Smart ideas delivered every other Tuesday from Hartsook Companies, Inc.

May 6, 2008

Interested and involved, or indifferent and outside - which do you prefer from your Board of Directors? To ensure the greatest benefit to your organization, remember the following when recruiting new Board members:

1. Share Your World
   Provide prospective Board members with copies of your newsletters, brochures, annual report, budget, by-laws, Board and committee lists, etc. Invite them to tour your facilities, meet your staff, and "feel" the great work you do. Give them a few days to review the information before asking for their final decision. When making a two- or three-year commitment to your organization, Board members must be fully prepared, aware, and committed to your organization and its mission.
   
   

2. Make Expectations Clear
   If they are required to serve on at least one committee, miss no more than three Board meetings, attend all fundraising events, and be responsible for fundraising (and what Board member is not?) - say it! Be clear and upfront from the beginning.
   
   

3. Know Their Expectations
   Would they prefer paper documents or electronic? Do they need a reminder call before each Board meeting? Are they expecting intermittent program area reports? Make sure you are on the same page from the start.
   
   

Board members will be more eager to roll up their sleeves if they feel comfortable, needed, and included. With all parties' expectations outlined and understood from day one, you'll gain committed partners fully involved in furthering your mission.

- Susan Schneweis, Executive Vice President (Kansas City) susan@hartsookcompanies.com

Another Smart Idea...From the Hartsook Best Practices Collection^SM

"We are inviting our 50 top major-gift prospects to a teleconference call with our program director on human rights to hear about his recent visit to Bangkok Conference on rights for "sweatshop" workers. This is the first of a series of planned conference calls." - Catherine Onyemelukme (New York, NY)

If you are interested in Best Practices and smart ideas, see these additional resources from Hartsook Companies:

• On the Money! is an enlightening collection of success stories and lessons learned from 25 nonprofit fundraising campaigns nationwide. It is the newest book by Robert F. Hartsook, JD, EdD, Chairman and CEO of Hartsook Companies, Inc. (2004, ASR Philanthropic Publishing). An early review called On the Money! " ... a celebration of well-earned victories, smart thinking and ideas that make sense." For more information, or to order a copy, visit www.ASRpublishing.com.
  
  

• Fundraising Magic - 33.5 Strategies for Turning Board Members into Money Makers by Robert G. Swanson (2007, ASR Philanthropic Publishing). This book shares proven strategies you can implement immediately to give Board members the confidence and tools needed to cultivate donors, solicit gifts and strengthen your organization's position in the community. To order this book, follow this link www.ASRpublishing.com.
  
  

• "Best Practices Coast to Coast," a compilation of best practices from every state in the union.
  
  

• "Hartsook Best Practices Collection," our original collection of 250 best practices and great ideas.
  
  

For a free copy of "Best Practices Coast to Coast" or the "Hartsook Best Practices Collection", please email Tammy Weinman, tammy@hartsookcompanies.com, or visit our web site at http://www.hartsookcompanies.com/bestpractices2.shtml. We also invite you to contribute your own best practice by emailing Tami Druzba, tami@hartsookcompanies.com.

Career Booster!

Looking to advance your career? Look to the Hartsook Consultant School: September 25-27, 2008. This intensive three-day program provides an opportunity to work intimately with our finest consultants who will share practical, experiential and theoretical wisdom with fundraising professionals who are ready to take their profession to the next level. Email tammy@hartsookcompanies.com for more information.

Visit the Hartsook Companies web site for:

• Educational opportunities
• Books/reference articles
• Conference/workshop speakers

Strategies for Success explores smart ideas, connecting with more than 1,500 fundraising professionals bi-weekly. We welcome your contributions or comments. Send to Strategies for Success and eHartsook Editor Karin Cox, MFA, Senior Vice President (Wilmington, NC), kcox@hartsookcompanies.com. If you'd like a free subscription to Strategies for Success - or its monthly companion, eHartsook on Philanthropy - contact Tammy Weinman, tammy@hartsookcompanies.com. You also can reach her at 316.630.9992.

Our web site is located at http://www.hartsookcompanies.com.