Increased Giving in Difficult Financial Times: Increased Giving in Difficult Financial Times: How to...

Increased Giving in Increased Giving in Difficult Financial Difficult Financial

Times: Times: How to Get The Most Out of

The Tools You HaveDeneen Morelli, Regional Stewardship

Consultant

Heidi Janis, Regional Stewardship Consultant

Neil Orchard, Rivertree Stewardship Services

AmericanChurchAmericanChurch

Provider of Products and Services to:

• Enhance Giving

• Improve Communications with Members

• Foster Vibrant Church Community

Who We ServeWho We Serve

• Over 17, 000 Churches

• National Reach

• Dozens of Denominations

• Church attendance from 50 to over 15,000

• Non-profit organizations

AgendaAgenda

• Current economic giving trends

• Steps to Optimizing Giving

• Employing your Tools

Economic Giving Economic Giving TrendsTrends

Generational DifferencesGenerational Differences

World War II generation- Loyal- If church says give, they give

Baby Boomers- Not as trusting; will investigate- Hold institutions accountable

Gen Xers- No confidence in anything they can’t see, hear and touch- Hold small, local groups in high regard rather than big institutions

Our Church MembersOur Church Members

70 - 10070 - 100

State of the PlateState of the Plate

Steps to Optimize Steps to Optimize GivingGiving

Competition for DollarsCompetition for Dollars• Every year the number of nonprofit

organizations in America grows anywhere from 5% to 7%.

• Churches are competing with nonprofits for dollars of members

Not My Parents Offering Plate, J. Clif Christopher

stewardship services

Why do you take an offering?

Your perception cf with the perception in the pew.Giving is often understood as a “loss”Change one word and change the focus.Invest instead of Give.

Factoids

less than 6% of “born again Christians” tithe1921 giving was 2.9%

of income1933 giving was 3.3%

of income<2.0 of income given

in 2001

Why People Give(Invest)

Revealing our CORE VALUES

C ompassionC ommunityC hallengeC ommitment

4-C’s thanks to Kennon Callahan

Vision or?

We prefer the word “VOW”Instead of asking “What is our vision” ask, “What vows will our church take to make and grow disciples for Christ?”

Vision and Mission

Try using the word vowVow: The Why Why we do what we do

Mission: The How

How we perform our vows or fulfill our vision

Our Vows and Mission must be clear if our stewardship message is to be accepted.

Is your Mission statement.Is a better interpreter of the church than your mission statement.

Your church budget

Connecting the dots - ownership and participation

What is Linear Giving?

IT IS...

Connecting the offering plate directly to the vows and mission of the church.

Where it goes

What it does

Connecting the dots - ownership and participationConnecting the offering plate directly to the vows and mission of the church.Investing rather than giving.Investing with eternity in view.Ultimate fulfillment through motivated investing.

What is Linear Giving?

IT IS...

Why do Members Give?Why do Members Give?1. They believe in the mission of the

organization

2. They have a high regard for leadership of the organization

3. They believe the organization is fiscally responsible

Not My Parents Offering Plate, J. Clif Christopher (pg 13)

Set Goals AnnuallySet Goals Annually• Understand what we are trying to accomplish at

our Church and what funding is needed…

• Maximize income for growth

• Meet budgeting needs for operations

• Achieve a giving participation level (%) from members

• Provide options to share all gifts

• Improve community vibrancy

Set a StrategySet a Strategy… A conscious plan for how we represent and deploy tools for

giving, and how the tools relate to each other…

• Understand church member demographics• Languages and preferences

• Clarify purpose and impact of envelopes

• Clarify purpose and impact of online giving

• Plan the use of other communications • Bulletins• Newsletters

Employing your ToolsEmploying your Tools

• Online Giving• Offering Envelopes• Newsletters (Inform!)• Address Data Management• Targeted Mailings• Bulletins• Website

Use All of Your ToolsUse All of Your Tools

OfferingOffering EnvelopesEnvelopes

• Encourage consistent giving

• Reinforce your Message

• Educate your membership

Offering Envelope Planning Offering Envelope Planning • What is your plan for using envelopes to

achieve operating income requirements?• How is this communicated to members and how

often?

• Does the church use envelopes to record attendance?

• Has the church considered the value of the mailed envelope packet as a giving reminder?

• As a vehicle for communication and education?

Why Use Newsletters?Why Use Newsletters?

Best Practices for ChurchesBest Practices for ChurchesBased on multidenominational studies by Charles Zech, Villanova University

• Report Church Financial Information to Members

• Build Community through Engaging Church Members

• Give Members a Role in the Decision Making and Planning

• Create roles for “Ministers” more than “Volunteers”

• Institute Pledging

• Communicate to Members Through Multiple Channels

• Special Cultural or Language Needs of Members

SummarySummary

• Set Annual Goals• Determine Your Strategy• Evaluate your current practices• Use All of Your Tools

–AmericanChurch can help

Thank You!Thank You!AmericanChurch Stewardship Solutions-

Deneen Morelli 800.446.3035 ext. 6333

dmorelli@envelopecenter.com

Heidi Janis800.446.3035 ext. 6327

hjanis@envelopecenter.com

Rivertree Stewardship Services (Linear Giving)Neil Orchard

866.862.3700churchhelp@aol.com

www.rivertreestewardship.com