Even with the move to online worship offerings and in this web/digital age, most churches still produce some sort of weekly bulletin. It may or may not be hard copy, but regardless of the format, weekly worship information or announcements to congregations aren’t going away any time soon.
So, no matter what your weekly announcements or worship bulletin might look like, today’s fundraising idea is a way to use that space as an intentional touchpoint for donor development. This is part of our ongoing series of 25 fundraising ideas for churches, and we’re exploring another way you can honor and thank donors for their impact.
Carve out a space in your weekly bulletin or announcements for a donor thank you, testimony, or quote. Like all of our ideas in this series, it doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy. You could make this a “12 reasons” or “52 reasons” series and feature a monthly or weekly quote from one of your givers on why they give or what it means to them to support the church financially. Or you could isolate 12 or 52 ways that tithers make the mission of the church possible and feature those each week/month.
Regardless of how you plan for that space, the point is this: nothing motivates donors (or prospective donors) like knowing why their peers are supporting a mission. Your current donors have a unique influence that the pastoral staff or board simply doesn’t have – it’s different because it’s fellow congregants sharing why generosity is bringing them true joy. There is nothing more powerful for nongivers and other donors than a donor sharing their story of how they see God working through their giving.
Obviously, one of the foundations of this idea is securing quotes or testimonials from your givers at all levels. This, too, is a critical part of development work. How will you know what motivates and gives your donors joy if you don’t ask? Gathering those stories and testimonies is part of documenting God’s work in your congregation made possible by donors. Look for creative ways and touchpoints to gather those quotes and ask those questions of your faithful givers.
If you’d like help in strategizing other ways to deepen your donor relationships, our partnership with ACST enables us to come alongside churches seeking guidance in growing their philanthropic giving.
About Tim Smith
Tim has over 30 years of experience in Church, Non-Profit Administration, Management, and Fund Development. Serving as an Executive Pastor and Chief Development Officer in growing Churches and Non-Profit Organizations. He has provided a wide range of expertise and resources. Tim serves as the Founder and CEO of Non-Profit DNA. A boutique firm committed to helping nonprofits and churches. By building their capacity through fundraising, leadership, team building, staff recruiting, and coaching.
