A weathered wooden table with clay bowls, fishing nets, and a hand holding a fish in a rustic biblical-era setting, with the text The Right Fundraising Guide and the scripture reference Matthew 17:27 in white lettering.

The Right Fundraising Guide

by Ron Haas

July 27, 2026

“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours” (Matthew 17:27).

Expert fishing guides spend years learning the water. They know where the fish hang out in every season, which bait produces strikes, and when the conditions are just right. Hire one and they will put you on the fish every time.

The disciples had a tax problem and Jesus offered a simple solution: one line, one fish, one coin. In this miracle, Jesus is the guide. He knew exactly where to fish, what to expect, and what it would provide. It was exactly the right amount at exactly the right time, delivered in a way no one could have planned.
Legendary fundraising consultant Jerry Panas spent decades studying what separates successful major gift asks from unsuccessful ones. His Six Rights of Fundraising states: “Successful fundraising is the right person asking the right prospective donor for the right amount for the right project at the right time in the right way.”

The Right Person. The asker must have a genuine personal connection with the donor or bring someone along who does. Before you ask, build the bridge.

The Right Prospective Donor. Your goal is finding the person who has the capacity and the calling to make a difference. Capacity without passion and passion without capacity both fall short of transformational giving.

The Right Amount. Ask too low and you leave resources on the table. Ask too high without preparation and you damage the relationship. Do your homework and be willing to name a number with confidence.

The Right Project. Some donors love capital projects. Others want to fund programs that change lives directly. Listen well to match their heart to the right opportunity.

The Right Time. Timing in fundraising is not about your calendar. It is about the donor’s life and readiness. Stay in relationship, stay patient, and stay attentive.

The Right Way. The best fundraisers are the best listeners. Listening equips you to craft an ask that feels personal rather than scripted. That kind of ask is hard to say no to.

The Seventh Right: The Right Prayer. Panas set the table beautifully but overlooked the most important element: prayer.

You can execute all six rights flawlessly and still walk away without a gift. Your skill and strategy can put you in the right room at the right moment, but only the Holy Spirit can move a heart to be generous. Before every major ask, pray specifically. Ask the Spirit to identify the right donor, give you wisdom about the right amount, and prepare the donor’s heart before you ever sit down with them. Then release the outcome. Your job is faithfulness. The results belong to God.

Think About This: We share the story. We make the ask. But we cannot manufacture the response. That has always been the work of the Spirit.

Response: Lord, lead me to the donor you have already prepared, give me wisdom for the right ask, and remind me that what I cannot manufacture, you can simply speak into being. Amen.

A shepherd walks along a hilltop ridge at golden hour, leading a long line of sheep silhouetted against a bright orange sunset sky. Text overlay reads "Luke 15:4 — Fundraiser, Find Me!"

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Fundraiser, Find Me!

by Ron Haas

July 27, 2026

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4)

Have you heard of Jose Monkey? He is a YouTube creator who specializes in geolocation. Viewers film a 360-degree video at a mystery location and submit it with the challenge, “Jose Monkey, Find Me!” Jose scours the footage for clues: a fuzzy street sign, a distant mountain range, a bend in a river. He cross-references what he sees on Google Maps, Street View, and satellite imagery until he pinpoints the spot. Some searches take minutes. A few take hours. But when he lands on it, he announces with quiet satisfaction, “Guys, that was it.”

Jose says finding someone takes three things: clever deductions, technical skill, and pure determination. That is also a pretty good job description for a gift officer pursuing lapsed donors.

Clever Deductions
The shepherd had no GPS. He followed tracks. He spotted a tuft of wool snagged on a thornbush. He read the landscape and pieced together a trail. When a donor goes quiet, retrace their steps. When did they last give? Did they attend an event? Was there a meeting that never got a follow-up? This is exactly why thorough CRM records matter. Log every gift, every email, every conversation. You are leaving a trail for the next person who needs to find what you almost lost.

Technical Skill
The internet rewards the patient researcher. LinkedIn reveals career history. Facebook surfaces family milestones. Local newspaper archives capture business news and community involvement. Obituaries are some of the greatest research tools because they map family trees and open doors to relatives you never knew were connected to your mission. Wealth screening tools go further still, surfacing property holdings, business interests, foundation affiliations, and giving history. Do your homework before you make the call.

Pure Determination
We read about the shepherd finding his sheep and skip straight to the celebration. Think about what came between. The terrain was rough. It may have been dark. There were real reasons to stay by the fire. He went anyway. Re-engaging a lapsed donor can take a week or a year. Do not give up too soon.

The Human Connection
Jose Monkey doesn’t ask for help, but you should. Sometimes the door is locked and you need a friend with a key. Jeff had the right phone number, but his donor William used call-screening software that blocked unrecognized voices. So, Jeff called their mutual friend Joe and asked him to give William a heads-up. Joe made the call. The door opened. The warmest path back to a relationship is often through someone they already trust.

Think About This: The shepherd found his sheep and threw a party. That is the energy you bring to re-winning a donor. Someone who once believed in your mission enough to give is worth every clue followed, every search run, every awkward ask of a mutual friend. Go find them.

Response: Lord, guide me to the donors who have drifted away. Open the right doors and bring the right friends alongside. Give me the patience to search well and the joy of finding what was lost. Amen.

Close-up of a runner's legs and feet mid-stride on a dirt path at sunset, backlit with warm golden light and greenery along the trail. Text overlay reads "Press Toward Your Fundraising Goal — Philippians 3:14."

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Press Toward Your Fundraising Goal

by Ron Haas

July 27, 2026

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Paul paints a picture of a runner pressing toward the finish line, “straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13). Think of the marathon runner in the final mile, lungs burning, legs weak but still moving forward on nothing but will and the sight of the finish line.

That describes fundraising. The calls that go unreturned for weeks. The major donor who leaned in and then went completely silent. The board member who wants results but doesn’t help. There comes a moment in every fundraiser’s year when exhaustion wins and you cry out like Frodo, “I can’t do this, Sam.”

Sam responded with this:

“I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to how it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going, because they were holding on to something… That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”

You Are in a Great Story
Sam refused to let darkness have the final word. That is exactly the attitude you need. Every unreturned call, every campaign that stalls, every board that is losing hope, these are not signs that God has abandoned your ministry. They are the middle of the story, and the middle is always the hardest part. You are not failing. You are in the part that requires patient endurance.

The Challenges Are Real
College presidents wrestle with declining enrollment and strained budgets. Rescue mission directors watch the need grow while their giving base shrinks. Christian school leaders pour energy into a major donor that always feels one conversation away from a breakthrough. The details differ. The exhaustion is the same. You are not imagining it.

Keep Going
Selah’s “Press On” was released just one month before September 11, 2001. In the following weeks, radio stations played it on heavy rotation while the nation tried to find its footing.

“When the choices are hard, when we’re battered and scarred | When we’ve spent our resources | When we’ve given our all | In Jesus’ name, we press on.”

That is still the word. Press on.

Think About This: Are you carrying a burden right now that feels too heavy to finish? Tell the Lord exactly where you are. He already knows.

Response: Lord, help me see your plan in a dark moment. Give me strength and courage to keep pressing on toward my fundraising goal, trusting you for the results. Amen.

An illustrated scene of an adult and child fishing together on a rocky shoreline at sunset with gentle waves and a warm glowing sky, with the text Fishing for Donors and the scripture reference John 21:5-6 in white lettering.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Fishing for Donors

by Ron Haas

July 20, 2026

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some” (John 21:5-6).

Every fisherman knows the long night with nothing to show for it. The disciples lived that night twice, once in Luke 5 when Jesus first called them, and again in John 21 after the resurrection. Both times they fished through the night to exhaustion, caught nothing, and then watched Jesus turn an empty net into an overwhelming haul. That pattern holds a lesson for every fundraiser who has ever come home empty-handed.

We all go through “no fish” seasons

These men had fished these waters their whole lives. Lack of experience was not their problem. Some of your most frustrating seasons come when everything looks right on paper. Good team. Strong database. Compelling ministry story. All the right pieces in place. The calls are made, the visits are scheduled, your story is ready. And still…nothing.

We must be honest about our situation

Jesus asked the one question they didn’t want to answer. We don’t like to see reality. We would rather sugarcoat our results by focusing on our activity. Simon didn’t dodge it. He said what most of us only think: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.” You might say something similar: “I didn’t reach my fundraising target, but I’ve met my goals of how many calls, how many personal visits, how many asks.” Activity is worth tracking, but you must be productive.

We must listen to advice

What did this stranger know about fishing? You might have the same attitude. After all, you are in the trenches every day. You know your donors, your ministry, and your strategies. But sometimes we lose our perspective because we are so close to the situation. Listen to a colleague with an idea, a board member with a suggestion, a donor with a lead, or a trusted outside voice. Fresh eyes often see what familiarity hides.

We must act boldly

“No fish” seasons are not the time to quit. It’s the time for a new strategy and renewed resolve. Jesus told them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat. Peter’s response in Luke captures the same spirit of reluctant obedience: “But because you say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5). Our most important counsel comes from the Spirit who promised through Isaiah: “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'” (Isaiah 30:21). Are you asking the Lord to reveal who you should call, visit, and ask?

Think About This: When the Lord got involved, “they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink” (Luke 5:6-7). God can take your simple acts of faith and pour out blessing you cannot contain.

Response: Lord, give me direction in my “no fish” moments. Help me work faithfully and trust you for net-breaking results.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Too Many Fundraisers

by Ron Haas

July 6, 2026

“The Lord said to Gideon, ‘You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, My own strength has saved me'” (Judges 7:2).

A key question in any capital campaign is, “Do we have the right people to lead this effort?” Jesus taught a parable about planning: “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14:31) Good counsel. Know your team. Plan carefully.

But God told Gideon the opposite: you have too many men. The tension between those two ideas is where Christian fundraising actually lives. God reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300 to make clear that Israel’s victory would come from His power, not human strength.

Finding 300 Men
God first released those who were afraid, leaving 10,000 volunteers. Then He tested and chose those who scooped water to their mouths. Those men stayed alert with their eyes up and hands ready while others knelt down and lost sight of what was happening around them. In a campaign, that distinction matters just as much. The most effective volunteers know why the work matters, read the room, listen carefully to donors, and stay spiritually and relationally aware. The right people who are engaged, discerning, and mission-aware can carry extraordinary impact even when your team is small.

Staff Size or God
Like Gideon’s army, our campaign teams can become a source of false confidence or unnecessary fear. We count staff, consultants, and volunteers, then feel confident or discouraged based on what we see. But are we trusting our team size or trusting God? He tends to show up most powerfully when our resources look insufficient. When the key volunteer steps back and a better one steps forward. When someone who never seemed engaged becomes the most effective advocate in the room because the Holy Spirit moved them. Don’t let a small team become an excuse. Let it become an invitation.

Same Vision, Smaller Army
God didn’t reduce the goal. He reduced Gideon’s army. Brother Andrew founded Open Doors and spent decades smuggling Bibles into communist countries during the Cold War. He knew something about stepping forward with inadequate resources. He once said, “If your vision doesn’t scare you, then both your vision and your God are too small.”

Gideon’s 300 men didn’t know what would happen when they broke those clay jars and raised those torches. They only knew they had been called to step forward in obedience. Your job in fundraising is the same: be faithful, prepared, and obedient. Make the calls. Write the proposals. Cultivate relationships. But hold all of it loosely, because God reserves the right to thin the army when He wants the glory.

Think About This: The goal of your campaign isn’t just to hit a number. It’s to tell a God story. Make sure you’re leaving room for Him to do something you can’t explain.

Response: Lord, forgive us for when we’ve trusted more in our plans than in Your provision. Give us the courage to trust that You will do what only You can do. Amen.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Fundraising Paralysis

by Ron Haas

May 26, 2026

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6 NIV)

Jesus went to the pool of Bethesda where dozens of blind, lame, and paralyzed people were waiting to be healed. He saw one man who had been lying there for 38 years and asked a probing question, “Do you want to get well?” The man shared reasons for his hopeless situation, to which Jesus commanded, “Get up! Take up your mat and walk.” Immediately, the man was healed and began to walk. This miracle teaches four truths about fundraising.

The Question
Why would Jesus ask the man if he really wanted to be well? It seems obvious. Of course he did. But the same question can apply to you and your ministry. Do you really want fundraising success? All ministry leaders and boards want the results of fundraising, but few are willing to take the time to identify, cultivate, and solicit major donors. How many of your top 25 donors have you visited in the last 90 days?

It Requires Humility
The invalid was helpless because he had no one to carry him to the pool. In one sense, your ministry is helpless unless others help you. You must rely on the generosity of others. Being a successful fundraiser starts with humility. Many ministry leaders will do events, write letters, and send emails, but they won’t sit across from a donor and make a direct ask because that requires vulnerability. That’s where humility really lives.

Take the First Step
Jesus simply commanded, “Get up! Take up your mat and walk.” Many organizations lie around waiting for the Lord to open the windows of heaven and pour out his blessing. Thankfully, the Lord does provide, but he also asks us to get up and get going. If you never pick up the phone and call your donors, they will never answer you. Sometimes ministries are stuck in fundraising complacency. Write down the name of one donor you’ve been avoiding and put a call on your calendar for this week.”

Don’t Turn Back
Later, Jesus saw the newly healed man in the temple and gave him this ominous warning, “Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you” (John 5:14). Spiritually, we all have a tendency to fall back into our old ways. Jesus prompts him to keep walking by faith. In fundraising, the most effective strategy is to schedule face-to-face donor visits, cultivate a relationship with your donor, and ask for a specific gift. It’s too easy to fall back into a let’s-just-send-a-letter mentality.

Think About This: When Jesus asked, “Do you want to get well?” the man could have responded, “No, I’m good.” Are you passive or active in your fundraising efforts? Many ministry leaders are just lying around waiting for someone to help them. The best fundraisers get up and go talk with donors. Be proactive and schedule that donor meeting today.

Response: Lord, forgive me for depending on others more than I depend on you. Thank you for giving me a new lease on my fundraising life. Help me move forward with your power and purpose. Amen.

Uncategorized

Joyful Fundraising

by Ron Haas

May 18, 2026

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2).

Every fundraiser should be humming:
I still got joy in chaos
I’ve got peace that makes no sense
And I won’t be going under
I’m not held by my own strength
‘Cause I’ve built my life on Jesus
He’s never let me down
He’s faithful through every season
So why would He fail now?
He won’t

Do you have joy in your fundraising chaos and peace that makes no sense? Fundraising is a stressful job with sometimes impossible expectations. James encourages us to approach every situation with joy because God is in control.

Testing Produces Perseverance
Remember Murphy’s Law? “If anything can go wrong, it will.” You’ve heard war stories: the banquet where the keynote speaker canceled two hours before start time, the direct mail appeal with a catastrophic typo no one caught until 10,000 pieces went out, or the awkward moment your executive director asked your million-dollar donor a question that was a little too personal. You can give up and walk away, or you can lean in and learn endurance. Each challenge builds your fundraising muscles and deepens your trust in God’s provision.

Perseverance Makes You Mature and Complete
Stick-to-it-iveness brings maturity. You learn that the donor who said “no” three times might say “yes” the fourth. You discover that God’s timing rarely matches your campaign calendar, but His timing is always perfect. Perseverance grows your faith. You stop trusting in your efforts and start depending on the Spirit to prompt your donors to be generous. Billy Graham observed, “It is the regular exercise of patience and long-suffering in the small day-to-day frustrations and irritations which prepares us to endure when the great battles come.”

If You Don’t Know What to Do, Ask for Wisdom
We all have a tendency “to lean on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5) but we’re not smart enough to succeed in fundraising by ourselves. That’s why James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God” (James 1:5). Wondering what fundraising events to plan or eliminate? Ask for wisdom. Preparing a proposal for a major donor meeting. Ask for wisdom. Trying to decide how to use AI? Ask for wisdom. Discerning how to engage a lapsed donor? Ask for wisdom. God promises to give generously without finding fault.

Don’t Be Double-Minded
Fundraisers make dozens of decisions every day. Should we approve this email? Change the event venue? Order different swag for the golf tournament? Push back the campaign launch date? Decision fatigue is exhausting. James warns against wavering between two opinions. Ask the Lord for direction even in minor situations, make your decision, and move forward with confidence. Good decision-making brings clarity to your entire team and momentum to your mission.

Think About This: Put your fundraising situation in perspective. You have the best job in the world because you have the privilege of inviting people to invest in something that will last for eternity.

Response: Lord, forgive me for reacting with worry, doubt, or anger when I struggle to reach my fundraising goals. Please help me respond with joy no matter the circumstances. Amen.

Holy Drill. “Joy in Chaos.” Joy in Chaos (Extended), 2023. Spotify.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

God’s Role in Your Fundraising Challenge

by Ron Haas

April 27, 2026

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

A vast army was knocking on Jerusalem’s door. Instead of panicking, King Jehoshaphat gathered the people to fast and seek the Lord. He confessed: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Jahaziel prophesied, “The battle is not yours but God’s… You will not have to fight.” They needed only to take their positions, stand firm, and watch God’s deliverance unfold. From Jehoshaphat’s crisis response, we discover four fundraising principles.

Pray Up
When Martin Luther had much to do, he would spend the first three hours in prayer. How important is prayer in your fundraising efforts? Do you spend more time planning or praying? Do you pray for your major donors by name? Do you pray that God will bless their families, their health, their businesses? Jehoshaphat invited all Israel to pray for their deliverance. You should invite your board, staff, and volunteers to pray for God’s blessing on your fundraising efforts.

Suit Up
Israel was commanded to “take up your positions; stand firm.” Fundraising is spiritual warfare. Satan doesn’t want your ministry partners to give generously because he doesn’t want your ministry to succeed. He will oppose you in every way possible. You’ll schedule the meeting, and your donor will get called away on emergency business. Paul instructs us to “put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11). Your shield of faith reminds you this isn’t about your effort but God’s provision.

Show Up
“Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17). Fundraising isn’t passive, it’s active. You’ve got to pick up the phone and call your donors. You might need to call fifteen times before you finally connect. You’ve got to go see your donors face-to-face and share your vision. You’ve got to listen to their hearts and learn what matters to them. Woody Allen said, “80% of success is showing up.” You cannot merely “phone it in” you have to show up.

Look Up
God places you in situations that seem overwhelming so you will learn to rely on him. In this battle, Israel didn’t fight at all. They worshiped their way to victory. When you’ve prayed up, suited up, and shown up, your job is to trust God for the outcome. Judah spent three days collecting abundant plunder. You can’t manufacture generosity. Only the Holy Spirit can move someone’s heart to give sacrificially.

Think About This: Spirit-led fundraising is knowing when to listen and when to speak. Sometimes it’s asking for the gift. Sometimes it’s simply showing up to collect the check God has already prepared.

Response: Lord, help me faithfully pray for my donors. Give me courage to suit up spiritually before every meeting. Help me show up consistently, even when it’s hard. Remind me to look up, trusting you to fight my battles.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

The Art of the Bold Ask

by Ron Haas

April 20, 2026

“What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21).

Every fundraiser faces the moment: it’s time to make the ask. The mother of James and John shows us how, and teaches us what to avoid.

Talk to the Right Person
Mom got the most important thing right. She went directly to Jesus, the only one who could give the final answer. She didn’t ask Peter to put in a good word, that would have been a conflict of interest, and Peter couldn’t give the final word anyway. Don’t take a no from someone who can’t give you a yes. Are you pitching the daughter when her mom controls the purse strings? In fundraising, we sometimes waste months cultivating the wrong person. Make sure you’re talking with the right donor.

Ask Boldly
Mom was fearlessly bold. Why? She believed in her sons! Jesus had already honored them among the inner circle of Peter, James, and John. In her mind, it was the logical next step. When you believe deeply in your cause, boldness comes naturally. If you question your ministry direction or doubt your project’s impact, you’ll struggle to ask with confidence. But when you know your mission inside and out, when you’ve seen lives transformed, when you believe God is in this, you can ask without apology.

Get to the Point
Mom didn’t list her sons’ credentials or justify her request. She just asked. Ian, a successful investor, learned this lesson after 30 years. Every pitch deck he made was 90% wasted effort. He discovered that family offices make investment decisions in three minutes, not from 47 slides but from one page answering three questions: What you’ve done (track record), what you’ll do (clear plan), and what they’ll make (their return). Ian says, “If you can’t explain your deal on one page, you don’t understand it yourself.”

You’re presenting an eternal investment. Can you answer on one page: What have you accomplished? What will you do with this gift? What eternal return will donors see?

Ask for the Right Things
Here’s where mom missed the mark. Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking.” Her enthusiasm was genuine, but she completely misunderstood what she was requesting. We make the same mistake. We get excited about our project and boldly approach a donor, asking the wrong person, at the wrong time, for the wrong amount, for the wrong project. A college president once asked a local bank for a $50 million lead gift. Shocked, they questioned why he thought they had that capacity or interest.

Before you ask, do your research. Understand the donor’s capacity, passions, and giving history. Learn what truly matters to them. Match your request to their interests and capabilities.

Think About This: “Desire without knowledge is not good, how much more will hasty feet miss the way!” (Proverbs 19:2) This week, research one prospect’s capacity and interests thoroughly. Then answer three questions on one page: what you’ve done, what you’ll do, and what eternal impact their gift will create.

Response: Lord, give me wisdom to know what to ask, from whom, and when.

Two open hands lifted upward in a gesture of offering or prayer against a warm, softly blurred outdoor background, with the text “Urgent Generosity” and 2 Corinthians 8:4 displayed on the left side.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Urgent Generosity

by Ron Haas

March 2, 2026

“They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people” (2 Corinthians 8:4).

The believers in Macedonia are a stunning example of generous giving. Paul was collecting funds to support the Jerusalem church, which was struggling with persecution and poverty. When the Macedonians learned about the situation, they begged Paul to let them give. Think about that. These people were broke and going through their own crisis, yet they pleaded for the chance to help someone else.

Paul was stunned by their response (see 2 Corinthians 8:5). What made them so eager? They saw a real need connected to real people at a specific moment. That combination creates urgent generosity. Here’s how to inspire the same response in your donors.

Shouting “Fire”
If you don’t have a fire, don’t yell fire. Artificial urgency trains donors to ignore you. “We need your gift right now” without context is just noise. And desperation messaging backfires. Donors who care will worry. Donors who don’t will leave. If you face a genuine crisis, say so. But choose carefully. You get one, maybe two, emergency appeals before people stop believing you.

Tell the Story Behind the Need
The Macedonians didn’t give to a budget line. They gave to people in Jerusalem who were hungry. Your donors need the same clarity. “Your gift this week means Maria gets her textbooks before midterms” creates urgency because donors see the consequence of delay. Generic deadlines don’t move people. Specific outcomes do. When you connect the timing to a person or result, urgency stops being about your cash flow and starts being about the people you serve.

Create Natural Milestones
Match your deadlines to events that already matter. “Give before summer camp starts so we can cover scholarships for kids already registered” makes sense because the date matters to the mission, not just your budget. The Macedonians understood why their timing mattered. Paul was leaving soon. The Jerusalem church needed help now. Your donors respond when they understand why the calendar matters to the people you serve.

Use Positive Language
Frame urgency as opportunity, not crisis. “Your gift this month doubles through our matching grant” or “Would you give a lead gift we can announce at the banquet to inspire others?” invites participation instead of demanding rescue. The Macedonians saw giving as a privilege. They wanted in on something significant. Give your donors that same sense of opportunity.

The Opposite of Urgency
The opposite of urgency isn’t calm. It’s complacency. If your team isn’t fired up about the work, your donors won’t be either. Sometimes the problem isn’t your messaging. It’s that you’ve lost touch with why this work matters right now. Get out of the office. Visit the people your ministry serves. Reconnect with the mission. When Paul shared what was happening in Jerusalem, the Macedonians caught his urgency because they saw his passion.

Think About This: Your passion for the mission sets the tone for donor response. If you’re going through the motions, they will too.

Response: Lord, forgive me when I forget why this work matters. Fill me with genuine passion for the people we serve, so my excitement becomes contagious to the donors you’ve entrusted to us.

The Right Fundraising Guide

Fundraiser, Find Me!

Press Toward Your Fundraising Goal

Fishing for Donors

Too Many Fundraisers

Fundraising Paralysis

Joyful Fundraising

God’s Role in Your Fundraising Challenge

The Art of the Bold Ask

Urgent Generosity

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2450 44th St SESte 106Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060Email [email protected]

Quick Link

Social Media

2450 44th St SE
Ste 106
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060
Email [email protected]