What would it look like if we chose to unleash our faith?
Join us for the 2009 Passion Awards, one of the largest Christian ministry awards celebrations in the country!
Monday, November 9, 2009
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Pre-event and Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.
Overland Park Convention Center
6000 College Boulevard
Overland Park, Kansas
Early Bird Special
Register by October 15th for $650/table of 10 or $65/individual.
$750/table of 10 or $75/individual after October 15th.
One of the recent trends in giving is the rise of “Giving Circles” —individuals who come together to pool their assets to make a difference with their giving.
Setting up a Giving Circle is easy, and you may be surprised how meaningful it is to give among friends. Here are six basic steps to help you get started:
Step 1 – Set Goals and Structure
Identify a group of your peers, colleagues, or family members who may share a common interest and invite them to get together. Your first meetings will focus on setting up the Circle’s structure such as giving guidelines, meeting schedule, and deciding a name.
It is up to your group to determine the contribution amount that each member should make. There are circles that require $500, $5,000, or more in annual commitments. It is important for the group to have complete consensus on the final amount.
Step 2 – Establish Your Mission
Your group needs to decide which charities you would like to focus on. You may also wish to simply designate a general category, such as evangelism, inner city, youth, or poor and needy.
Step 3 – Open a Giving Fund
Your group can open a Fund at SCCF by making a suggested tax-deductable contribution of $2,500 or more.
Step 4 – Create Work Groups
Once your focus is established, having members volunteer for particular tasks will build personal commitment in your Circle. For example, one work group could organize meetings and Circle events, another could manage the Fund online (recommend grants, review Fund balances, etc.), while another might research new giving opportunities.
Step 5 – Develop Partnerships
Determine how you want to be involved with the organizations that you fund. Will you also volunteer for
an organization that you have funded? Web development, program planning, and mentoring are some examples of ways your members might get involved.
Step 6 – Evaluate Your Impact
Take time to examine your short-term and long-term goals on a regular basis. This will help develop a sense of satisfaction and show how your contributions are making a difference.
Candid feedback from the organizations you have funded and partnered with will always be an important ingredient of this process.
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Original article by Pam Pugh, Copyright © 2008, The National Christian Foundation
This week Thine Eyes – A Witness to the March for Life is showing their documentary on their website, www.thineeyes.org, for free. Thine Eyes raised support through a donor-advised fund at SCCF, and has produced the movie to raise awareness for this annual pro-life event as well as the media’s intentional failure to publicize it.
Steve Sanborn, the executive producer for the film, posted the video online in response to Pro-life terrorism accusations resulting from the Tiller shooting. He says, “The murder of abortionist George Tiller cannot be condoned. Neither can accusations of Pro-life ‘terrorism’ be condoned. The crime of one unaffiliated man does not speak for the Pro-life Movement. But this documentary does…”
Additional info can be found on Thine Eyes website.
A study titled “The Impact of Giving Together” looked at the effects of giving circles and found:
1. Giving circles influence members to give more.
2. Giving circles influence members to give more strategically.
3. Giving circle members give to a wide array of organizations.
4. Giving circle members are highly engaged in the community.
5. Giving circles increase members’ knowledge about philanthropy, nonprofits and the community.
Since its inception in 2000, Servant Christian has recognized the importance of giving circles and sponsors several. For more information on how you can get involved, send us an email at info@servantchristian.com. You can read the entire article highlighting the study here.
Women Take the Lead in Couples’ Charitable-Giving Decisions
Published May 19 in The Chronicle of Philanthropy
By Paula Wasley
Women are taking an increasingly prominent role in determining their household’s charitable giving, with high-income women in particular more likely to seek financial advice and use sophisticated methods when making donations, according to a new study sponsored by Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund.
An online survey of 1,000 adults who had given $1,000 or more to charity in 2007 — half of whom had donated $5,000 or more — found that more women than men act as their household’s primary decision maker in determining how much to donate to charity and which causes to support.
Among participants in the survey — 80 percent of whom were married — the majority of male respondents named their spouse as the primary influencer in charitable-giving decisions, while women in the study were more likely to name a range in influencers that included family members, friends, and co-workers.
Women in the survey also felt more strongly about involving their children in philanthropy. Nearly half of the women in the study (48 percent) strongly agreed that it was important to them that their children continue their tradition of charitable giving, as compared with 39 percent of men in the study.
Upper Tier
While the average household income for participants in the survey was $136,000, the study particularly looked at the giving habits of the 11 percent of respondents who were women with household incomes of at least $150,000.
The survey found that, in comparison to the other respondents, these high-income women were more likely to make public rather than anonymous gifts to charity, to use more complicated financial structures to make gifts, and to seek the guidance of financial advisors when making charitable contributions.
For example, 7 percent of women in this group said they had made gifts of securities to charity, as compared to 4 percent of all respondents, and 3 percent of men of comparable household incomes.
And 16 percent of high-income women said they had used a donor advised fund, charitable remainder trust, or a private foundation to make contributions, as compared with 9 percent of all donors, and 10 percent of high-income men.
High-income women were also more likely than others in the survey to donate to health and science causes and to make additional gifts to charity in response to increasing needs and difficult economic times, the survey found.
The survey’s findings offer insights into how women are likely to shape the future of philanthropy, says Sarah C. Libbey, Fidelity’s president. “Women have always had a hand in their household’s charitable outreach, but that role is evolving as women increasingly create their own wealth and become beneficiaries of wealth transfers because they live longer,” said Ms. Libbey, in a written statement. “We, and other nonprofit organizations, should pay more attention to this very influential group of donors.”
Researchers also grouped respondents into four distinct donor “profiles” based on their giving patterns and attitudes toward philanthropy.
The “mainstream contributor” — which accounted for 52 percent of those in the study — was less likely than others to increase giving in difficult economic times. And, when cutting back on the percentage of the household income contributed to charity, donors in this category tend to give to the same number of causes as in previous years but decrease the size of their gifts. Donors who fell into this category gave an average of $6,842 to charity in 2008.
Nearly a third of the respondents in the study were identified as “empathetic givers” who were more likely to give more in tough economic times and to respond to a cause when personally touched by illness or tragedy. Respondents in this group gave an average of $7,287 in 2008.
About 15 percent of those surveyed were described as “reactive contributors” who, in comparison to the other groups, give a smaller percentage of their household income to charity and are more likely to reduce their donations in difficult economic times. Total donations from individuals in this group averaged $3,687 in 2008.
Just 4 percent of respondents were identified as “pioneering givers.” Donors in this group gave away the highest percentage of their income to charity, were more likely to give to new and lesser-known causes, and more frequently used credit cards or securities to make donations. Individuals in this group gave an average of $7,347 to charity in 2008.
The National Christian Foundation (NCF) reached a major milestone in giving with the distribution of its two billionth grant dollar since 1982. This record illustrates the exponential growth of the non-profit as it took almost 25 years to reach their first $1 billion grant mark, while the $2 billion grant milestone came in just over three years.
NCF President, David Wills said, “We attribute this growth to God at work in and through believers as they seek to be wise and faithful stewards, even in these difficult economic times. Additionally, our expanding network of over 37 Affiliates around the country has allowed us to work more closely with those whom we are privileged to serve.”
Currently, NCF and its 37 Local Christian Foundation Affiliates are ranked as the nation’s
22nd largest charity.1 Givers make contributions to their donor-advised funds at NCF and then recommend grants to organizations that are making a difference here and around the world.
The $1.5 million grant that made this milestone possible was recommended by “The Green Fund to Reach the Children,” a donor-advised fund of Hobby Lobby, one of America’s fastest growing arts and crafts retail chains. Their grant will go to help needy children.
David Green, C.E.O. of Hobby Lobby says, “At a time when our nation’s charities need help like never before, we are delighted to be a part of this new milestone in the history of American giving. With the help of NCF and their Kansas City affiliate, The Servant Christian Community Foundation, Hobby Lobby is able to give more to the causes that are closest to our hearts, such as needy children.”
1 2008, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Non-Profits Ranked by Revenue
By Connie Hougland
A recent study by Bank of America noted a primary reason why donors discontinue giving to a charitable organization is the loss of emotional connection with the organization. Nearly 60% of the households surveyed as part of the 2008 Bank of America Study of High Net-Worth Philanthropy attributed their change in giving as “no longer feeling connected to the organization”. Interestingly, however, the third reason noted for why donors stopped supporting an organization was “feeling they were being solicited too often” (42%).
So, how can you utilize this valuable information in your Communications Plan? Be intentional on finding the balance – connecting with your supporters without overwhelming them. In particular, your donor communications need to be more of a ‘how to connect with us’ and less of an ‘about us’ communication.
It all starts with your Mission and Vision statements. Are they compelling and easy to remember? Does your mission and vision make donors feel connected to you and a part of something? Research tells us that people will give more to a compelling vision than a compelling need. Are you casting a vision or are you overwhelming them by the need?
On a practical manner –everyone on your staff and board should be able to quote the mission and/or vision on the spot. Certainly, if those closest to the organization are not captivated and able to articulate the message of the organization it will be difficult for them to convince others to engage.
Second to your compelling mission and vision is knowing your audience. It is important to remember that your donor communications must in fact be sensitive to the donor. For example, in tough economic times we must recognize that donors are in tough times too. It is important to be sensitive, acknowledge the tough times, and ask donors to stay with you. It is critical that you show and communicate your commitment to the mission and stay visible to your donors.
How can you make sure you are communicating in a way that connects to the donor? You put on your donor hat – literally! Grab a hat, write donor or giver on the hat and make this your ‘donor hat.’ Wear this hat any time you write a donor communication piece. The goal is to become intentional in thinking about your audience. By putting on your donor hat, you transition from being the ministry representative to ‘I am the donor – what is it I want to know about the ministry.’
Additionally, don’t write donor communications with your budget and your needs in front of you – instead do it with your donor database in front of you. Put a face with your audience. If you are writing an appeal letter for people to join in and help your organization wouldn’t it be great if that appeal letter was about them and not about you? With your database in front of you, think about those you know – think about your conversations with them – what is important to them – what do they care about – why do they give to your organization – what kind of results would be meaningful to them regarding their charitable investment to your ministry – what do they get excited about?
The idea behind this exercise is to become intentional. It sounds good in theory to say ‘think about your audience’. It is another thing to be your audience. The reality is it doesn’t necessarily change what we say but rather how we say it. If we miss the mark with speaking to our audience (versus at our audience) then what we say is irrelevant.
Keep in mind that people want to be part of a winning team – givers want to know that their giving is making a difference. Even in tough economic times our communication needs to share the forward movement of the organization. Celebrate the win – no matter the size of the win – we must not forget that one life touched for Christ is worthy of a celebration – “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40
Finally, don’t forget the power of stories. You must tell the stories of the needs you are meeting – not the need to raise money – but the needs you meet through your services and programs. Keep making the compelling case, invite people to think about their giving, and encourage them to stay involved.
Connie Hougland is Vice President for Servant Christian Community Foundation.
By Dave Kubal
Two forces are working against you in communicating with your organization and all whom it touches. First, there are tons of messages barraging people today. When communicating to people involved in your organization, you want to make sure that you are being heard through all that media noise. For instance, keeping information flowing to your donors about the good things your organization is doing is imperative! Even people who are interested in your organization may not always take the time to read what you want them to know. You have got to do something different to get your message through surface from the business of people’s lives.
The second force out there that needs to be reckoned with is the economy. Costs may be making your choices for communications more limited. Guaranteed, those donors you are trying to communicate with are also distracted by the economy and what it means to them personally as well.
So, how do you get an effective message out there to donors, and do it in a way that maximizes your resources? Organizations are forced to get creative to get their message heard and understood. No matter where donors fall in the donor cycle (Awareness-Education-Asking-Thanking-Demonstrating Results-then back to Asking), keep in mind that it is much easier to keep a current donor than to recruit new ones. With that in mind, here are three ideas to communicate to current donors.
I am sounding the alarm! You must be creative, focused and simple in your communication. Sit down soon with a group of people that you trust and brainstorm how you will communicate the great things that you are doing. Commit to doing something different!
Dave Kubal is the former Vice President of Training and Leadership Development for The Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is currently the President of Integrity Leadership Development. In addition, he is personally involved in starting and running numerous non-profit ministries.
