Board Engagement - 4 Ideas for Board Members At Fundraising Event

Your board is a powerful tool, but you may not be engaging at your charity fundraising event. While board members may want to socialize with each other and their guests, they should have expectations of specific roles and responsibilities both during the night of and after the event. Here are 4 ideas for Board Members that not only get phenomenal results, but are easy asks that board members will enjoy undertaking.

1. During the dinner break or a break in the program, ask board members to leave their table and visit with guests at another table. The board member should then introduce herself to everyone at the new table and personally thank them for coming. If you have more tables than board members, assign board members 2-3 tables each. This personalized introduction makes new guests feel welcome, existing guests feel special, and makes all feel important and valued.
2. If you board hosts or purchases tables, ask your board members to write a personalized note to all guests at their table. The note doesn’t have to be long but it should thank the person for attending and let them know why the organization is special to them. Customarily, board members will purchase a table for your fundraising gala and invite their friends and neighbors to join their table. These notes will be easy to write and makes each guest feel special and compelled to support financially when the time comes.
3. Create a target list of donors in attendance who have a capacity to give. Assign board members the task of  connecting with/talking to 1-2 of these donors during the cocktail hour. This should be a natural introduction & conversation and not an interrogation. Ask the board member to introduce themselves, welcome the potential donor and get to know them a little better. Ask them where they work, why they’re at the event, and other general donor cultivation details. The board member should report their findings at the post event debrief.
4. Make sure you ask your board to follow up with everyone who was at your event and offer a personal thank you. They should thank the target donor with which they spoke, the guests at their own table and the guests at the tables they visited.

Using your board effectively at your next fundraising charity event will help build relations among your donors and raise money.

For more Fundraising Charity Auction ideas and helpful tips on planning your next charity fundraiser, follow Generosity Auctions on Facebook or Instagram @GenerosityAuctions. Abra Annes is the leading Charity Auctioneer based in California. Abra is the owner and founder of Generosity Auctions, the premier choice for Non-Profit Organizations looking to maximize their event fundraising.

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