How To Talk To Your Board About Fundraising Software

You know you need fundraising software. You understand how it can save you time and help you raise more money. You've justified the expense to yourself and to your boss, so now all you have to do is convince your board. That’s the easy part, right? All too often that is wrong.

Well-meaning board members many times will look purely at the immediate cost of a system, and not the long-term benefits in cost savings and fundraising potential. They have fiduciary responsibility for your organization, and you need to show them how purchasing a fundraising software system is a sound investment and will help strengthen your organization.

Here are four persuasive points you can use when talking to your board.

1. Show them the proven Return on Investment (ROI) for putting a fundraising software system in place. Although it is tempting to focus mainly on all the time savings to you as the user of the system, focus instead on the many ways the system will help you – and them – raise more money for your organization. Read our white paper on how to calculate your potential ROI.
   
   
2. A fundraising software system provides fundraising continuity. We all know that the turnover in the development world can often times be high. Putting a system in place will give the organization ‘institutional memory’ so that when the development director leaves, the next one has a solid place from which to start. This can save money, time, and keep the fundraising ball rolling. This lessens your board’s fiduciary risks.
   
   
3. Look at the long-term cost and cost savings of implementing a fundraising software system. Talk about the long-range goals of the organization, and where you want your development efforts to be in four or five years from now. Show how the fundraising software will support you in reaching and exceeding those goals. This approach will help sway your board away from:
   
   a. Having a volunteer build a custom system. It is often tempting for boards to go this route. However, these systems very often have no support, the volunteer can stop working with the organization – leaving you stranded, and on average needs to be replaced within a year or two. This ends up costing more money in the long run in both software and conversion costs.
   
   b. Getting the cheapest solution. Boards will often be seduced by the low cost of low-end fundraising systems. This is another option that will be costly in the long run. Organizations outgrow these baseline systems very quickly. They are not options that can evolve with the more sophisticated needs of a development office. Within twelve to eighteen months, you will be looking for another fundraising software system.
   
   
4. For board members who are familiar with development best practices, an advanced fundraising software system will help support them with the information they need to do smart and efficient major gift work. It will also give them all the reports that they need to make smart decisions for the organization. Ask for sample reports to be able to demonstrate this.

The bottom line when you talk to your board is to demonstrate the many ways in which a new fundraising software system can make their job as board members easier, and the organization more secure. They will feel good about making a conservative, safe, and sound decision for your organization; you just have to show them how new fundraising software fits that bill.