Do you feel like a circus performer juggling multiple tasks competing for your time and attention? Have you been asked to write your ministry’s strategic plan—and then implement it all by yourself? Are you responsible for training and coaching your staff, but can’t seem to find time to meet with them regularly? Do you finally schedule a meeting, only to cancel it to prepare financial reports for the board meeting? Has your board chair asked you to ramp up your fundraising efforts because the budget is a little tight? You might think to yourself, “And just how am I supposed to squeeze that in?”

Don’t laugh! This is an every day, real occurrence in the non-profit world.

The “tyranny of the urgent” is not just a cliché, but a reality in many ministries. Charles E. Hummel wrote a small pamphlet bearing that title (Inter-Varsity Press, 1967) and commented, “When we stop to evaluate, we realize that our dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time; it is basically the problem of priorities.” So, how can you maintain both your sanity AND priorities and still raise funds your ministry?

·  Is the answer more staff? Maybe, but that’s not always possible.

·  Is the answer less responsibilities or tasks on your plate? Maybe, but which ones should you eliminate?

·  Is the answer better time management, as in “shall I sign up for one of those time management seminars when it comes to town?” Maybe. This may help you cope with the immediate challenge but not alleviate your problem long term.

Finding more time in your day, week, or month is a fundamental management challenge. One executive director described his avalanche of paperwork, “It’s horrendous and getting worse. Sometimes it seems all I do is shuffle papers without ever making progress on the real work that needs to be done.” All of us have “real” work and “not so” real work. How can you tell the difference and strike the right balance?

Setting the right priorities.
Name three things your organization must do well to thrive. Then ask yourself, “What are three things in my current job description that only I can do?” Involve your board or others in your evaluation process. Fundraising should land near the top. The CEO or executive director is typically the most effective fundraiser in any organization. The position carries influence; many donors want to talk directly with the boss. You may need get rid of some responsibilities to add fundraising to your plate.

Sticking to these priorities.
Maybe you have heard the expression, “keep the main thing the main thing.” Once you establish the right priorities, jealously protect your fundraising time. Schedule a day, or two half days each week to meet with donors and prospects. Use this time to educate, cultivate, and nurture your relationships. Be persistent. Interruptions and other “important” things will always try to crowd into your fundraising time. Unless it is in your job description, and only you can do it, don’t let anything get in the way. Your ministry success depends on your fundraising efforts. Bottom line–free up your schedule for fundraising.

Delegate Wisely
In his book, One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard poses the question, “Why is it that some managers are typically running out of time while their staffs are typically running out of work?” Some leaders think they are indispensable, or that some tasks can only be completed by them. Yes, this is partly true, but most of us struggle with delegating properly, thus adding to our stress. No one is indispensable. That thought process limits the work or growth of others.

Delegation is “the ultimate form of management” because it allows your people to achieve more and more with less and less from you. And guess what? Effectively delegating one project, or task, frees up time for you to delegate more responsibilities to others. As you achieve higher levels of delegation, it will free up your time to focus on what is most important. If someone else in your organization can do or be trained to do a task you currently do, let them do it.

Whom should you delegate these extra tasks to? It may be someone on your staff or team. If not, can you identify some faithful volunteers? Recruit true biblical stewards who desire to serve the Lord. They may have time and talent in areas you may not.

Is there a risk when delegating? Of course, but the greater risk is being overwhelmed and ineffective as a leader because you can’t get to everything. With all those plates spinning in the air, it is only a matter of time until some of them crash to the floor. Delegate every task that keeps you from “the main thing.”

Fundraising is essential for every ministry leader. It is not about “squeezing fundraising onto your to-do list.” Embrace fundraising as one of your top priorities and then reassign everything that gets in the way. Your ministry will thank you!

About the Author: Kent Vanderwood, Vice President – Kent offers clients over 35 years of non-profit experience including teaching, administrative, consulting, and directorships. Through his work as Development Director for The Potter’s House, Gospel Communications International, and Mel Trotter Ministries, Kent brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and development. He currently serves as a board member for the West Michigan chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). His passion for seeing Christian stewardship principles applied in a systematic way helps the non-profit organization or ministry be successful in fulfilling its mission.

One of the best strategies for reporting your success to your donors and stakeholders is through an Annual Report. You may or may not currently produce one, but if your non-profit organization is like most of those we serve, you probably ask these questions every year:

·  Is an annual report required of our non-profit?

·  If not, why should we do one?

·  Who is our audience?

·  What should be included?

·  How long (or brief) should it be?

·  Is there one format that is better than others?

·  Should it be printed or digitally produced?

·  What are the best practices to consider when preparing our annual report?

Do we have to produce an annual report?
Your ministry is not required to produce an annual report, but there are many persuasive reasons to create one. However, all non-profits with 501c3 tax-exempt status must file Form 990 or the Annual Information Return with the IRS. An annual report is an optional informational report that non-profits produce to serve their OWN purposes. Here are some benefits to consider:

Inspire your audience about your mission.
One non-profit executive’s perspective is, “The annual report is a comic book. They look at the pictures and glance at the words.” If you only have a glance, make sure your photos include captions that communicate your impact, your stories are brief but compelling, and your financials are clear and convincing.

Show the results and impact of your organization.
Donors are your target audience. Show the tangible results of your work to prove your return on their investment (ROI). Share the spiritual impact to authenticate your spiritual return on investment (SROI). What were you able to accomplish, with their help, over the past 12 months? Do not be afraid to “toot your horn.” Donors give because they love your organization. They keep giving and give more because their dollars are making a difference. Some organizations have wisely renamed their annual report to “Impact Report.”

Build trust through financial accountability.
Being transparent with how you present your numbers will help build trust. Your audience can review your 990 Report on their own to check your financials. It’s much better to tell them first in your narrative with your charts and stories. There are many ways to share this information. Make it simple and clear. They need to see that you are a good steward of their donations.

Show appreciation for your current donors.
In the past, annual reports would generally show a list of donors over the past 12 months. At least those who have given at significant or notable levels. Of the 15 annual reports on my desk right now, only one of them includes this list. And that one is an insert sheet that can be added or removed based on the audience. That is not to say the other reports fail to show appreciation and give thanks. It is just more general and less specific to individuals. Hopefully, you are engaging with your major donors enough that you need not depend on your annual report to say thanks.

What are some “best practices” for writing an Annual Report?

·  Create a plan for your non-profit annual report. Have a strategy. Define your purpose and your audience. Include great photos. Compile financial information and key metrics. Interview key supporters or service recipients for stories. Plan enough time to do it right.

·  Focus your annual report on the good your non-profit accomplished. Write from your donors’ perspective. What did their donations and volunteer support accomplish? Put them first. Allow them to “own” the results.

·  Use visuals in your annual report to keep readers engaged. Remember the “comic book” analogy? Use more visuals and less words. “Info-graphics” help. Transform complex data into easy-to-understand information.

·  Be honest about your non-profit’s progress. You want to show success, but that may not be possible 100% of the time on every project. Feel free to mention some of the challenges faced over the past year; show how you are being proactive in solving problems. Transparency builds trust.

·  Inspire supporters to act. Your annual report should include a call to action for your readers. Your report will share success and accomplishments. Some will be asking, “What’s next?” Make sure you include the answer to that question and how they can be a part of it. Volunteerism, corporate matching programs, upcoming fundraising events can be shared.

Should your annual report be a printed hard copy mailed or hand delivered to your stakeholders? Or should it be produced digitally and available for downloading as a PDF via an email or on your website? The answer is, “YES!” A combination of hard copy and digital annual report versions will reach the widest audience.

Here are three great samples: Haiti Teen Challenge, Immanuel Schools, and Lakeland Christian Schools.

Your annual report can be an effective fundraising tool as you inform, explain, narrate, and persuade your ministry partners to increase their impact through your ministry.

About the Author: Kent Vanderwood, Vice President – Kent offers clients over 35 years of non-profit experience including teaching, administrative, consulting, and directorships. Through his work as Development Director for The Potter’s House, Gospel Communications International, and Mel Trotter Ministries, Kent brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and development. He currently serves as a board member for the West Michigan chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). His passion for seeing Christian stewardship principles applied in a systematic way helps the non-profit organization or ministry be successful in fulfilling its mission.