Fundraising for Social Change, 7th Edition

chapter 42 Fundraising for a Coalition

There are hundreds of organizations whose board members are representatives of nonprofits that have joined together for the benefits that a coalition of organizations can bring. Churches that want a presence on college campuses and that are aligned theologically will form an ecumenical “campus ministry” that may represent several denominations, and the board will be made up of representatives of the churches involved. In federated funds, members of the federation hold the majority of seats on their board. Almost every state has a coalition against domestic violence, for which directors of local domestic violence or sexual assault prevention programs serve as board members. Most regional associations and national organizations operate the same way, with most of those on the board of directors drawn from the member organizations.

There are obvious advantages to this type of board. A regional or national organization whose mission is to strengthen local organizations as well as raise overall visibility for an issue will be best governed by those most affected by the decisions made. Sharing resources, working collaboratively, developing joint projects, and seeking to expand the reach of the work will all be done best by a coalition made up of people with power at the local level. A board or staff member of a local chapter will be in the best position to represent the concerns of the local organization to a regional or national formation. This ...