A person decides to serve on the Board of Directors of an organization for a several reasons. These include:

• They have a personal commitment or involvement with the mission of the organiza Save tion
• The organization is well respected and they want their name associated with this organization
• They are looking for a new cause to support, both financially and with their time
• They were invited by a friend or business associate to serve

Members of the board are expected to provide guidance and set policies for the staff to implement. The other important role is to assist in raising money for the organization to provide services to the community and fulfill its mission. Studies have shown that organizations that are financially sound and successful in raising money have a high level of participation from its board members.

Participation means that each board member is expected to give to the level that they can afford each year. It is vital when asking individual donors, foundations or corporations for money to say that we have 100% participation in giving from the board.

In addition to personally giving money, another effective way to help is to ask friends, relatives or businesses for their support. There are many reasons why a person does not choose to help an organization raise money through asking others. These reasons are discussed in the accompanying article, as are ways to overcome these obstacles.