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Fundraising Verse of the Week

Complicated Major Donor Relationships

by Ron Haas
January 9, 2025

“And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved” (Genesis 43:14).

Navigating major donor relationships can be tricky. We worry about what to do and what not to do, what to say and what not to say. Joseph’s brothers’ first visit with the governor did not go well. He questioned them, accused them of spying, and threw them in jail. Eventually, he sold them grain and allowed them to return home but with two caveats: (a) one of them had to stay; and (b) they had to bring their youngest brother when they returned. They sulked home with their tails between their legs and told their father the bad news. The famine continued but when they reached the desperation point, Israel sent his sons back to Egypt to buy more grain. Their second visit teaches us four lessons about repairing major donor relationships.

Questions
Israel had lots of questions about their first visit, “Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?” (Gen. 43:7). They didn’t mean to reveal sensitive information, they were just answering questions. After your major donor visit, it’s easy to second guess yourself about what you said wrong or shouldn’t have said at all. It’s important to critique yourself but remember the Spirit is in control of your conversation and will guide your words (see Matt. 10:19-20).

Answers
Major donors ask tough questions about your theology, mission, vision, strategic plans, budget, and financial projections. Judah knew they must be ready with answers before they approached the governor. “You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you” (Gen. 43:5). If your donor asked you a question that you couldn’t answer the first time, do your homework, and bring the right answers.

Assumptions
The brothers thought they were in trouble when they were escorted to Joseph’s house. They jumped to conclusions about the silver left in their sacks on the previous visit, “He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys” (Gen 43:18). Meeting with major donors can be intimidating but don’t assume that you know what your donor is thinking. Listen and let them speak for themselves.

Relationships
Major donor relationships are built upon trust. The brothers demonstrated their good faith intentions by taking gifts, apologizing for the silver in the sack incident, and showing genuine humility. Joseph responded by showing concern for their father, instructing his servant to reassure them about the silver issue, and hosting them for an extravagant dinner. These relationship building moments broke the tension and paved the way for reconciliation. When you have history with a donor, restoration takes time and actions. “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for” (Prov. 16:6).

Think About This: Israel was afraid of a bad outcome, so he delayed sending his sons to Egypt. In retrospect, he had more to gain than to lose. Are you procrastinating a stressful major donor conversation? Reach out today. You also have more to gain than to lose.

Response: Father, please give me wisdom to repair my broken major donor relationships.

Silhouette of two hikers helping each other on a mountain at sunset, with text "FEARLESS FUNDRAISING" and "1 Corinthians 2:3".
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Fearless Fundraising

by Ron Haas
November 27, 2024

“I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.” (1 Corinthians 2:3)

We have an image of a courageous Apostle Paul boldly preaching about the Unknown God to the Greeks in Athens (Acts 17:16-33), or casting out a demon from a young fortune-telling girl triggering a riot which lead to his beating and landed him in prison (Acts 16:16-24), or causing a riot in Ephesus for preaching the Good News (Acts 19:23-41), or standing firm for his faith before King Agrippa (Acts 26). But there’s another side to Paul’s ministry—he came to Corinth in weakness, great fear, and trembling. Some people saw Paul as timid, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing” (2 Cor. 10:10). Those who underestimated Paul as a messenger failed to realize the power of his message. Do you approach your major gift donor meetings with weakness, great fear, and trembling?

Weakness
Paul embraced weakness. In fact, he “delighted in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:10) because he wanted Christ’s power to rest on him. The Corinthians prided themselves in their wisdom (1 Cor. 3:18-20), but Paul chose the opposite approach. He did not use eloquence, human wisdom, or persuasive words. Rather, he wanted his message to demonstrate the Spirit’s power. If you approach your major donor meetings with pride and overconfidence, you might not get the response you desire. Don’t trust your fancy brochure, professional video, scripted presentation, or winsome personality. Humbly share your need and ask your donor to consider partnering with you. Then trust the Spirit to move in their heart.

Fear
Fear is a debilitating emotion. Some are vexed with acrophobia (fear of heights), arachnophobia (fear of spiders), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) or the dreaded coulrophobia (fear of clowns). Some ministry leaders suffer from the fear of asking because they are afraid the donor will say no. They falsely believe if a donor declines to give, the donor is rejecting them. This perspective is rooted in pride. It’s not about you. It’s about your ministry and the people you serve. Boost up your courage and ask.

Trembling
Major donors might intimidate you and cause you to get tongue-tied. Paul’s reliance on the Spirit, kept him from shaking in his boots. His trembling turned to confidence as he proclaimed God’s message through God’s power (1 Cor. 2:4). Ezra’s enemies tried to intimidate him from completing God’s mission but, “Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord” (Ezra 3:3). Your best response to anxiety is to keep meeting with donors, keep sharing your ministry stories with confidence, and keep asking.

Think About This: Jerry Panas, the godfather of fundraising, advised, “Asking for a gift shouldn’t set your knees trembling. Asking isn’t selling. It isn’t razzle dazzle or persuading people to do something they don’t want to do. People want to invest in great causes. They want to feel they’re helping to change lives. It’s your job to help them understand how their money can make things happen.”

Response: Lord, please give me confidence to approach my ministry partners in humility and love. Help me ask boldly!

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Growing Major Gifts

by Ron Haas
November 13, 2024

“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)

Jesus shared this parable of the growing seed to illustrate how God causes the Gospel to flourish in peoples’ hearts. When the seed starts growing it doesn’t stop until it produces a harvest. Some people new to major gift fundraising think they can plant the seed and immediately harvest a $1 million gift but asking and receiving requires patience and faith. Consider these steps:

Scattering Seed
The farmer sows the seed but is not responsible for the outcome. His role in the process is very limited. All he can do is plant the seed and wait. The only human act in the Gospel is telling the story. Evangelists can’t make someone place their faith in Christ, they can only present the Gospel and trust the Holy Spirit to change hearts. As a fundraiser, you can’t make someone give to your ministry, you can only share the story, ask for their partnership, and trust God to prompt their generosity.

Sprouts and Grows
The seed has all the power within it to reproduce itself which is why your ministry story is a critical aspect of fundraising. Your story must convey eternal results. The farmer doesn’t understand how the seed grows. Likewise, you can’t read a donor’s heart to know what might take root, so you need to sow many varieties of seed. Your giving opportunities should include people, property, and programs.

Stalk, Head, Full Kernel
Donors rarely give a seven-figure first-time gift, in fact many initial gifts are $100 or less. Stretch your donors by presenting them with greater opportunities. As your donors’ confidence in you grows, their gifts will increase. An eager major gift officer boldly asked for a $5 million dollar gift from someone who had the ability but no relationship to the ministry. The donor responded, “You need to give me more of an onramp. Ask me for a project that can start our relationship.”

The Harvest
Farming and fundraising are hard work. Both require knowledge of what, when, where, and how to plant, and both require reliance on God’s favor. The fundraising harvest comes after you’ve invested the hard work of relationship building and asking. The hardworking farmer does what he does so he can enjoy the harvest. If you faithfully tell your story and ask, God will bring a bountiful harvest. He is ultimately responsible for providing for your ministry.

Think About This: Mark 4:28 says, “All by itself the soil produces grain.” This phrase uses the Greek word automatē, from which we get the English word “automatically.” It’s divinely automatic. Fundraising is a divine-human cooperative, but mostly divine. Tell your ministry story well, ask boldly, and leave your results to God.

Response: Father, please help me faithfully tell our ministry story, ask for support, and trust you for the outcome.

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 three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising

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