Tuesday, August 24, 2010
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I had a cup of coffee with a friend of mine the other day. It had been awhile since I’d seen him. I knew from our email trail that the days preceding had been hard. Business challenges. But little did I realize how severe…
He was ready to take his life so that way his family could have the life insurance money. A real estate development had gone sour and left him holding the bag with mounds of debt. Their large house was emptying rapidly with the effects of Craig’s list sales. Even his kids had gotten into the act by selling Ipods, TVs, video games—anything that would bring a buck.
But in the midst of their trial, they looked up and saw their neighbor. When they saw him at the mailbox, his shoulders were slumped, and the car didn’t slip out the garage anymore to head off to work. He was evasive, but they managed to catch him in the yard one day, and he confessed: they were down to eating peanut butter and jelly. His neighbor was planning to take his own life in his despair.
So what did my friend do? He and his wife wept—not for themselves but for someone else. And as they did, they sensed God asking them, in their own trial, to make a gift to their neighbor. When they presented the gift to their neighbor, he protested—“You can’t give this to me! You need it yourselves.” But they told him firmly, “don’t deny us the blessing of giving.”
And so they gave. The chapter of their neighbor’s life is still unfolding. Disaster averted. For them, they walked away—not with their own problems solved—but a renewed sense of the generosity of God.
Friday, August 13, 2010
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Read on for important announcements, fundraising resources, and Jessica's final summer post.
First off, we are completely excited to have released our new book "Grants for Christian Ministries and More!" You've seen a little information about it on the blog, but now we have a page up on our website where you can get more details. Whether you are an international ministry, a Christian school, a grant writer, development director, this book has the answers for you. We have been receiving phenomenal reviews from many elite groups all across the USA. Visit the webpage to see what people are saying!
Secondly, just a look ahead, but we are going to have more authors writing for our blog this fall. To make sure that you don't miss any posts, click the "Syndication" tab on the home page of the blog so that you can begin following all the posts. Here is the direct link for you to subscribe to the feed: http://blogs.christianfoundationgrants.com/Rss.aspx
Third, if you are looking for more fundraising resources, be sure to join our e-newsletter. Go to www.christianfoundationgrants.com and you will see a sign-up box there at the bottom of the page. Our monthly newsletters will inform you of upcoming grant deadlines, provide grant-writing tips, and keep you up to date with the latest non-profit news.
Fourth, you saw all the changes we made to our website design, so now we want to invite you to enjoy the many inside changes we have made. We have been working on adding even more foundations to our database! For instance, we just did research on the state of Texas, and there are now are 450 Texas foundations in our database that all accept applications and have a history of faith-based giving! Learn more about how you can find foundations in your state by using the CFG Insider.
Lastly, a note from Jessica:
Hello friends! Thanks for following along with my writing this summer. It has been fun to respond to emails and learn about ministry life from all across the world. I will plan to continue writing with CFG, but it will be on a more limited basis. Still, if you want to ask me questions, just send me an email or find me on LinkedIn (see the bottom of this post for that information)
As I close, I want to encourage all of you to continue in the good fight. Life may seem daunting, but live life in Christ. The chaos, uncertainty, and tragedy will not make much more sense, but it is not our call to understand. Let us live the questions. There is a foundation of grace & Christ's beautiful sovereignty upholding us through it all.
The story is going to be good. I know I have said it many times, but keep perspective. When you have lost so much, remember the riches of Christ. When you feel alone, remember that He is Emmanuel. He is trustworthy. Live well, friends. Grace to you! ~Jessica High
-- Jessica High manages marketing and research at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
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If you are a development director, who do you want to meet with—the husband, the wife or both?
A recent study of women revealed that they often feel left out of the investment discussion by their investment bankers. On the other hand, investment bankers tend to believe that men will make quicker decisions on investments. Part of the perception underlying these findings is that the men are in control of the finances.
However, a survey by Citi’s Women & Co. found that 63% of women are the chief financial officers of their household. In fact, the same study found it was the women who were driving the long term planning decisions of the family. Men, in fact, were the shorter term thinkers.
What are the implications? Well, perhaps, in the context of a capital campaign, a man might be more quick to make an immediate decision. But for a long term investment with steady but significant giving, the decision might well fall to the female “chief financial officer” of the household.
The message is simple. Pay attention to cultivating relationships with husband and wife. Just realize that in many cases, it will be the women who will write the check.
Monday, August 09, 2010
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Have you noticed it? Cell phones have been everywhere for quite some time. But here’s the new trend—what do you do with that old cell phone?
There are more and more companies who want to answer that question for you. There are now recycling kiosks. There are even companies who want to buy old cell phones for use in third world companies.
Make no mistake. For the cell phone companies, it’s all about selling those minutes. On the other hand, if you are a non profit ministry, don’t make the mistake of failing to pursue the donation opportunity.
Cell phones can be donated and recycled or resold. Cell phone donation campaigns work especially well inside of non profits. A ministry can go to their donor base, ask them to donate cell phones and ask their corporate donors to pursue cell phone donations. It’s a win win for everyone.
The corporate donors get the benefit of being a “green company.” On the other hand, they can use the donation campaign to raise money for their favorite charity. When coupled with volume—pure numbers of cell phones donated—the dollars can be meaningful.
Just make sure to align yourself with a reputable cell phone donation company. My personal favorite is www.iDonate.com.
--William High is the President/General Counsel of the Servant Christian Community Foundation. Servant’s mission is to inspire, teach and facilitate revolutionary biblical generosity. He may be reached at whigh@servantchristian.com.
Friday, August 06, 2010
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The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a survey of the affluent by the Boston Consulting Group. The survey found that 55% of the affluent (those with more than $250,000 of bankable assets) said private banks need to do a better job of serving women clients.
In general, women respondents said the banks give better advice, better deals and better terms to men. Often, the women felt ignored and that the wealth managers communicated directly with the men.
Here’s some highlights:
· Women want a level playing field and the same advice and opportunities men get;
· However, women also want their advisors to understand that their needs are not the same as men;
· Women are more likely to change their financial priorities because of life events—marriage, divorce, birth of a child or death in a family.
These issues apply to ministries working with major donors as well. Often ministries cater to men with the assumption that men will make quicker decisions. Yet in many cases the women will be the one who will outlive the men and will make the ultimate giving decisions.
Like the business world, ministries need to undergo a mini revolution on how they see and serve women major donors.
--William High is the President/General Counsel of the Servant Christian Community Foundation. Servant’s mission is to inspire, teach and facilitate revolutionary biblical generosity. He may be reached at whigh@servantchristian.com.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
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Downturn. It continues to be the language of the day. This weekend’s edition (July 31-August 1, 2010) of the Wall Street Journal reports that the outlook for the remainder of 2010 remains bleak.
The growth the economy experienced in late 2009 and early 2010 is now slowing. Some economists and now predicting that they will cut growth estimates for the second half of the year.
Perhaps most troubling is that “growth” is largely dependent on consumer spending. As the Journal reports, “purchases account for 70% of economic activity.” It is a vicious cycle. Consumers won’t spend if they think their jobs are in danger, but businesses won’t hire unless they see consumers spending.
This stalemate of activity will certainly lead to stagnant giving trends. Like their corporate counterparts, many non profits slashed budgets to match decreases in giving. The ongoing message, however, appears to be that robust giving is not likely to return for sometime.
As we ponder the decrease in giving, we must also ponder the foundation of our economy. When we become dependent on consumer spending to drive growth, we have misaligned priorities. Whatever happened to production? Making something? When we return to an economy of production, we can see a robust economy and ultimately an increase in giving.
--William High is the President/General Counsel of the Servant Christian Community Foundation. Servant’s mission is to inspire, teach and facilitate revolutionary biblical generosity. He may be reached at whigh@servantchristian.com.
Monday, August 02, 2010
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In this final post of our fundraising guide, I want to challenge you to investigate more online opportunities. One of the most important things you can do to sustain your ministry is have a wide fundraising base. These past posts have discussed mostly ways to connect with donors, so let's think outside of the box now.
With the rise of the Internet, you now have virtually millions of resources right after your finger-tips. However, you have to be willing to invest some time in doing a little research and think creatively. Ask other volunteers to help you out in the research process; to tell a person they are needed and valued will only strengthen your relationship.
Let me help get you started with a few thoughts:
1) Are many of your donors hurting financially?-- Here's your starting idea: Why do they have to give cash? Go online and research non-cash donations. Most of the nation's wealth is held in non-cash assets. Check out www.idonate.com This online resource can help you convert non-cash donations into funding for your ministry. They offer links that you can add into your website so that people can submit their interest in giving you a non-cash website.
2) Does your ministry need food for some of its outreach?-- It's time to pull up Google and do a little research. Check out stores in your area that sell food items, and see if you can receive food or damaged goods at a lower price. World Garden and Soup Kitchen, an organization based out of Northwest Arkansas, started off with this basic approach and has been able to cut their costs significantly by simply tapping into these many available resources. Go to www.worldgardensalads.com to learn more about their work.
3) Would it be helpful if your staff had further training?-- You don't have to spend big bucks to educate people. Instead, go online and find professionals who excel in their work. Read their materials, sign up for webinars, and pursue all the free learning you can get from there. In our next series of blogs, William High of the Servant Christian Community Foundation, will be writing to help educate you on changes needed in the fundraising process in light of the current economy. Visit www.servantchristian.com to learn more about his work. Also, if you are interested in learning more about how to find Christian foundations and write grants, check out our new book "Grants for Christian Ministries and More!"
Of course, these ideas are just the start. So how do you get started from here? Sit down at your computer or pull out a sheet of paper and write! Write out needs, questions, wants, etc. Make your priorities and then get busy with a little research. There are so many resources; it's just up to you to seek them out.
Need help along the way? Send me an email! Or find me on LinkedIn! I'd love to help connect you with many of CFG"s great resources.
Jessica High manages research and marketing at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to to faith based organizations. www.idonate.com is a website that allows ministries to receive non-cash donations online.
Friday, July 30, 2010
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When we talk about websites for fundraising, you probably are thinking of your ministry's website. However, let's flip things around and talk about setting up websites for your donors and volunteers. A recent online giving trend has people using sites such as CrowdRise, Convio, or First Giving to let their donors build their own fundraising pages to support their ministry.
Picture this: You are doing a 5K run as a fundraiser for your ministry. You have 500 people signed up, and some of them have people also sponsoring them to run. This is a decent amount of people, clearly, but let's think about how this could grow simply using personal fundraising sites.
What if when people registered for the 5K, you confirmed the registration and set them up with an online fundraising page., using one of the simple online giving software programs. With this page, one person could send it to all their email contacts, share it on Facebook, tweet the link, post it on their blog, and continually refer their friends back to it. Do you see the potential? Add in an online giving link on the page, and suddenly your ability to expland the reaches of your fundraiser goes far beyond just your registrants.
The uses of a personal fundraising site are not just limited to fundraisers. Give your faithful volunteers their own pages so that they can share it with their friends. Use the sites to capture email addresses in addition to gaining donations and increasing awareness. Get people excited about using these sites, and give them a vision for how it benefits you and them.
Online fundraising is as creative as you make it. These past posts really are just scraping the surface of basic things you already know about. Do some research. Test out a few ideas. You have the time for whatever you make time for. Dive in!
Jessica High manages marketing and research at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online. Find Jessica on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jessica-high/23/235/477
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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How to reply to emails is an overlooked topic, because it seems basic. However, that second contact can be critical. You have just invested a lot of time in sending out a great email campaign, so make your response equal in quality. Having received and responded to many emails from ministries, I want to share some of my insight and perhaps a few humorous examples.
1) Do write in a black standard font, size 12pt or 11pt—
I will never forget an email that I received once: Most of it was written in CAPS LOCK, each paragraph’s font color alternated between pink, green, or blue, and all the key words were bolded, italicized, underlined, and made larger.
Clearly, this example is an extreme, but use it as food for thought. Keep your emails as simple as can be. Your email campaigns are where creative designs are permissible. Here, think professional. Colors tend to be distracting, and font formatting should be kept to an absolute minimum.
2) Do be gracious—
When I first began managing emails, it was a major learning experience to respond to many questions or rude & demanding emails. I soon saw that frustration was pointless, if I decided to communicate with grace and excellence. I decided that if I received a demanding email I was going to be two times as gentle and helpful in my reply. I resolved that there were no trivial questions, and I would invest just as much care in my reply to the broken English email of a pastor in Kenya as I would in my email to the CEO of a world-wide ministry.
Resolve for excellence. You never know what a person is going through; even a simple reply is a way to be a blessing. Include compliments or words of thanks as much as possible. It’s all about giving honor and grace.
3) Do reply quickly—
With emails, a person’s initial decisions and impressions are often made in the first 48 hours. Make it your goal to reply within the first 24 hours. Take note if there are inquiries that do need an immediate response. Always read and re-read an email before you reply so that you are clear in what they are asking and how to respond. If you are unclear, be honest and ask in your reply.
4) Do include your contact information—
Especially if people are replying because they are needing more information, your email signature is an important piece. Include the relevant contact information (eg. name, email, website, phone number, etc.) By giving people multiple ways to contact you and learn about you, this helps meet their needs.
To close with some humorous examples that I have encountered, you probably should not include these things in your signature: your bank account information, your wife’s bank account information, the entire governing principles of your ministry, the names of all your children, links to seven other websites that you like, or your doctrine of the Christian faith.
Monday, July 26, 2010
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After building your email database, it is time to prepare your first campaign. Here are some basic rules:
1) In the time leading up to the campaign, especially invest in relationships—be sensitive to needs and larger situations occurring during that time of the year etc.
2) Determine your objective, and let this drive your entire campaign—Remember, if you are sending multiple versions of the campaign, the objective may vary slightly. Nevertheless, keep a clear focus so that people know your purpose in writing.
3) Make the desired action clear—People need to know what to do with your message. If you are wanting them to attend your upcoming event, you should include this in your subject, include multiple links to sign-up, tell a story about the past history of the event, etc.
4) Meet peoples’ needs—If you can give people what they need, they will give you what you want. Keep your email relevant to your audience’s needs. If the content is also helpful to them, they are far more likely to engage with you. Continue reading tips on how to do this here.
5) Review, test, repeat—Your email needs to be free of mistakes, no exceptions. Proof-read your articles and have others review them. Make sure your subject line will not catch spam filters. Test every link in your campaign; it will be embarrassing to you and frustrating to your recipients if a link does not work. Once you have done all this testing and made corrections, do it once more. It may seem like a lot of work, but excellence is important.
6) Give recipients direction from the campaign—Always have landing pages included from the campaign. Include links to your website and donation pages. Help them continue to engage by providing them with the social media connections.
7) Keep it short and sweet—Most people who open emails will just scan it. Use bolded titles so people can quickly find the most important information. People should be able to read the first sentence of each paragraph and know what your entire email was about. If you want to include a longer story or article, use a “Read More” link—this will save space and also drive traffic back to the desired pages.
Additional information taken from Convio’s “Using the Internet to Raise Funds and Build Relationships”
-- Jessica High manages marketing and research at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online