Senior Consultant - Design Group Intl. * Co-Founder - The (POP) Fundraising Lab * My Digital Contact Card (Office EST) * My LinkTree
***14 April 2023 Free Virtual Workshop Registration CLOSING SOON***
Faithful Friends,
I hope all is well with each of you. You are a gift to our collective work in the world.
Let's get after it, shall we?
Early in his ministry, we see Jesus setting up the model for mission work in Luke. He establishes the type of people that a person with a mission takes on the journey, gives insight on how to fund it, and demonstrates how to interact with people who respond to the invitation.
What if we thought of fundraising in seasons?
- Would that connect more closely with the rhythms of the calendar, the weather, holidays we celebrate, and the different natural ways we interact with people throughout the year?
- What if you could find a community of care with other fundraisers and find deep joy in the process of building relationships in addition to raising the budget as a fundraiser?
- What if, instead of spending 80% of your time on events, mailings, and social media campaigns (for likely 20% of your revenue) you spent 20% of your time on those things, and 80% of your time cultivating missional curiosity, conversation, and community with individuals?
- (Despite what people think, buying an email list, selling a bunch of stuff at an auction, or canvasing your community with door hangers and flyers - might not be the best use of your energy)
- What if Donors became Partners, Partners became Supporters in the mission, and these Supporters became Faithful Friends of the mission and in your very life?
- Imagine a world where invitations to give and storytelling were increasingly personal.
- Imagine a world where - instead of waiting by the mailbox and hoping that donations come in, you are able to dive deep into relationships with supporters.
Watch out! WOAH!
What if we thought about the relationship development journey more like a path?
- Might that be a more life-giving rhythm of practicing a more deeply rooted Faithful Friendship?
- I think so!
The Four Seasons of Stewardship Might Look Something Like This:
Inviting and Confirming Season #1
- Invite people to all sorts of things to see your mission in action, and invite them to give.
- You might do this by:
- Personally inviting monthly donors to double their donation
- Go over supporter lists and invite year end givers to become monthly donors.
- Inviting donors to see and help at an event.
- Inviting supporters to join for a field trip to see the mission in action.
- Inviting Faithful Friends to champion your mission in their sphere of influence..
Sharing the Story Season
- Story telling is spiritual, and the best stories always end in an invitation to participate in that story.
- You might do this by:
- Collecting pictures and stories of your mission from the previous 6 months.
- Texting these pictures out to supporters to share the story and to connect with them.
- Planning and sending newsletter updates.
- Meeting with people one-on-one to simply get to know their story and tell them more about your story and that of the mission.
Inviting and Confirming Season #2
- Connecting with annual donors and inviting them to give again this year.
- Inviting foundations, trusts, and businesses to parter with you financially.
- Go over lapsed donor list, connect with them again on a personal level, and invite them to give.
- You might do this by:
- Considering doing a matching gift for end of year giving.
- Meet face to face over coffee.
- Inviting through a year end letter and following up with a phone call.
Thanking and Celebrating Season
- Celebrate and Thank like crazy!
- You might do this by:
- Celebrating last year’s fundraising victories with your community.
- Celebrating with gifts to 10 donors with personal delivery.
- Celebrating with donor gifts to your monthly donors with personal delivery.
- Hand-written thank you notes.
- Go through year end donor list and consider other means of thanking and follow up.
I hope that you can find more life giving rhythms as you fundraise. Cheers to a transforming you.
I believe in you! With all my all.
Lead with Love,
Kevin A. Eastway
PS - This planner (I wrote it for you!) has space for you to reflect upon your fundraising journey, places to plan, to set goals, and re-imagine what fundraising might look like for you in the future. So when you get it in the mail, spill coffee on it, rip out pages, take it everywhere you go, enjoy it!
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