Oops

Oct 12, 2021

You’ll be successful if you faithfully do the best you can with what you have

Don’t let fear of making a mistake stop you doing excellent fundraising.

Because guess what, mistakes happen! – Actually everyone makes mistakes and while we should try to avoid them don’t cripple yourself by spending all your energy trying to avoid them.

Mistakes are part of learning.

And not all mistakes are disasters.

If you’re always getting it right, there is a good chance you’re not trying hard enough. No one is that lucky 🙂

Good fundraising involves (at times) taking risks, moving fast, and speaking the truth – at an outcome of that is sometimes you’ll make mistakes.

The best thing you can do with a mistake: learn from it.

Keep your eyes open, work hard, take the necessary risks, and don’t let mistakes stop you.

They are part of growing.

Record Your Donor Details

Here is a simple Excel spreadsheet for recording your donor details.

Download

Read a little more on CRM systems.

CRM Software

There are literally hundreds of  options for a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system for your ministry. There are some free options but usually they are limited to a short time or a small number of records.

One truly Free option worth exploring is TNTConnect

 As CRM software is a rapidly changing field you are probably best to do your own search.

More Fundriasing Tips here…

You gotta Ask!

Ok, that’s out in the open. 😊 If you want to get donations for your ministry, you have to ask. I’ll come back to this in just a mo, but first it is...

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Adding Drama to your Stories

I recently read an email talking about the need for fundraisers to have a ‘flair for drama’ in their story telling. It is true: “I was struggling...

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Gardening

Before you get to enjoy your harvest of fruit and vegetables you first prepare the soil, then you plant seeds. But that’s not all, you have to make...

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What your donor wants

So you've planned and made your appeal to your donors. Some of them have responded and your appeal target has been met.  Great, job done! Time to celebrate! Well actually, no. Probably the most important part is still waiting for you. What am I talking about?  It's...

Do the best you can with what you have

As a leader you're always under pressure. Meeting the budget Keeping your ministry going forward Looking after your team Meeting Board and legal requirements Growing your ministry And then there is you own Spiritual and family life. The Good News is: God is with you!...

Why People Don’t Support Your Organisation

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Recently the Non Profit Times published the following helpful advice on their website regarding where to look for new Board members.  You can read it for yourself at  www.thenonprofittimes.com The Plan To Replace Board Members “The first step is to consider to whom...

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Become better at your job by taking time out of ‘doing’ your ministry work to upskill yourself

Don’t be Boring

The first lesson on not being boring is that you need to look at what you're saying from the point of view of the reader or listener. Because you've invested your time and your effort in the project saying "We've just put on a new station in Nameavillage" will excite...

Plan the Work, Work the Plan

"if you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there" Unfortunately many fundraisers, for whatever reason, don't set any goals or targets. Which is a real shame because goals don't have to be hugely complicated - especially not to start with. And if...

Moses Was Asked…

Do what you can with what you’ve got! This is probably the best piece of fundraising advice I’ve heard in a very long time. Do what you can with what you’ve got! Those of us at last week’s UCB Family Meeting heard Ian talk about the early years of Vision/UCB...

“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”

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Make Friends

Want to successfully raise funds for your ministry?  Then look after your people! 'Funds come from friends" is a phrase we picked up a long time ago from Bob Gass (author of The Word for Today) and there is a lot of truth to this. Friendship is built over time, and...

Its actually an Offer!

In an earlier post I said that when it comes to fundraising… You gotta Ask! And that it is a 3-step process. Ask Thank Report I then said that Asking shouldn’t make you feel uncomfortable because… You are only inviting people to do something you already do yourself....

You gotta Ask!

Ok, that’s out in the open. 😊 If you want to get donations for your ministry, you have to ask. I’ll come back to this in just a mo, but first it is important to remember that the Ask is only Step 1 in a 3-step process. Step 1 – Ask Step 2 – Thank Step 3 – Report You...

Thank you – two small words with huge impact.

In a recent email Tom Ahern referred to Thanking Donors as the “Secret Sauce” for your fundraising efforts.  He went on to talk about the importance of thanking sincerely and thanking fast. In fact there is evidence that if you personally thank a first time donor...

Adding Drama to your Stories

I recently read an email talking about the need for fundraisers to have a ‘flair for drama’ in their story telling. It is true: “I was struggling and now God has blessed me” is not an exciting and impactful story. You need to apply good writing (or interviewing)...

Gardening

Before you get to enjoy your harvest of fruit and vegetables you first prepare the soil, then you plant seeds. But that’s not all, you have to make sure you tend and water often, otherwise the young plants will wither and die. If you want to harvest fruit and...

How are your fundraising plans coming along for this year? 

The other day I read the following on www.futurefundraisingnow.com and thought it worth sharing as it applies to our letters, emails, on air appeals, and face to face communication. 4 Game-Changing hints for Powerful Fundraising Remember to talk to your donors, NOT at...

The 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule says that you can do 80% of the work in 20% of the time. The same is true when it comes to fundraising and your donors. Fundraising isn't an exact science but... 80% of your donors will contribute 20% of your income Another 15% of your donors will...

Vision, Mission and Your team

The 2021 Australian National Church Life Survey asked church attenders whether their church had a clear vision, goals or direction for its ministry and mission, and if they were committed to that vision. 68% of church attenders said they are aware of their local...

Make Friends

Want to successfully raise funds for your ministry?  Then look after your people! 'Funds come from friends" is a phrase we picked up a long time ago from Bob Gass (author of The Word for Today) and there is a lot of truth to this. Friendship is built over time, and...

Do the best you can with what you have

As a leader you're always under pressure. Meeting the budget Keeping your ministry going forward Looking after your team Meeting Board and legal requirements Growing your ministry And then there is you own Spiritual and family life. The Good News is: God is with you!...

Change it up for the New Year

On a scale of 1 – 10 where 1 is “Terrible” and 10 is “100% Successful” where would you rate your ministry’s fundraising efforts in 2022? This is actually a good question to talk about with your leadership team.  Because, unless you gave yourself a 9 or 10, then you...

Sharpening Your Axe

Become better at your job by taking time out of ‘doing’ your ministry work to upskill yourself

Gardening

Before you get to enjoy your harvest of fruit and vegetables you first prepare the soil, then you plant seeds. But that’s not all, you have to make sure you tend and water often, otherwise the young plants will wither and die. If you want to harvest fruit and...

Fundraising Leaders

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:  “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”  Now he who...

Why People Don’t Support Your Organisation

by Jeff Brooks - Future Fundraising Now This might seem obvious, but so much fundraising just misses the point: people donate to nonprofits to help people. They don’t donate to support nonprofits. Fundraising that misses that point is not effective. That’s the point...

Value Small Gifts

Something from Bob Gass that applies 100% to Fundraising Don’t belittle your gift ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.’ Ephesians 3:20 Next time you see a big oak tree, remind yourself that it began as a tiny acorn. What...

Make Friends

Want to successfully raise funds for your ministry?  Then look after your people! 'Funds come from friends" is a phrase we picked up a long time ago from Bob Gass (author of The Word for Today) and there is a lot of truth to this. Friendship is built over time, and...

Thank you – two small words with huge impact.

In a recent email Tom Ahern referred to Thanking Donors as the “Secret Sauce” for your fundraising efforts.  He went on to talk about the importance of thanking sincerely and thanking fast. In fact there is evidence that if you personally thank a first time donor...

Are you ready for the new year?

There is only one person who can make (or break) this year for you – that’s YOU! What is your fundraising strategy? If you are happy with the amount of donations your ministry is receiving then, great - keep doing what you’re doing. But if not, then perhaps something...

What your donor wants

So you've planned and made your appeal to your donors. Some of them have responded and your appeal target has been met.  Great, job done! Time to celebrate! Well actually, no. Probably the most important part is still waiting for you. What am I talking about?  It's...