Ministries and churches usually focus on two ends of the giving spectrum: major donors and annual tithers or contributors. Too often, mid-level givers fall by the wayside and aren’t cultivated from the annual giver group into larger contributors.
In this series of 25 fundraising ideas for churches, we’re sharing ways to grow your stewardship program and excite donors. In today’s post, we’re exploring pathways for mid-level givers to step forward.
One proven way to invite those who have the capacity to do more in your congregation is to package giving opportunities specifically for them. These should be giving levels that aren’t what a major donor might do but more of a stretch gift than what your weekly faithful givers are contributing.
Here are some examples:
- The church is seeking two donors to make a summer ministry internship possible for a college student. Would you be willing to be one of those donors at $1,500? A total of $3,000 will allow us to support housing and a stipend for a college ministry intern from May through July this summer.
- Our music worship team is in need of a new soundboard. We’re seeking five donors at $2,000 each to support a new mixing board, replacement monitors, and amps or microphones for our instruments. This $10,000 investment will improve the quality of our worship music and enable us to stream high-quality music for our online worshippers.
- We’re hoping to replace the woodchips under our children’s playground with recycled tire materials to make the play area safer. We’re seeking three donors at $2,500 each to make that possible and add a new system of monkey bars to our equipment.
Mid-level giving opportunities are tangible ways a donor could make a sacrificial, stretch gift to a project that could have a tremendous impact on the church or community. Creating these pathways and showing donors what those next-level gifts can provide is an important piece of your overall stewardship program.
These mid-level projects are key to building and growing major donors in your church. If you’d like to brainstorm other ideas anytime, our partnership with ACST enables us to come alongside churches looking for guidance.
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.
