I was recently asked to share the wealth of all that I’ve
learned about raising money since I grew up in the world of fundraising as a
missionary kid. As a result, this blog post was born. Much of what I have learned
regarding fundraising has come from observing my missionary parents, observing
several other family members and friends who are in ministry today, and
experiencing my own fundraising adventures for a variety of missions trips
throughout my life. I also had the privilege
of putting the steps in this blog post into practice when I went to ministry
school and saw God provide abundantly above and beyond what I ever could have
imagined! Thus, I’m freely sharing 12 fundraising tips with you today in hopes
that it will encourage and aid you or perhaps someone you know.
1.
First
– and most importantly - surrender
your needs to God and trust Him to fulfill His purposes in your life. He is
Jehovah Jireh – our provider. Always look to Him to see how you can partner
with Him in making your dreams come true and then position your heart and mind
to receive however the Lord chooses to provide for you. The steps I’ve listed
here are just suggestions. As you partner with God, you might find that He
likes to provide in ways you would never think of or dream up on your own.
These steps are just a way to get started. I’ve known people who have felt like
their only action step was to pray and ask God for their needs and then have
watched God supernaturally provide for them without having had told a single
soul. Nothing is impossible with God! The important thing is that you seek the
Lord for guidance first and then move into action based on what He leads you to
do. With that said, let’s get started on some practical tips that might help you
begin your own fundraising adventure.
2.
Share
your story and vision with those God places on your heart. People want to
know what they are investing in. Your story is powerful because no one will
have the passion for your vision like you do. Sharing your story is in essence
sharing your passion for the vision you’re going after. There are many ways to
reach out to people - take advantage of them all – but be careful to not over
do it. Think about how individual people respond best and then approach them in
that manner.
a.
In person
b.
On the phone
c.
Via a blog
d.
Via email
e.
Via a fundraising website
f.
Via social media
3.
Share how
you’re contributing to and invested in your vision. What’s your part in
making it a reality? e.g., “I’ve set aside time to meet with people like you
who might be interested in partnering with me. I’m also contributing 10% of my
paycheck from my part time job to my financial goal.” When you share how you’re
invested in your vision, it’s showing that you believe in what you’re doing and
you believe it’s worth their time to invest in you as well.
4.
State
your goal clearly. e.g., “In addition to the 10% I’m contributing to my
goal, I need to raise $2000 by the end of this month.”
5.
Break the
goal down. e.g., “If I have 20
people who agree to give $100, the money will be raised. Or if I have 40 people
who agree to give $50, the goal will be met.” It’s easy to get overwhelmed when
looking at the big picture, so it’s important to break the goal down into more
manageable sizes, for both you and your potential supporters. Once you break
the goals down, it’s important to remain flexible and allow people to give
however they feel led to give.
6.
Ask
potential supporters to pray about how they might be involved. Can they give
financially at this time and if so, how much? That’s the question at hand, and
it’s something most people want time to think about. It’s good to give them time and space to think and pray about it
before asking for a commitment from them.
7.
Set a
date and time to follow up and then keep that appointment. At this time,
it’s key to ask them directly if they’ve had any direction from the Lord on how
they might be able to participate. This is the appropriate time to ask for a
commitment.
8.
Practice
gratitude.
a.
Whether a person gives to you financially or
not, be sure to thank them for their time, and for any encouragement or prayer
support they have given or said they will give. There are many ways people can
invest in your vision, be sure to recognize various investments in you and
offer thanks. A thank you can go a long way in encouraging others and showing
them you value what they are giving to you.
b.
Send a thank you card (via snail mail if
possible) to anyone who donates funds to your cause as soon as their funds come
through.
c.
Remember, what you focus on grows. If you
cultivate a grateful heart and focus on all the gifts God is giving you, you
will be overflowing with God’s goodness and positioned to receive even more
provision from God through whatever means He desires to provide for you.
9.
Send
regular updates to your supporters. Once a month is typically a good time
frame to send out updates. Include:
a.
Where you’re at with your financial goal. It’s
important to be transparent with your supporters on where you stand
financially. Otherwise, it’s difficult for them to know how your goal is coming
along and how they might be able to continue to participate with you.
b.
An update of how your vision is taking shape.
e.g. share any progression that’s happened. If you’re raising funds for
ministry school and classes have begun, share what you’ve learned so far, etc.
Simply share from you heart what’s happening in your life.
c.
Any testimonies/stories that tie into your
vision.
10. Practice generosity. Relationships are
meant to have a beautiful facet of give and take. Asking for finances is
sharing what you need. I encourage you to ask what your supporters are in need
of and see if you might be able to contribute to their lives as well. It could
be as simple as stopping and praying with a person you’re meeting with and
ministering to their needs. Generosity doesn’t always equal finances. Get
creative and think about ways you can be generous with your time, talent, and
gifts. e.g., Instead of making your social media all about you, consider giving
some helpful links to things that are relevant in the lives of your friends. It
can be as simple as that. Little acts of generosity do add up.
11. Give tithe regularly out of love for God.
God’s Word clearly states that paying tithe is a command from the Lord. God has
all the money and resources in the world. In fact, all that we own is actually
His. So why tithe? First it’s a mandate from God. Second, it teaches us how to
keep God first in our lives. Third, it helps us from becoming selfish, and
unselfish people are better friends, relatives, employees, employers, wives,
and husbands. Tithing is actually being a good steward of what God has given
you. Good stewardship is like a magnet for more blessings and favor. If a
supporter knows you are tithing, it’s a good indicator to them that you will
steward their gifts as well.
12.
Create
an email signature that includes your blog, social media links, and phone
number. We live in an information age where people can easily get
overloaded and lose important contact information. Make it easy for them to
connect with you. Likewise, make an effort to connect with others often – not
for what they can give you, but out of a heart of love and desire to foster
community. After all, support can be given in a variety of packages such as
prayer, a conversation, encouragement, etc. The bottom line is we need each
other, and life together is better!
