Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion Into Action (AFP Fund Development Series) (The AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series) [Hardcover]

Gail Perry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0470116633 | ISBN-13: 978-0470116630 | Edition: 1

Praise for

Fired-Up Fundraising

Turn Board Passion into Action

"Fired-Up Fundraising is honest, realistic, practical, and inspiring. It transforms the whole concept of fundraising from obligation and drudgery into passion and fun. Every CEO, development director, development consultant, and board chair needs to have and use this book."
-Charles F. (Chic) Dambach President and CEO, Alliance for Peacebuilding Former Senior Consultant, BoardSource

"A breakthrough! Fired-Up Fundraising takes the mystery out of engaging your board in the ongoing work of fundraising. In this well-organized little book, Gail Perry lays out a commonsense, four-step process that will fire up your board and help you meet your fundraising goals, year after year."
-Mal Warwick author of How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters

"Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action is by far the best book I have ever read on how to involve board members in the entire process of fundraising, from identifying prospects, cultivating them, and finally making 'the ask.' Just as important, it is an invaluable guide on how to select, enlist, train and especially inspire board members so they take ownership of their institutions. Every nonprofit CEO and development officer should read this book."
-Robert L. Gale President Emeritus, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and founder of BoardSource (formerly known as the National Center for Nonprofit Boards)

"This is the book for which EVERY nonprofit chief executive has been yearning since time immemorial. Every nonprofit needs money to survive and thrive, and every nonprofit has a board of trustees to help raise it, but few nonprofits come anywhere near using their boards to maximum benefit. Fired-Up Fundraising, a reader-friendly, realistic, and practical playbook written by a richly experienced, highly literate fundraiser turned consultant, takes readers by the hand and leads them step-by-step through eminently doable ways of inspiring the greatest possible engagement of-and return from-their trustees. It will instantly become the gold-standard guide for building successful boards."
-Joel Fleishman Professor of Law and Public Policy and Director, The Foundation Research Program, Duke University

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Fired-Up Fundraising

Turn Board Passion into Action

What goes on in the minds of dedicated board members when the word "fundraising" is mentioned? Why does their excitement for the cause suddenly disappear when they are confronted with even the idea of fundraising? Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action enthusiastically lays out a clear series of steps that help you introduce your board to a new perspective on fundraising. Straightforward in tone and filled with simple tips to put into practice, this insightful book shows you how to create engaged, passionate board members actively involved in supporting fundraising, and even enjoying it!

Written by nonprofit authority Gail Perry, Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action presents Passion-Driven Fundraising—fundraising that engages board members, leads change, and achieves unprecedented results for your organization. How will Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action revolutionize the way your organization sees fundraising? This seminal book:

• Renews readers' passion for the change they want their nonprofit to make in the world

• Discusses proper selection of board members and the establishment of clear, early expectations

• Clearly walks you through the process of creating a fundraising board

• Introduces a system of clear and workable steps to fire up your board and turn them into the "Dream Team" you want

• Includes examples?of easy ways for board members to get involved in fundraising?as well as sample board commitment letters

• Provides a special chapter presenting all of the book's exercises for your use as a powerful retreat designed to motivate, inspire, and empower board members

Encouraging readers to rediscover their vision and passion in their organization and work, Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action uniquely activates you to introduce reluctant board members to fundraising in ways that make them feel comfortable. Readable and enthusiastic, this book will get you—and your board members—fired up about raising money and becoming more productive fundraisers.

From the Back Cover

Praise for

Fired-Up Fundraising

Turn Board Passion into Action

"Fired-Up Fundraising is honest, realistic, practical, and inspiring. It transforms the whole concept of fundraising from obligation and drudgery into passion and fun. Every CEO, development director, development consultant, and board chair needs to have and use this book."
—Charles F. (Chic) Dambach President and CEO, Alliance for Peacebuilding Former Senior Consultant, BoardSource

"A breakthrough! Fired-Up Fundraising takes the mystery out of engaging your board in the ongoing work of fundraising. In this well-organized little book, Gail Perry lays out a commonsense, four-step process that will fire up your board and help you meet your fundraising goals, year after year."
—Mal Warwick author of How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters

"Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action is by far the best book I have ever read on how to involve board members in the entire process of fundraising, from identifying prospects, cultivating them, and finally making 'the ask.' Just as important, it is an invaluable guide on how to select, enlist, train and especially inspire board members so they take ownership of their institutions. Every nonprofit CEO and development officer should read this book."
—Robert L. Gale President Emeritus, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and founder of BoardSource (formerly known as the National Center for Nonprofit Boards)

"This is the book for which EVERY nonprofit chief executive has been yearning since time immemorial. Every nonprofit needs money to survive and thrive, and every nonprofit has a board of trustees to help raise it, but few nonprofits come anywhere near using their boards to maximum benefit. Fired-Up Fundraising, a reader-friendly, realistic, and practical playbook written by a richly experienced, highly literate fundraiser turned consultant, takes readers by the hand and leads them step-by-step through eminently doable ways of inspiring the greatest possible engagement of—and return from—their trustees. It will instantly become the gold-standard guide for building successful boards."
—Joel Fleishman Professor of Law and Public Policy and Director, The Foundation Research Program, Duke University

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (March 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470116633
• ISBN-13: 978-0470116630
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for nonprofit Boards! June 7, 2009

By Sandra Rees

Format:Hardcover

If you're looking for a book that will help you get your Board moving when it comes to fundraising, this is it. Gail Perry has done a wonderful job of describing the mindshifts and actions needed for any Board to become a fundraising Board. It's full of nuggets of wisdom that you can implement right away and her many stories from the field help bring the main points home.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book. August 5, 2010

By Charles Dambach

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been running nonprofits for decades, and this is among the few books that has actually helped energize and motivate the board to raise funds. It's full of new and fresh ideas and strategies that work.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting engaged is not just for couples August 16, 2010

By D. C. Dreger

Format:Hardcover

If you know Gail, you know she's passionate about helping organizations to be successful. And she's come up with a way of thinking about board-member involvement that is refreshing and exciting. She makes several seminal points: focus on the organization's mission first, inspire board members with a new concept, give board members the right tools and skills and then engage them in the fundraising plan.

Gail has developed a sound program that takes board members from where they are in their comfort zones and then slowly challenges them to move outward. We know that not everyone is constituted as a fundraiser, but everyone can find a niche in the overall fundraising strategy. She provides a checklist that includes activities that board members can engage in that don't include direct solicitation: support and promote the fundraising plan, make their own gift annually, bring friends and colleagues to the organization and its events, thank donors and, of course, make the ask if a particular board member is the right one to participate in a solicitation.

The premise is that solicitation is just a small part of a much larger process from identifying prospects to cultivating, involving and finally thanking. There's a place for all board members at this table.