How to Talk with Your Major Donors
Before delving into today’s topic, here are two bits of good news:
1. The Sheep Detectives – a charming and funny movie that will lift your spirits. The sheep talking about God and what happens in church is worth the price of admission.
2. The Daily’s recent podcast Why More American’s are Seeking Religion. After years of headlines marking the decline of religion, it’s heartening to learn about the slight turnaround. There is hope!
Now, back to business.
Many of you have dreams of ministries your church could be doing. But…it’s not in the budget. Fair enough. Not every dream and aspiration is meant to see the light of day.
However, what about the idea that you have fleshed out – the one that has real possibilities? You’ve gone so far as to consider writing a grant, which means that you have constructed a “case statement” (a persuasive argument for why this project is necessary) and a budget. Your dream is big. You can’t solely depend on fickle grantors to fully fund your project.
What to do?
Make your case to the most generous members of your congregation.
How do you do that?
a. Know your top givers. I know, I know. This is sacred information, and many of you don’t want to know who gives what. IMHO, this is a huge mistake. For some people, who are so fortunate, their ministry is money. If you are afraid that you will treat people deferentially because they give money, please have more faith in your pastoral sensibilities. Plus, the UMC BOD (Book of Discipline) gives you permission to have that data. Let’s assume you know your top givers…
b. Set up coffee dates. When you invite them to coffee (your treat!), let these folks know that you have a ministry idea that you’d like to share with them. Please, see this coffee time as an opportunity to get to know the person in front of you better. It’s not small talk to ask about their family, their job, their life.
c. When the time is right, turn the conversation to your yet-unfunded ministry idea. This is an opportunity for your passion to shine. What need did you see that inspired this idea? How did you come up with the solution? What will it take to make it happen? How much will it cost? Perhaps you’ll have something in writing to give them. Maybe not. But most importantly, make time for conversation – let your person ask questions and probe your idea more deeply.
d. Make the ask. Take a biiiig breath and say, “Do you think this is something you’d be willing to invest in for the life of our congregation?” Then wait. Don’t try to fill in the empty space with chatter. While there is silence, be praying and acknowledge that God is in the mix. Wait for them to talk after your question. Here are the three responses that you might get:
Yes. You say “hooray” and “thank you” in a way that’s authentic to you. I do not advise that you jump up and do a little dance…but that’s just me. Then, you can show them a budget, let them know how you see the project being funded – not just immediately – but for the long term (it’s called “sustainability”). Ask them to pray about an amount that they want to give and let them know that you’ll get back to them by the end of the week. Be sure to make that follow-up call.
Maybe. You say, “Great! What additional information do I need to get you?” Take notes and get them that information. Follow up with a phone call by the end of the week. In that call, ask if they think they might want to invest in the project now. Then follow the same process as a “yes” response.
No. You say, “Well, shoot. I respect your answer. Can you tell me why?” This might be very enlightening and, if you can provide some good answers…they might eventually get to “yes.” Remember, there are many reasons why people say “no.” It’s hard, but don’t take it personally. “No” is nearly always a “maybe” – but not right now.
e. Send a follow-up thank you note. No matter their response, thank the person for taking the time to talk with you. Express gratitude for all the ways they impact the church.
Talking to a major donor in your church doesn’t have to be a scary experience. Henri Nouwen, in his Spirituality of Fundraising, had this to say about a rich man he knew,
We all had resources: mine were spiritual and theirs was material. What was impressive was that we all wanted to work for the kingdom, to build a community of love, to let something happen that was greater than we were individually.
Let those people with financial resources help you make the Kingdom come…right here on earth as it is in heaven.
Photo credit: Luana Riberio @Pexels.com
###Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise millions of dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations. Cesie wants you to see a Covid/Zoom throwback laugh-out-loud video. She has tears running down her cheeks.
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered!
Schedule a meeting now.
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