How do you maximize volunteer led fundraising efforts?
Create portfolios. Each volunteer should be assigned a portfolio of certain donors. The number of donors in a portfolio is not as important as the types of donors included. Each volunteer should oversee donors that meet the following criteria:
- the donor has potential to give to the organization above and beyond an average annual gift
- the donor and the volunteer have a potential “touchpoint” or connection beyond formalities
- the volunteer has the ability to develop and sustain a relationship over time.
For donors meeting those criteria, the volunteer will be the main contact and the primary person responsible for cultivation and stewardship activities.
Provide structure, support and accountability. At each board meeting, set aside time for all volunteers to review their portfolios, discussing activities performed and raising concerns. This is a time for volunteers to work together to ensure the organization’s proper message is conveyed to the donors through the volunteers and to prepare for any challenges that may arise. The focus is on cultivation and stewardship. If a volunteer hints that it might be time to ask a particular donor for support, he or she can test the “ask” with others and seek advice. This team-based approach will ensure that volunteers are not working alone but, rather, that they’re working together to reach the organization’s financial goals.
Document and share. It’s important that someone – a staff member or volunteer – manages the portfolio system for everyone, ensuring that, after every meeting, comments are updated on a grid, Excel spreadsheet or word document. Once changes are made, the document is sent to all volunteers to remind them to advance their relationships with their portfolio donors before the next meeting.
