Independent school boards--price of membership

[Anonymous]

What type of financial contribution is expected from board members annually?

[Anonymous]

More important than one's private donations, I would think, is one's ability to raise money from friends and associates -- particularly big gifts for capital campaigns.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, that makes sense. (It did occur to me after I posted that this is probably one of those, "If you have to ask..." questions.)

[Anonymous]

My husband is on a private independent school board and also involved heavily in the work of the development committee. There is a broad range of financial contributions by those on the board. I think the reality is that what the schools are looking for on the board mostly is people who are committed to the school and will do the work necessary to keep the place running well. So some folks on the board are not giving big bucks, but are the ones who have led various activities or groups within the school (sweat equity). Others have given some money, as we do, but also have worked to raise money from others, etc. I think that you would be unlikely to get on the board if you were significantly undercontributing, i.e., giving nothing to the annual campaign or a mere pittance when it is clear you have the means to give. But there certainly is not a minimum amount to be on the board.

[Anonymous]

The 17:15 PP articulated the official position of probably every school.

But I can tell you that the school administrators and development staff really are looking for board members who can make a certain minimum donation. Those unrestricted contributions are usually calculated into their annual revenue projections. They recruit board members with an eye to this, and they are disappointed when trustees fail to give as expected. Trustee names are usually the only individual donors that are itemized in development reports to the head of school.

It usually comes down to "give, get, or get off."

I think you should expect to give no less than $1K or $2K annually. Less than that won't cause any grumbling (that you'll hear) but you might well make the short list to be replaced next term when a bigger fish comes along. Schools are obviously hoping for much bigger donations from some of their board members, especially during capital campaigns.

The exception to all of this is the big marquee name (and I do not mean a law firm partner). Or a person whose family whose ties to the school go back to its founding.

As a former development officer, let me make one request to current and prospective trustees. When the school asks for your help in fundraising, it doesn't mean you should bombard the development staff with 100 possible sources of funding every day. It takes a lot of staff time to track down your leads -- which they will feel obligated to do to avoid alientating a trustee. Instead, try to do some of the cultivation yourself -- always keeping staff informed of your efforts so that they don't duplicate them.

[Anonymous]

Anyone who can afford a private school education without financial aid should be able to make a $1k - 2K donation. The amount cannot be that small.

[Anonymous]

The two men I've known who were on boards were neither of them filthy rich. But they weren't poor. Both were businessmen of the type who "got things done," and both had social/family/work connections that made them close to people who were stratospherically rich.
They were the kind of guys who were in a position to raise big bucks and wanted to do it. I am guessing here but I would think their own annual contributions would've been more like $5K+, higher in capital campaign years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who can afford a private school education without financial aid should be able to make a $1k - 2K donation. The amount cannot be that small.

You'd be surprised. Many of the people who sat on our board knew that they were should be giving in keepings with their ability, but they judged the value of their time very generously. We had to send multiple letters to get those contributions. And I did say that this was the minimum.