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Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors

Favorably Disposed

by Ron Haas
January 19, 2020

“The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for” Exodus 12:35-36

God’s plan to provide for the Children of Israel involved asking, but it’s wasn’t just asking. God worked in the Egyptians’ hearts to make them favorably disposed toward Israel. Asking and giving is a divine-human cooperative. As the asker, we must present the need and ask – but God must work in the hearts of your donors to prompt them to respond.

After 400 years of slavery Israel had nothing. God instructed Moses, “when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters” (Exodus 3:21-22). Later, God would ask the Israelites to be generous with what they had received to build the Tabernacle.

The Children of Israel could have just taken what they wanted out of a sense of entitlement that their captors owed them for generations of work, but they weren’t rude or demanding. They simply asked. A major donor shared that a ministry representative once told him, “You have this big house and a lot of money, you ought to give to our project.” Do not equate the courage to ask boldly with rudeness or presumption. God knows your need and if he chooses, he can move in your donor’s heart to meet your need. Ask by faith with confidence and leave the results with God.

God bless,
Ron

 Ron Haas, current Vice President for The Timothy Group has also 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, Fundraising Verse of the Week

Asking A Friend

by Ron Haas
January 12, 2020

Luke 11:5-8 “Then Jesus went on to say: Suppose one of you goes to a friend in the middle of the night and says, “Let me borrow three loaves of bread. A friend of mine has dropped in, and I don’t have a thing for him to eat.” And suppose your friend answers, “Don’t bother me! The door is bolted, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you something.” He may not get up and give you the bread, just because you are his friend. But he will get up and give you as much as you need, simply because you are not ashamed to keep on asking” Luke 11:5-8 (CEV). 
 
Jesus told this parable to teach his disciples to pray boldly. This passage also reveals four lessons about fundraising. 

Our friend was asking to meet an urgent need for someone else. When you engage your donors, your motivation is to serve others. 

Our friend turned to his friend for help. Sometimes we dream about gifts coming from people we’ve never met, but we must ask those who know and appreciate our ministry. 

His friend wasn’t interested in helping. Fundraisers hear a lot of “nos.” Some reasons for not giving seem valid, some seem like excuses. 

His friend finally gave only because our friend kept asking. One of the most admirable qualities for a fundraiser is persistence. 

Asking is an important part of the giving process. Yes, some are prompted to give on their own, but others need encouragement. Luke 11:8 (GW) “I can guarantee that although he doesn’t want to get up and give you anything, he will get up and give you whatever you need because he is your friend and because you were so bold. Keep praying boldly! Keep asking boldly! 
 
God bless, 
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, Fundraising Verse of the Week

Fruitfulness

by Ron Haas
January 5, 2020

“I will answer him and care for him… your fruitfulness comes from me.” Hosea 14:8

How successful was your year-end giving campaign? One statistic says, “Approximately 31% of all annual giving occurs in December and approximately 12% of all annual giving occurs in the last three days of December. 28% of nonprofits raise between 26 – 50% of their annual funds from their year-end ask.” Many ministries kicked off their year-end push with Giving Tuesday, followed by a Thanksgiving or Christmas card, possibly an email campaign or social media blitz, a year-end appeal letter, and lots and lots of phone calls and personal visits.

You might have taken a well-deserved break for a minute or two, but your work isn’t done. Now its receipt and “thank you” writing season as you follow up with your generous donors. While your thoughts are still fresh, evaluate what worked and what didn’t and adjust for next year. Soon your calendar shifts to your busy spring season as you write board reports, finalize donor event details, and schedule major donor visits. To adapt an old adage, “Everyone else in your ministry works from sun to sun, but a fundraisers work is never done.”

This is why Hosea 14:8 is so meaningful. You can work hard. You can even work smart, but you won’t accomplish what God wants you to accomplish without his power. You know that and you and your team prayed fervently for all your year-end strategies. Take comfort that the Lord promises to answer and care for you. Remember, any lasting fruit comes from him. Fervent prayer is the key to your fundraising success. Consider amping up your fundraising prayer effort for 2020. Start today by praying for each donor who contributed to your year-end campaign.

God bless,
Ron

Development, Fundraising, Stewardship

2 Ways To Directly Impact Development By Year’s End

by The Timothy Group
August 7, 2019

Ready for Fall?

Back to school sales are already in full swing. Summer is winding down and Fall kick-offs are only weeks away. As hard as it may be to believe, Fall is upon us. The most critical fundraising months of the year are around the corner.  So, let’s ask the tough question: Are you ready?

Are you ready for budgeting and spreadsheets?

Are you ready for Fall Campaigns?

Are your social media strategies in place?

Is your calendar filling up with major and mega donor appointments?

Is your vision story-crafted well and ready to share?

Is your first Fall newsletter template done, copy complete and formats proofed?

When it comes to development, we all understand the 24-7 nature of the beast. That said, however, Fall offers a uniquely timed opportunity each year and here are two ways to directly impact your organization’s development by year’s end.

1. Top 10/Next 20 lists

That’s right, contrary to what some may think, there is a biblical precedent for categorizing and segmenting donors according to capacity. Look back at the leadership of Moses and Aaron in Exodus 25:2-8:

“Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breast-piece. And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.”

Starting with the most valued material and continuing all the way through to stones, these leaders understood that in order to construct this mobile worship center (the Tabernacle) there would have to be a variety of gifts from mega-level gifts to common gifts. What do your lists look like? How are your lists categorized? What does your organization consider a mega gift, major gift and so on… Developing and maintaining these lists adds clarity, urgency and understanding to the overall development efforts of your organization.

2. Vision Dots

Every organization on the planet has a story or, more likely, a litany of stories that describe the history, past projects, successes and stories of impact. These are all important. However, stories are secondary to key points of vision or Vision Dots. Vision Dots are those bullet-point items that are timely, strategic initiatives that frame or put into context the stories of your organization.

Vision Dots are leaping off points that you can quickly share in an ‘elevator pitch’ but can also lead to stories that reinforce their value and impact. For example, ABC Rescue Mission shares a story of impact detailing the journey of a young adult who was strung out, at rock bottom, stumbled through their doors at the mission and is now teaching classes to people struggling with addiction.  This is an impactful story of redemption. However, this story should naturally flow from a Vision Dot that describes an aspect of the mission such as:

Leadership Development – 60% of all classes at ABC Rescue Mission are taught by former addicts. Help us continue to train and equip those who God brings to us to recover and lead.

Stories carry much greater weight and donor impact if they can be shared in relation to a Vision Dot or ministry core value. The more you can root a story in the context of a key initiative the easier it will be for the donor to see where their dollars are going and understand the reach of their giving.

And in case you are still skeptical, here are some of the ways Vision Dots are greater than stories:

Big picture thinking to showcase the reach of the ministry

Reveal the inherent understanding that the leaders of your organization have more than just a passion or well-intended hope,

but that there are plans and well thought-out strategies in place.

Quick and easy to share

Easy to remember

Pave the way for donors to ask about other key Vision Dots / initiatives within your organization

Fall is practically here. We hope all your lists are ready and your key vision initiatives are in place! Happy sharing!

*Interested in a planning session to discuss segmenting your donor lists or identifying your organization’s key Vision Dots? Schedule your free consultation today!

Development, Donor Relations, Fundraising

What Matters More Than The Metrics?

by The Timothy Group
February 12, 2019

Every organization is flooded with numbers. Spreadsheets, goals, and personnel costs are just some of the numbers that matter, and we haven’t even discussed budgets and giving goals. The truth is that all these numbers matter! And one could argue these metrics are even more important for non-profit organizations when donors are involved!

However, while these metrics are important, they can also be overwhelming. More numbers often lend less clarity, not more clarity. Yet organizations of all shapes and sizes spend significant dollars to collect all the numbers, metrics, and data possible.

Have you ever considered what your most important numbers are? What metrics reveal the best signs of health in your organization? What data proves most valuable? 

Organizational guru, Seth Godin shares these three important reminders related to metrics and data gathering:

1. Don’t collect data unless it has a non-zero chance of changing your actions.
2. Before you seek to collect data, consider the costs of processing that data.
3. Data collected isn’t always accurate, consider the costs of acting on data that’s incorrect.

So, again, what data is most important to your organization? Different data matters more to different organizations. What is the most important metric for your movement?

Join us this month for The Timothy Group webinar on ‘Keeping Score: Tracking Major Donor Activity That Counts,’ to help you discover the metrics that matter most in stewardship and development.

REGISTER HERE
Capital Campaigns, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Stewardship

Knowing Your WHY Is Not Enough

by The Timothy Group
January 11, 2019

Don’t JUST Know Your Why

I am still blown away by the story of the MP3 player and I’m not talking about the iPod. You have probably heard the story by now – a company out of Singapore called Custom Technologies created the technology for the MP3 and eventually released the device some 20 months before Apple ever dropped the first iPod. But it is probably fair to say more people know of Apple, Inc. than know of Custom Technologies (full disclosure I had to look them up for this story).

But why is that? Sure, Apple has dominated the MP3 market for a while. Ironically, with the sales success of the iPhone they no longer produce dedicated MP3 players. And we all know the ‘designed by Apple in California’ motto, and Cali is much closer to our collective market minds than anywhere in Singapore. However, we all know that deep down there is something else at play in Apple’s iPod success and Custom’s MP3 anonymity – the Why.


That’s right. And we have all heard it before, ‘know your why.’ Know why you sell, do, love, live and believe in what you do. Know your why. What we do is easy to share, but why we do it is much more challenging. However, the point of this article is not to remind you to know your why – you already know it – but rather to take the all-important next step in knowing how to communicate your why.

It’s one thing to know your why. It is an entirely different skill set to be able to clearly and compellingly communicate it. Here are three helpful ideas to get you started:

  1. Create a storyboard to communicate your why. No, you will most likely never share this with anyone outside of your organization, but it helps take the creative and hard to express ideas of WHY and puts them in to pictures, clusters and other groupings so as to eventually help you put it into words. Here’s an app that we like to help with this process – Penultimate by Evernote.
  2. Share your WHY with others. Yes, that right. Practice your why on people within your organization who care enough about you and the mission of the organization to give you critical feedback.  This is not feedback from your mom or significant other. This is feedback from someone who likes to share their opinions with others. Just remember to filter the feedback. A good line to remember is: Chew up the meat; spit out the bones. Or in other words, take what is helpful, process it and leave the rest on the table to be thrown out.
  3. Work your WHY into casual conversations. When it comes to WHY you work for an organization and WHY someone should give to help that organization, your WHY is critical and will eventually permeate many non-job areas of your life. As you stroll through the coffee shop, the gym, your church or any other places in life, be willing to share your WHY.  The more you share it, the more naturally it will be communicated when it truly counts.

When it came to that MP3 player for Custom Technologies, they marketed it by saying 5gb of Music MP3 player. However, when Apple debuted the iPod, they marketed it by saying, ‘1000 songs in your pocket.’  Which would you choose? Or better asked, which did you choose?! Apple’s marketing was better (the What) because they understood they are a lifestyle brand, and it is through that lens they market.  The WHY makes all the difference.  Know yours, and just as importantly, know how to communicate it.

To learn more about using your WHY to secure major donors in 2019, register for our webinar on Tuesday, January 15th, at Noon ET. It’s FREE! – Register HERE.

Capital Campaigns, Development, Donor Relations, Fundraising

Christian Schools – We’ve Been There …

by The Timothy Group
October 1, 2018

We’ve been there. And can show you how as well.

The private Christian School market is sometimes complex, with all the competing issues you will
face. Choosing curriculum, recruiting and retaining top-notch faculty, weighing athletics versus
education, maintaining legal compliance, satisfying target audiences, and managing annual and
capital fundraising.

Kent Vanderwood, Vice President at The Timothy Group, heads up our Christian School division and
can help you navigate these issues and more. As a partner here at The Timothy Group, he has been
there and done that. His non-profit stewardship journey has prepared him well.

Kent felt the call to be an educator while pursuing his undergraduate studies at Grand Valley State
University in Michigan. After beginning as a special education teacher in a public school system,
Kent went through a personal philosophical search for the best way to educate his own children. He concluded
that a Christ-centered education was imperative for his family and he headed up a
steering committee of interested parents to explore opportunities. In 1980, a private Christian
school was formed from scratch.

In addition to serving as a key member of the organizing committee, Kent was one of the first
faculty members, a coach, janitor, headmaster, fundraiser, compliance officer, curriculum director
and even a member of the founding board of directors. Starting with 43 students in grades K-6,
Tri-unity Christian School in Grand Rapids, Michigan grew to over 700 K-12 students under Kent’s
tenure.

During his time at TCS, Kent was heavily involved in both the Association of Christian Schools
International (ACSI) and Christian Schools International (CSI). He served as the Michigan
representative on the ACSI regional council for eight years. He led his school through initial
accreditation with ACSI in 1987 and the renewal process in 2004. He was a regular conference and
workshop speaker.

Kent learned development and fund raising the hard way – by getting in the trenches and digging. He
hired his first development director in 1990, 10 years after the school was founded, and in 1998
launched the school’s first ever capital campaign for $1.5 million. The campaign reached its goal before Kent
left the school after 20 years in 2000.

Kent has personally served hundreds of K-8 and K-12 private Christian schools in the areas of
strategic planning, board development, development assessments, executive searches, pre-campaign
studies and capital campaigns. He has personally assisted on campaigns ranging from $500,000 to
over $40 million. He has served on various non-profit boards including Christian schools. Kent
brings a wealth of real life experiences to every project.

As a VP of development at a rescue mission, a large international para-church ministry, and another
Christian school, Kent not only understands the principles from a consulting perspective, but he
has been in the trenches “doing” development.

Can we put this experience to work for you?

Development, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Stewardship

Multi-Level Relationship Marketing

by The Timothy Group
February 9, 2018

I have been consulting with Christian ministries since 1981. Some of the hardest working servants in the kingdom today are non-profit directors. They write, speak, recruit, manage, lead, raise money, counsel, and they even clean the restrooms and sweep the parking lot. They are mission-driven people with a real passion to help others. They work long hours for compensation that is sometimes a bit short or low or both.

So why, if they are working this hard, doing all these commendable deeds, are they struggling to meet payroll and grow their organizations? Here are a few key thoughts based upon years of experience.

 

NETWORKING . . . IS NOT A NAUGHTY WORD

Networking is not a new concept with multi-level companies like Amway and Herbalife and a multitude of other such organizations. Jesus started a multi-level organization that most of us are a part of today (the Church). Jesus recruited and trained the most unlikely bunch ever and impacted the world. He gave them assignments, held them accountable, loved them, and even chastised them, but accomplished His mission (the establishment of the New Testament Church). Think of His down line or immediate team – it was Jesus then Peter, James and John – a pretty effective group who worked together and got it done.

IT’S RELATIONSHIPS . . . NOT ROCKET SCIENCE

Since the invention of social media, we stay connected with legions more people than in past years. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. You get the idea. But think of your board, your volunteers and in some instances your donors as your family. Great families communicate and work together to sustain a home. You pass along assignments. I used to assign the lawn maintenance to my son, “Hey Matt, can you mow the grass this week?” Then I held him accountable to get the mower out and get after it. Matt had three days to mow the grass from the point of request. If he did it, I paid him $10; if I ended up doing it on the 4th day, Matt paid me $10. Now, I don’t want or need his money. I need him to realize his place in the family structure and to be accountable to help out. Volunteers can do the same if we ask them and hold them accountable. Keep in mind “volunteers do what we inspect … not what we expect.”

So, who are these family members in your ministry and how do we get them to invest themselves to accomplish your mission?

 

WHO’S ON FIRST?????? AT YOUR MINISTRY

Let’s get real, you need two resources to be effective in your organization. Human resources and dollar resources. You need bodies and bucks. Staff, board, and volunteers need to help you work and network at your ministry by utilizing their existing relationships. Every board and staff member become a center of influence. They help you open doors of opportunity, they become a networker. You build a plan to ask everyone connected with your organization to become an effective “Friend Raiser.” When we ask our family and close friends to help, they step up and do it. Somehow, we have missed this concept in building our networking teams. Instead of asking others and holding them accountable for the outcome, many of you just step up and do it…which leads to more frustration, more burnout, less effective management.

HERE’S THE PLAN . . . FOR THE AGES AND NOW

Won by one, is the timeless strategy for reaching out to others. Ask each board, staff, and key volunteer to reproduce themselves over the next 30-60-90 days by recruiting another person just like themselves to plug into your center’s ministry. As your volunteers increase (bodies) so will your gift income (bucks). Volunteers can and do share their time, talent, and treasure with their favorite ministries. Many hands and additional check books lighten the load.

Your best recruiter for your ministry is someone who already believes in you, who gives to you and prays for you. This month don’t ask for more money (just yet). Ask each board member to help you recruit a volunteer. Do the same with your staff and key volunteers. See if some effective “Relationship Marketing” could help surface another Peter, James, or John.

Provide a job description and share expectations with each and every volunteer. Tell them what it costs (time, talent, treasure) to join your team.

Networking is not a naughty word – it is all about relationships.

 

Pat McLaughlin
President/Founding Partner
The Timothy Group
pmclaughlin@timothygroup.com

Capital Campaigns, Development, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Uncategorized

Shari Flaming Center For The Arts Dedication

by The Timothy Group
December 14, 2017

On Friday, December 9th, Tabor College of Hillsboro, Kansas dedicated their $13 million Shari Flaming Center for the Arts. Through the determination and enthusiasm of Dr. Jules Glanzer; Ron Braun, VP for Advancement; Trustees, the Advancement team and the entire Tabor family, Tabor completed this facility debt free and exceeded their $18 million Signature Campaign with a total of $18,683,630. Since 2,000, Tabor has raised just under $60 million for capital, annual and endowment funds!

The Timothy Group has partnered with Tabor College since 2008. Pat McLaughlin, President and Founder of The Timothy Group spoke at the dedication and then was honored with a surprise award for his service to Tabor. The Tabor College/Timothy Group team has been a great partnership. Dr. Glanzer shared some kind words about working together, “Everything I know about fundraising, I learned from The Timothy Group. Pat went on donor visits with us for this campaign. One important thing Pat taught us was to listen to your donors. If you listen to them, they will tell you when and how much. I would attribute our fundraising success solely to the help of Pat and The Timothy Group. When we did what they asked us to do, it worked.”

The award presented to Pat is inscribed, “The Timothy Group – In grateful recognition for your service to Tabor College – Shari Flaming Center for The Arts – Dedicated 12/9/17.”

It’s appropriate that the first performing arts event in the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts was, Handel’s “Messiah.” Hallelujah for God’s provision of this wonderful new facility through the unparalleled generosity of the Tabor College constituency!

 

 

 

Patrick McLaughlin is President and Founder of The Timothy Group. Pat has personally assisted more than 1,654 Christian organizations. In 27 years of service, The Timothy Group has raised over $2.2 billion.

 

 

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