Have you started gearing up for your fall fundraising effort yet?

Sure, there's plenty to do, but don't let another year go by without getting your board deeply involved.

Two weeks ago we had a fantastic webinar with Joan Garry on the relationship of the executive director and the board in working together to fundraise. She focused on five key points, two of which are are:

	the board development committee must have a clear charge that incorporates peer accountability
	your Executive Director must be modeling asking behavior

Watch the webinar here to learn about these and the other three.

Members: register your organization by August 15th and save 40%!

Are your board members not getting out to cultivate relationships and ask for gifts?

Do you find it difficult to get your board to understand its role in "giving and getting"?

We can help change that…

Just in time for the fall is our highly praised Fundraising 101 webinar, created to train your board to play a bigger role and make an impact.

If your board members struggle to… 

	“give and get” to the best of their ability
	feel comfortable when involved in fundraising
	understand the impact of having everyone actively involved in fundraising

…then Fundraising 101 for Board Members is for you!

Members save 40% before August 15th!  Contact us here for your special discount code!

In response to a recent Asking Matters poll, hundreds of you said that identifying and collecting stories is, by far, your biggest story challenge! 

According to our story expert, Sue Kindred, finding stories is a lot like playing hide and seek; the stories are doing the hiding and you’re doing the seeking!  So, what are some of the “unwritten rules” of playing hide and seek that might help with your search for stories?  Read all 8 tips from Sue on finding your own stories here!

Sue Kindred is a business strategist with more than 30 years’ real-world "been there done that" experience helping nonprofits and member-based professional associations reach their highest potential.

To learn more about Sue and download her free Top 10 – Creating Your Social Change Story – visit The Story Corner with Sue at Asking Matters.

Do you know how to have an intentional conversation during which you ask a donor for a personally significant gift?

Do you ask the most revealing questions and get your donor to do most of the talking?  Do you feel comfortable with gift negotiations?
 
Join Brian today or next Tuesday as he drills deep into the solicitation meeting itself.  His “Awesome Ask” webinar is a perennial favorite, and he’s now taken the ask itself and expanded it into a powerful 75 minutes.

Members save 15% with code CHT15!

In this paid webinar for CharityHowTo you'll learn how to:

	Take charge of the meeting to get the best results
	Ask important and revealing questions
	Make a concise case for support ending with an ask
	Use your personality to your best advantage

This webinar is live today and next Tuesday at 3pm ET!  Learn more at Charity HowTo.

Members save 15% with code CHT15!
 

learn more and register

"I've been working with the Northwestern Settlement board in Chicago to strengthen their role in the fundraising process.  We've established a terrific Resource Development Committee focused on maximizing the board's impact in fundraising, and the dynamo chair has now met with each committee member individually to assess their previous year as board members and set out a strategic direction for the coming year.

The feedback on those meetings has been fantastic – the committee members feel more engaged, more appreciated, and more motivated.  The next step is for committee members to meet individually with their fellow board members, wrapping up the process this summer.  Incredible progress!"  – Brian

Hope you have a great week of fundraising,

The Asking Matters Team