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Fundraising Verse of the Week

Great Needs, but Few Leads

by Ron Haas
May 3, 2021

Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few” (2 Kings 4:3).

Many ministries face great financial needs, but have few donor leads. Whom can you turn to find the resources you need? A widow approached Elisha with a great need. Her husband, who was enrolled in the school of prophets, passed away leaving her with a sizable debt. It was so insurmountable that her creditors threatened to take her two sons as slaves. Grief-stricken, she cried out to Elisha for help. His answer can help you solve your desperate need.

1. Assess Your Situation.

Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil” (vs. 2). Many times, we view ourselves as having absolutely nothing to work with. Look closely at your database. Namestorm with your board members. Can you identify anyone who could give $100,000 to your ministry? How about $50,000… $25,000… $10,000… $5,000? Work down your list until you find a lead. Everyone knows someone who could give $1,000.

2. Ask Your Friends.

Elisha helped her realize that she had more resources beyond what she had in her house—she had a network of neighbors and friends. You have relationships with those you serve and those who love those your serve. Our minds always jump to millionaires and billionaires we’ve never met and will probably never meet. Instead, focus your efforts on those in your immediate circle.

3. Ask for a Gift they can Give.

Elisha gave her curious instructions. “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few” (vs. 3). Can you imagine the scene? “Mary, could I borrow as many empty jars as you can spare?” She gathered jars of all sizes. Sometimes, we look for one mega donor who can give a mega gift to solve all our problems. It’s easy for a donor to say no to a large request. Ask them for a gift they can say yes to!

4. Exercise faith.

The woman filled her house with empty jars, went inside, and shut the door. Then she and her sons witnessed God’s miracle of provision. One by one she filled each jar from her little jar of oil. When the last jar was filled, the oil stopped. She must have wished she had asked a few more neighbors for a few more jars. Don’t stop reaching out. Don’t stop telling your ministry story. Don’t stop asking for gifts no matter how small. The minute you stop asking, the gifts stop coming.

Response: Father, I feel like this desperate widow. Open my eyes to relationships I have and give me the courage to ask for help. Give me faith to trust you for your provision.

Think About This: A master bonsai gardener took an overgrown, partially dead juniper tree and transformed it into a work of art. He commented about his finished product, “You have to use what you’ve got to get what you want.” Use what you have and let God transform it into something beautiful for his glory.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

Communication, Fundraising, Major Donors

Donor-Centric Communication

by Ron Haas
May 3, 2021
President John F. Kennedy inspired a generation his with Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” JFK changed the focus from receiving to giving and motivated hundreds of thousands of volunteers to give their lives in public service to make the world a better place. Nonprofits should apply this famous quote to their donor relationships, “Ask not what your donors can do for you – ask what you can do for your donors.” We fixate on meeting our needs and ask donors to help us achieve our goals. There is a practical side to fundraising. We must meet our budget or risk going out of business. But this organizational self-focus overlooks the mutual benefit donors can share by partnering with your ministry. This concept of doing something for your donors doesn’t mean giving them some tangible gift although that’s a nice way to express your gratitude. Doing something for your donors involves the intangible gift of including them in your mission to change lives for eternity. Paul referred to his relationship to the Philippian church as a “partnership in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5). They were partners because they gave generously time and time again to share in his troubles (Phil. 4:14-16). They saw themselves as co-workers. Here are three ways to treat your donors like full partners. 1. Communicate Good News and Bad News The Philippians were partners with Paul through thick and thin. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul wrote, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.” Paul was authentic about the challenges he faced. Our donor communications tend to be guarded especially when we share bad news. A ministry recently sent a cryptic letter explaining why the executive director was fired. One donor reacted, “The letter said something without saying anything.” Open and transparent communication will strengthen your bond with your donors. When Paul sat chained in prison, in a real sense those Philippian believers were right there with him. When he floated to shore during his shipwreck (Acts 27), they were also bobbing up and down in the waves with him. When he preached the gospel and men, women and children came to faith, the Philippians shared in his harvest because they had invested in planting the seed. 2. Speak from your Donor’s Perspective Too often we ask our donors to support us as we do the work. Help them see their value by placing them on the front lines of ministry. Recently at a donor event the executive director of a relief and development agency made his appeal extremely personal. “Next week you will be serving food to refugees in Syria providing a warm meal and hope. You will be in Thailand rescuing young women trapped in sex-trafficking. You will be in Iraq sharing Bibles with people who have never seen a Bible. And you will be in India meeting the most urgent needs of a child in poverty.” These phrases transported donors from being spectators to becoming participants. 3. Emphasize Eternal Dividends Who really benefits from a donor’s gift? You do, because you can raise the funds to stay in business. The people you serve benefit, because you can continue serving them. But your donors also benefit because they will receive eternal rewards. Paul responded to the Philippian’s generosity, “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account (Phil 4:17). Donor partnership is not just a one-way street. It should be a genuine partnership mutually beneficial to both your ministry and your donors. As a Christian ministry, you give your donors the unique opportunity of laying up treasures in heaven. In all your donor communication you must tell great stories of changed lives. It’s not about your buildings, but what happens inside your buildings. It’s not about your professors, it’s how they impact your student’s lives. It’s really not about your ministry at all, its about helping your donors fulfill their God-given responsibility to be good stewards. Give them compelling reasons to partner with you to impact eternity.
Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Going to the Well One More Time

by Ron Haas
April 28, 2021

17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels (Genesis 24:17-20).

Abraham gave his servant detailed instructions about finding bride for Isaac. He was not to look among the daughters of the Canaanites but travel back to his homeland and search among his relatives (see Genesis 24:1-4). Abraham’s servant prayed that God would reveal the right young woman by prompting her to give him a drink and water his camels. God answered immediately in an incredible way.

Rebecca’s over and above response teaches us four important truths about donor endurance. Sometimes we are reluctant to ask a major donor repeatedly for support for fear they will tire of us and stop giving altogether. Donor fatigue seems real, but is it?

Start Small

Abraham’s servant prayed specifically that the woman would give him a drink and offer to water his camels (Genesis 24:14). He didn’t overwhelm her with a big ask, but wisely started small, “Please give me a little drink from your jar.” Most million-dollar gifts start with a small entry gift. Don’t shock your key prospects with a huge first gift. Ask for a gift that makes it easy for them to say “yes.”

Notice Enthusiasm

Watering camels is a huge job. A thirsty camel can drink more than 30 gallons of water in 15 minutes. If Abraham’s servant had an entourage with ten camels, we can understand why Rebecca ran so quickly back and forth from the well. Rebecca’s eager response wasn’t just because she had a good work ethic. Her generosity was a sign of God’s answer. God can bring special donors to you who have the gift of giving enthusiastically.

Deepen Your Relationship

When Rebecca finished her task, Abraham’s servant gave her a gold nose ring and two gold bracelets. It wasn’t just a generous tip for doing a great job, it was a proposal for marriage to Isaac. Develop a lifelong relationship with your key ministry partners. As your friendship deepens over the years, so will their financial commitment to your success. God rewards those who are generous by giving them more opportunities. “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11).

Response: Father, lead me to donors you have selected to partner with our ministry. Grant them the energy and resources to give generously until the job is finished.

Think About This: Jesus promised “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap” (Luke 6:38). That doesn’t sound like donor fatigue. Don’t view generous donors as a well that could run dry. See them as rivers of living water that God abundantly supplies to refresh others.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

It All Depends on the Liver

by Ron Haas
April 19, 2021

“For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver” (Ezekiel 21:21).

19th century philosopher William James penned this witty word play, “Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver.” A healthy liver is key to living a healthy life. Your liver performs approximately 500 functions including synthesizing amino acids and cholesterol; metabolizing carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; and producing bile which assists digestion in the small intestine. The ancient Babylonians believed that the liver could inform their decisions. Should we turn right or left?

What guides your ministry direction? How do you decide what programs to pursue or eliminate? What factors do you examine to determine if you need new facilities to accomplish your mission? Your non-profit is too sophisticated to look at a liver—instead, you’ve developed a strategic plan! Consider these four perspectives.

Top Down

Autocratic leaders desire to control every aspect of their organization, especially direction. This type of leader makes all the decisions with little to no input from followers. Many non-profits started from the vision of one individual who saw a need, took the risk to create a solution, and it worked. Top-down decisions are made quickly, but they can also demoralize followers who don’t feel their voice is heard.  

Bottom Up

This approach to strategic planning believes that the best innovative ideas come from the frontline staff who serve every day. Bottom-up planning is more democratic and can lead to small, incremental changes. While it is imperative to achieve buy-in from key staff, a bottom-up approach sometimes lacks support from leadership or trustees.

Inside Out

An inside-out strategic plan suggests that everyone in the organization knows more about how to help than everyone outside the organization. One challenge with this perspective is that organizations can become insulated and focus more on internal issues. Always remember Peter Drucker’s wise admonition, “Organizations exist to serve people outside the organization.”

Outside In

It’s healthy to make decisions with information from your community and constituency. What do your customers want and expect from your organization? Carefully listening those you serve helps you respond more effectively to their needs. However, if you chase the demands of people who don’t align with your mission you could possibly drift off course.

Ahead Behind

Effective strategic planning takes elements of all four approaches, but the best strategic planning refuses to rely on human understanding and seeks God’s direction. Moses experienced a wonderful promise, “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared” Exodus 23:20. God has a perfect future for your ministry and will guide you along the right path, if you ask.

Response: Father, please forgive us for leaning on our own understanding when developing our strategic plans.

Think About This: Make Isaiah 30:21 a key strategy when mapping your direction. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Major Donors

Too Many Chickens

by Ron Haas
April 19, 2021
Every chicken farmer knows that you can only put so many chickens in a coop before you start losing productivity. The same principle applies to non-profit organizations. Cram too much ministry into too small of space and you’ll struggle to be effective. Are you running out of ministry space, meeting rooms, offices, parking, and storage? Maybe it’s time to consider a larger facility. But that can be an expensive project which will probably require you to launch a capital campaign to raise the money. It’s a daunting task. Where do you start? A successful capital campaign requires five key components: 1) a compelling case, 2) committed leaders, 3) willing volunteers, 4) a good plan, and 5) prepared donors. Let’s look at each of these in more detail. 1. A Compelling Case

Just because you want a new facility, doesn’t mean that your donor base does. You must make the case that your ministry plan makes sense. You must demonstrate a winning track record that proves more space will translate into more changed lives. Successful ministries attract dollars because donors want to support causes that advance the cause of Christ.

A campaign can include property, bricks and mortar, personnel, program initiatives, and endowment. Your campaign must solve urgent problems and answer pertinent questions. What outreach ministries won’t happen if you don’t move forward with your plans? What essential programs won’t be accomplished without this campaign? Why should a donor make a significant gift to your campaign? What eternal investments are at stake?

2. Committed Leaders

John Maxwell says, “Everything rises or falls on leadership.” This is especially true of fundraising. The number one fundraiser in any nonprofit organization must be the executive director. Major donors want to talk with the boss. They want to look the leader in the eyes and ask themselves, “Can I trust this person?” “Will he or she actually follow through and accomplish the mission?”

One of the biggest challenges for a ministry leader is carving out 70 to 80 percent of their time to focus on a capital campaign. Maybe you’re thinking, “I work 80 hours a week now, how in the world could I lead a major fundraising effort?” Before considering a campaign, you, your board members, and key staff need to have a serious discussion about how to delegate some of your tasks to others, so you can schedule enough time to visit donors. Think of it this way. If you can become successful at fundraising, you can hire staff to cover some of your other ministry responsibilities.

Successful capital campaigns also depend on committed board members who will lead by giving generously and encouraging others to give. Collectively, the board should give 10 to 15 percent of the campaign total. When David gathered resources to build the Temple, he gave first, then he asked the elders of Israel to give, and finally he challenged the entire congregation (1 Chronicles 29:1-5). Apply this same pattern to your capital campaign. As leaders, you and your board must lead the campaign with generous, sacrificial gifts. You must set the pace before you ask anyone on the outside to give.

3. Willing Volunteers

Staff will play important roles in a capital campaign, but the most successful campaigns have strong volunteer involvement. Volunteers can identify donors, cultivate donor relationships and even ask for gifts. Take a close look at your database and find key donors who know and love your ministry who might also invest their time and talents in a fundraising effort.

Ask God to lead you to people who could open doors to new donors. When major donors get excited about your project, they will encourage their friends to get involved as well. There is no stronger appeal than friends asking friends to join them in supporting a worthy cause. In one recent campaign, we asked the lead donor to identify others who might be interested in supporting the project. He said, “I’ve got five people in mind and I’m going to tell them, ‘I’m into this campaign in a big way and I want you to consider a significant gift as well.’” 

4. A Good Plan

If you break down the gift amounts in a typical campaign you will find that 80 percent of the funds come from 20 percent of the donors. But a misguided campaign strategy focuses on lots of events that target the 80 percent of the donors who will only give 20 percent of the money. Don’t forget, it’s not enough to be busy, you must be productive. You will need a well-designed fundraising plan to stay on target.

You will also need a clear plan for what you will accomplish with the money. Occasionally, campaigns get sideways because the board or executive director keeps adding projects to the case statement. It’s hard to hit a moving target. Your major gifts team will have difficulty communicating a concise, compelling “ask,” if the story keeps changing.

Scripture teaches us to “count the cost before building the tower.” Before you announce a capital campaign, you should conduct a feasibility study to determine if your donors understand your plan, if they like your plan, and if they would be willing to give. A feasibility study helps you determine an attainable campaign goal, identify lead donors, and test if the timing is right to move forward.

5. Donors

The key element that many campaigns lack is strong major donor relationships. The ministry may know a few key potential donors, but sometimes the big money is two or three relationships removed. A campaign provides a great opportunity to attract new donors who could get excited about your vision. Don’t wait for a campaign to build relationships with major donors. Start now by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors for your annual operating fund.

Large capital gifts usually come from individuals who have made annual donations to the ministry over a period of years. Giving is based on trust and long-term donors have developed a level of confidence in your ministry. It’s much easier to ask a person for $10,000, if you have asked them for $1,000 each year for the past 5 years. Many major donors make their first gift to an organization as a “test” gift. They will give you an amount, and see how you handle it. If you thank them, use it wisely, and actually accomplish what you said you would, then they will be more inclined to give a larger gift in the future.

If you are considering a capital campaign, take this self-assessment. Do you have a compelling case worthy of support? Are you and your board members committed to leading this fundraising effort, financially and with your time? Can you recruit key volunteers who will open doors to significant donors? Do you have the right strategies in place, or will you need to find a coach who can guide you to success? Have you been asking major donors to contribute to your annual fund to prepare them for a future capital campaign? If you have too many chickens, answer these questions and move into a campaign with intentionality. A successful campaign requires prayer, careful planning, and direction from the Holy Spirit because whether you’re trying to raise $500,000 or $5,000,000 – it ain’t chicken feed.
Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Brevity is the Soul of Fundraising

by Ron Haas
April 13, 2021
“But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly” (Acts 24:4). Ananias, the high priest, and some elders appeared before Felix, the Roman governor, to condemn Paul for being a troublemaker. They brought along their lawyer, Tertullus, who spent some time flattering Felix. When he realized he might be losing his audience, he quickly jumped to his closing argument. Perhaps, William Shakespeare was inspired by Tertullus when he wrote “brevity is the soul of wit.” Intelligent writing and speech should use as few words as possible. This principle is especially true in fundraising. Here are five applications:

1. Writing. News flash—donors aren’t scanning their inbox eager to open your newsletters, fundraising appeals, and emails. You must grab and keep their attention within the first sentence. Share encouraging stories of how your ministry is making an eternal difference and ask. Be ruthless with your red editing pen and cut all needless words. Get to the point.

2. Speaking. TEDtalks are 18 minutes. It doesn’t matter how famous, wealthy, or influential you are; you have 18 minutes to make your point. Set a time limit for your featured gala/banquet speaker. The longer they run into overtime the less generous your donors will be. Coach them to get to the point.

3. Watching. Six second funny cat videos can get millions of views. Most YouTube videos are 7-15 minutes. Marketing videos should be two minutes or less. The quality of your content is more important than length. Your video should be as long as it takes you to tell your compelling story—not a second more or a second less. Get to the point.

4. Visiting. Don’t overstay your welcome during a donor visit. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour. You can stay longer if your host keeps the conversation going, but don’t dawdle. Before your meeting, determine what outcomes you hope to accomplish and guide the conversation toward that end. Implement the 3 Bs: Be Good, Be Brief, and Be Gone. Get to the point.

5. Asking. The most critical moment of your donor visit is the “ask.” Instead of asking, some ministry leaders hint and talk around the ask. Some nervously ask for a gift but keep on talking after they ask. If you keep talking, you risk talking your donor out of the gift. Stop talking; listen for their answer. Get to the point.

Tertullus was wrong about Paul, but right about Felix’s attention span. He wisely said, “I don’t want to keep you too long. Please listen to us. We will be brief” (Acts 24:4, GW). Know your audience and share your compelling story with as few words as possible. Response: Father, please increase my awareness to know when to listen, when to talk, and when to ask. May your Spirit give me the words I need to say and nothing more. Think About This: Tertullus had just one audience before Governor Felix and did his best to make a strong case. Consider carefully what to share with your key donor prospect—you may only get one chance! Pray that you will say just enough to be invited back for a second meeting! Have a Spirit-led fundraising week, Ron
Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
Fundraising, Major Donors

Big Rock Fundraising

by Ron Haas
April 5, 2021
In his book, First Things First, Steven Covey shared a story about a seminar leader who used an empty jar and some rocks to illustrate the importance of setting priorities. “How many rocks do you think will fit into this jar?” the instructor asked. After a few guesses from the audience, he began to carefully place as many rocks into the jar as he could. When he reached the top, he asked. “Is the jar full?” “Yes!” someone in the back shouted. He then grabbed a bucket of gravel and began pouring it into the jar, stopping occasionally to shake it into every available space between the bigger rocks. “Is the jar full?” he asked. Now the audience was catching on and someone replied, “Probably not.” “Good!” he responded as he reached for a bucket of sand and dumped it into the jar, shifting it back and forth until every crevice was filled. “Is the jar full now?” he asked. “No!” the crowd yelled. “Good!” he replied as he poured a pitcher of water into the jar of rocks, gravel, and sand. Then he asked, “What does this jar of rocks, gravel, sand and water teach you about time management and your priorities?” Somebody replied, “There are gaps in my time, and if you work really hard you can always fit something more into your life!” “Wrong answer!” he replied. “The lesson is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never fit them in.” Too Busy to Fundraise As a ministry leader you have many big rocks in your life: cast the vision, build, lead, and motivate your team, inspire enthusiasm, drive new initiatives, manage multiple constituencies, and successfully engage the board. Then there’s all the gravel, sand, and water issues of budgeting, marketing, organizing, planning, scheduling, writing, reporting, encouraging, and handling personnel issues which can easily explode into big rock issues. I’m convinced. You are an incredibly busy person with no room for another big rock in your life—especially the big rock called “fundraising.” “Big Rock” Fundraising involves two key principles: identifying major donors and investing your time with them. Yes, you need donors who can partner with you at all levels. Yes, your ministry is grateful for every donor no matter what size of gift. But to reach your gift income potential, you must cultivate personal relationships with major donors. Remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of the resources will come from 20% of your donor base. The ratio is more like 95/5: 95% of your funds will come from 5% of your donors. Who are your “big rocks?” Do you know their names? Do you know what motivated them to give? Have you personally thanked them for partnering with you? The most important fundraising strategy you could implement is to list your top twenty-five donors and begin making personal visits. Connect a name with a face. Get to know them and listen to their giving priorities. Share stories of lives you’ve touched. Tell them what their gift could accomplish. Making Time for Big Rocks If you’re serious about finding more resources for your ministry, the fundraising rock must be one of the biggest rocks in your jar. Now before you pick up a rock and throw it at me, consider this. What nonprofit organization in your city has the most fundraising success? If you were to ask them why they are successful at fundraising, you would discover that their CEO devotes at least 50% of his or her time cultivating relationships with major donors. Those who invest even more time achieve extraordinary results. Those who spend less time often struggle to survive. You are thinking, “But I didn’t get into ministry to spend all my time raising money.” I understand. But think of this, there are certain things that only the executive director can do; cultivating relationships with major donors is at the top of the list. Major donors want to talk with the boss. They want to hear your passion and vision for the future. They want to make a difference with their gift, so they want to know if you will follow through with what you say you will do. They want to give to people they can trust, and you build that trust by meeting with them face to face. If you can succeed with your big rock relationships, you’ll be able to expand your personnel, programs, and even your property. I challenge you to commit even 20 percent of your time cultivating big rock donors. Delegate tasks that others could do. Focus your time on big rocks. You ask, “OK, where do I start?” The first problem you will face is the urgent often crowds out the important. Take control of your calendar and clear one day a week from all the gravel, sand, and water that gets in your way. Spend the entire day identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major donors. Your “Big Rock” Day Some CEOs try to ease into this time management shift, but it is best to go “cold turkey.” Don’t worry—meetings that require your presence will fill into the cracks somewhere. Divide your time into six key strategies:

1. Research. Identify those individuals who have the capacity to support your ministry. Discover who in your organization knows them the best and can introduce you.

2. Relationship. Invest time cultivating these donor relationships before asking for a large gift. Educate them about how your ministry impact lives.

3. Request. You must ask for a specific gift. Hinting is not enough; you must be straightforward and ask. “Big Rock” donors want to know what you want from them.

4. Recognize. Say, “Thank You” in an appropriate way.

5. Recruit. Encourage your new donor to open doors to others who might also support your cause.

6. Report. How your organization shows appreciation to donors becomes an important factor in whether your donor cultivation cycle keeps moving forward or grinds to a halt. Continue sharing compelling stories of changed lives.

You have an important decision to make. You can spend your time shifting around gravel, sand, and water, trying to squeeze in enough room for big rocks, or you can dump the jar and start over. Remember, if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never fit them in. Resource: Stephen Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill, First Things First, New York, NY: Fireside, 1996
Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Hard Driving Donors

by Ron Haas
April 5, 2021

“The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac” (2 Kings 9:20).

“He (Jehu) came upon Jehonadab son of Rekab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, ‘Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?’ “I am,” Jehonadab answered. “If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. 16 Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” Then he had him ride along in his chariot. (2 Kings 10:15-16)

If Jehu lived today, he would drive a Tesla so he could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds. Jehu’s crazy driving habits illustrate how driven he was to accomplish God’s mission – to kill Jezebel, Ahab’s descendants, and the prophets of Baal. Perhaps you have experienced a hard-driving donor who lives to get things done and challenges you to move at his or her pace. Look for zeal as you recruit donors to serve on your board or capital campaign committee.

Driven Donors…

1. Attract Followers. People love to follow strong leaders. King Joram sent messengers to offer Jehu peace, but Jehu answered, “What do you know about peace? Fall in behind me” (2 Kings 9:18-19). The soldiers recognized Jehu’s leadership and immediately switched sides. Your ministry needs strong volunteer leaders who will help you build a strong team.

2. Shoot Straight. Driven donors are often very direct. King Joram met Jehu who bluntly said, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?” (2 Kings 9:22). As King Joram turned his chariot around to flee, Jehu shot him between the shoulders (v. 24). Jehu was a straight shooter in more ways than one. Value donors who speak truth.

3. See Reality. Jehu’s mission was to assassinate Jezebel. When she knew he had arrived in Jezreel “she painted her eyelids, and fixed her hair, and sat at a window” (2 Kings 10:30). It didn’t help. Jehu saw through her facade and ordered that she be defenestrated (thrown out the window). Driven donors can look at your budget and see the bottom line. They know if your numbers work or if you are trying to sugar coat something.

4. Think Strategically. Jehu was a cunning military leader. He killed everyone in Ahab’s family and devised a plan to invite all the prophets of Baal to a worship service. He gave them robes so they would stand out in the crowd, then had his soldiers kill them. Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel and God rewarded him.

5. Need Accountability. “But Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart” (2 Kings 10:31). God used Jehu, but he was a flawed human being. God can use your driven donor, but they need your spiritual guidance to be truly successful.

Response: Lord, please help me recognize and recruit key donors gifted with leadership.

Think About This: God brought you driven donors not just for their wealth, but also for their work and wisdom. Climb into their chariot and hang on!

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Hush Money

by Ron Haas
March 17, 2021

Some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day (Matthew 28:11-15).

The soldiers who guarded the tomb had one job: “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” (Matt. 27:65). But on Resurrection morning, an angel rolled the stone away and Jesus rose triumphantly from the dead. Everything about our faith hinges on the truth of the resurrection. “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Cor. 15:14).

The religious leaders knew if word got out, they would lose their power. So, they devised a plan and became the first major donors to oppose the good news. Money talks, in this case money attempted to change the narrative. The soldiers used the money to launch the first anti-Christian marketing campaign. We can learn three fundraising principles from this passage.

1. The World Has Good Fundraisers

Just like our passage, the forces of evil today can raise large sums of money to fund their falsehoods. Your ministry will never have enough money to stand against evil dollar for dollar. Thankfully, “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4). Be encouraged, with them “is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and fight our battles” (2 Chron. 32:8).

2. Your Ministry is a Target

Christian ministries are under attack. Sometimes the enemy persecutes directly. Other times, the enemy offers a counter message and spreads lies about those who dare speak truth. Anytime you stand for biblical truth, you will face opposition. We must remember that our true enemies are not people, but “the powers of this dark world and… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12).

3. The World Appears to Win – For Now

The soldier’s disinformation campaign was successful to a point; many people today still choose to believe their lie. But take heart, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Jesus promised to build his church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). Have confidence that God has all the resources you need to accomplish your mission. In the end, God wins!

Response: Father, forgive me for jealousy when I see the world raising lots of money for causes that oppose the Gospel. Help me share our ministry story with passion and trust your provision.

Think About This: No amount of money can suppress the true message, “He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed!”

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

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