Communicating your church fundraising vision captivatingly
There are two key components to communicating the vision for a new capital project. The first is a brochure that we call a case statement: a case for people to support your project. In the case statement, you need to consider several important factors that could impact your donors to support your project. The second key component is a DVD message which we will deal with in a later article.
Creating a compelling case statement requires a thoughtful consideration of the purpose of your church capital campaign in light of the goals of your faith community. This information is then boiled down into written form and presented in a printed package that is used to communicate the vision to your church. The following are some pointers on how to make your case statement as compelling and captivating as possible to encourage your congregation to get on board with the project.
First, establish a context for the project. In other words, share a little of the background of the church, or a brief historical overview. The reason for this is that people relate to the past, and want to be assured that the initial values of the church are not heading in a different direction than where they started. If you can link your past to the current vision for the new project so much the better. Tell people that while you are adapting to the current environment, you are not essentially changing who you are as a church.
Second, explain where this project is taking the church. Donors want to be assured that their financial support is being utilized for something that is significant and fits in with their own core values.
Third, demonstrate how this project helps you get where you are going. Itemize steps that will be taken to ensure that the new facility or renovation will assist with growth in the vision of your church. People tend not to support something that they cannot visualize or see as viable.
Fourth, outline how much it will cost. In some cases, churches estimate the cost attached to a renovation or building project. This can have unfortunate results, especially if the costs come in much higher. Do your due diligence up front, and know within 10% of the cost. Make sure you include all the soft costs that go along with the hard costs of construction such as architectural and engineering fees, costs to connect with city water and sewer, and all permit costs.
Fifth, elaborate on what ways people can support the project. In other words, how can they give. Most people give from disposable monthly income, rather than savings. We always encourage a campaign with a giving window of three years in order to help people who are not used to giving to establish regularity in giving. But people can also give equities, gifts in kind, and through estate planning. Make available pre-authorized giving through their bank, and giving with credit cards. More and more people are moving away from using their check-book.
In the case statement, you need to weave the theme of your campaign project, and your pastor needs to provide the glue that holds it all together with a heartfelt vision component as well.
Creating a captivating case statement require a great deal of thoughtful consideration and deliberation on the part of your church leadership. Creating these documents is an integral part of any capital campaign. When you work with Faith Based Fundraising, we'll walk you through all of the steps in this process to help you craft the most accurate and compelling document customized to your particular needs. Contact us if you'd like to explore how we can help you create case statements like the ones you see here.
Gord Hallett, Faith Based Fundraising
A Daunting Task: Paying Off Debt