If your organization wants to grow long-term, sustainable giving – and, I assume you do – it is vital that you cultivate a culture of giving. What does this look like? People who are funding the work of the organization are viewed as just as critical as those who are doing the work of the organization.
Let’s face it: We all want to grow such a culture around our organization. This results in a people who have a sense of comradery and a heart to give — characteristics that lead to major giving.
However, some faith-based leaders are impeding their own success through their style of development; and they do not even realize it. In essence, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing development.
To grow a sustained culture of giving, avoid these five strategies which are, sadly, often employed and squash the development of a giving culture:
- Transactional giving
- Playing percentages
- An Event-oriented mentality
- Guilt or dogma-driven
- Desperation-driven
Transactional giving takes place when a donor gives a tax deductible donation; then the organization gives them something in return. Examples of this are a bake sale or car wash. Transactional giving is not morally wrong. However, is it the wrong approach to growing a long-term, sustainable culture of giving? Yes. Transactional giving is quite problematic. It can only take you so far.
Playing percentages is another pitfall. The reality is, if you send a certain number of communications to certain people in specific zip codes at certain income levels with a certain style of writing, you will get a level of response. There are very sophisticated organizations and programs that do that well. Again, is it morally wrong? No. It is problematic if that is the fundamental way an organization raises money. This will not grow sustained giving over the long haul.
Then, there is the event-oriented mentality. Examples of this might be a golf tournament or a gala. I like to think about this one in terms of a marriage. If the only time I spent time with my wife was at an event, like our vacation or a date, those might be fun for a while. However, our relationship would not have any real substance. The event-oriented mentality is similar. Events can be great entry points to invite people in. However, they are a one-time deal, lacking in actual relational development.
Another pitfall to growing a sustainable culture of giving is a dogma-driven approach. Guilt is the real driver in this approach. The mentality is, “Because you have so much, you must do this.” Faith-based organizations fall quickly into this pattern without even realizing it. You may hear it in this internal language, “So-and-so could write a check for the whole thing,” or, “This would be nothing to them.” We’ve all heard that. This guilt or dogma-driven mentality really goes against growing that generous giving culture most of us would want.
Lastly is need or a desperation-driven approach. If you focus on selling your needs, you are competing with other organizations or other groups of people and their needs. You often hear faith-based leaders say, “There’s so much competition for dollars.” If you look closely, the reason they are feeling that is they are competing in the space of, “Who needs this the most?”
The truth is, there is a reason why all of these methods are in place: To some extent, they work. They may work very consistently and predictably, but they will eventually cause an organization to bleed donors over the long haul.
If the point here is that God has given us influence with people, relationships – not approaches – are what we are really stewarding. The who always needs to be first looked at, then how. “Who are our people? Let’s take an accounting of our people God could use in all of this. Then let’s talk about how we’re going to do what we do.”
The difference between fundraising and the work of developing a culture of giving is that fundraising is immediate and one-time. Development, however, is about long-term and sustainable relationships.
In order to shake out of the “fundraising” model and to move into a culture of giving, you must define your point of view on three things.
- Define your point of view on leadership. What does it mean to lead people?
- Define your point of view on giving. What is giving really about? Where do the resources come from?
- Define your point of view on raising money.
If your point of view on leadership and giving and raising money is that these resources come from God, and God is going to use people to mobilize those resources, then you really have to work on making sure you’re raising money in a people-oriented way and walking with them over the long haul.
To grow a culture of giving, don’t focus on fundraising. Instead, focus on developing genuine relationships with the people God has given you. God will bless this.