Our definition of fundraising should align with and engage God’s resources with God’s ministry for God’s glory. The role of the individual is to be prayerfully present while God leads and provides. He provides in His timing and in His way. He is seldom early and is never late!
- Philosophy
- Fundraising is trust.
- Trust in God that where He calls He will provide. When times are hard trust that you know that God has put you in this role and that He can be trusted to provide. Trust in God that He will provide in ways you have not even thought of, thus He gets the glory. Trust is the linchpin to perseverance in fundraising!
- Fundraising is ministry.
- No distinction exists between doing the ministry and doing fundraising; they are one and the same. Ministry involves praying for others: for the salvation of their family and friends and for them to rest and trust in Christ.
- Ministry involves being there for others during their transitions. We are available for them as they grieve at funerals or celebrate with them at the weddings of their children. We pray with them at their bedside, before and after surgery. All of these times of transition provide wonderful opportunities to “show up” and love people. The added, unexpected benefit is the guiding principal that “funding follows ministry.” Therefore, funding is ministry.
- Who can you minister to today with a prayer, email, or phone message?
When Mike Kendrick, Eric Swartz, and I founded Ministry Ventures in 1999, we based it on generosity. We wanted to support ministries that needed help getting started. So we provided money, mentoring, and a facility. As an expression of that generous giving spirit, our board decided from the very beginning to be responsible for 20% of our annual operating budget.
- Today each of our board members gives, raises, or does a combination of both to provide $20,000 each. This generous giving is invaluable for the sustainability of the ministry, but it also sends a positive message to givers and foundations we approach as candidates for support.
- How much cash does your board give to the ministry? What percentage of the budget does your board support? Foundations ask these questions.
- This 10-minute video contains tips for involving your board in fundraising.
Our standard meeting agenda begins with prayer and reading one of our six values. We have a devotional and then approve the minutes from the last meeting. Over the next two and a half hours we discuss progress in the following areas: marketing/sales, program, finances, partnerships, and governance.
- These five priorities make up the template for our meetings. Then we add these questions:
- Marketing/Sales
- • Do we have the necessary collateral to communicate our message clearly?
- • What does our field staff need to be successful?
- • What results has the field staff accomplished?
- • How are the Internet and our website supporting our marketing strategy?
- Programs
- • What do ministries like best about our training and coaching?
- • What do ministries want improved in our training and coaching?
- • Do the coaches have what they need to be successful?
- • What do our surveys say about the coaches’ effectiveness?
- Finances
- • Is our budget-to-actual tracking?
- • How many more sponsors are needed for the year?
- • How can we reduce costs and increase revenues?
- • Are we communicating regularly to givers how their gift is being spent?
- Partnerships
- • How can we better serve our partners?
- • Are we keeping our partners informed of the value they are receiving?
- • What new partnerships do we need to consider?
- Governance
- • What do we need to vote on and approve or disapprove?
- • What upcoming calendar event do we need to be prepared?
- • What board roles need to be filled?
- • Who are the best-qualified candidates to fill these roles?
- Make your board meetings meaningful, and the quality and quantity of your board’s work will grow. A prepared agenda lays the groundwork for board engagement and effectiveness.