reason to feel that they are getting good results for their investment of time. On the contrary, it makes them feel that their time would be better spent reorganizing their kitchen cupboards.

As volunteers, board members have the same expectations as donors. To attract those who can be most helpful to our organizations, we need to apply the same principles to board development and donor recruitment. Here are six steps that will help you to recruit better directors, strengthen your boards, and keep board members engaged.

1. Don’t count on personal loyalty and friendships to guide your recruitment. Invest in some prospect research to identify individuals with a history of commitment to the issues you address and/or clients you serve.
2. Once you have found them, get them involved at the starting level they want. Ask them what would interest them? Offer them an opportunity to learn about your organization and the excellent work it does. Begin with a tour of the agency, a periodic newsletter, an invitation to participate in a committee project, or a request for advice based upon their knowledge or skills. Build their commitment before inviting them to join the board.
3. Take a long-range view of board development. Keep good records of who has been approached, what they might offer, how they responded, and what follow-up has occurred. Having established a relationship, keep strengthening it.
4. When make the invitation to join the board, keep in mind that almost nobody joins a board because they want to come to more meetings. They join so they can help you achieve your vision for your clients, members, or community. Plan your orientation and meeting agendas so they provide opportunities to learn about the value of your work.
5. Remember that each director brings different skills, knowledge, and experience to the board. Each director needs to be able to contribute his or her unique perspective to the planning and decision-making process. Evaluate your meetings and ask directors how their role can be made more meaningful.
6. When people leave the board, don’t let them leave the organization. Keep them involved through the same methods you used to cultivate their interest. When they provide advice, or work on a project, remember Burk’s findings. Make sure they are thanked promptly, reassured as to how their contribution will help fulfill your mission, and given a report on the results before you ask them to take on another project.

Major donors don't come out of the woodwork. Neither do great board members. By applying donor development practices to board development, you will increase the likelihood of finding and retaining great board members.

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