vanco getting money to your mission

Getting Money to Your Mission A Guide to Funding Your Ministry

2 © 2016 Vanco Payment Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction §  In nearly 20 years of serving churches, we've learned that

every one has different giving needs

§  But one thing about every church is the same. To grow and fund their ministries, they need a strategic plan that engages members to believe in and support the church's mission


Funding Your Ministry §  Plan Strategically

§  Connect Members to Your Mission

§  Assess Stewardship and Giving

4 © 2016 Vanco Payment Solutions. All Rights Reserved. © 2016 Vanco Payment Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

Plan Strategically


What’s a Strategic Plan? §  A strategic plan defines and outlines goals and describes

what steps you need to take to reach them

§  It sets a clear vision of the future you want for your church


Steps to Success A plan built for success contains 6 steps

§  Mission statement

§  Vision statement

§  Goals

§  Values

§  Focus

§  Plan of action


Steps to Success §  Mission statement

o  Explains the purpose of your plan

o  Sets an overarching goal for day-to-day work needed to achieve your plan

§  Vision statement o  Describes the future your church wants to create

o  Is inspirational, clear, memorable and concise


Steps to Success §  Goal setting

o  Expresses the desired results of your mission statement

o  Connects people with activities needed to achieve outcomes

§  Values statement o  Holds the plan together and directs decision-making

o  Guides intentions with positive words such as excellence, passion and truth


Steps to Success §  Focus

o  Provides an opportunity to anticipate questions and make adjustments before presenting your plan

o  Sets the scope of your plan so it’s easy to understand and follow

§  Plan of Action

o  Details the steps needed to reach your goals o  Identifies who, what, when and how


Getting Your Plan Started §  Collaborate with leaders and members

o  Identify and involve people who can offer their skills and support

§  Set clear, reachable goals

o  Communicate openly to keep everyone engaged and moving toward the goal

§  Define the action items

o  Include milestones, assignments and timelines


Things to Remember §  Make sure you give yourself enough time

o  Bigger plans take longer to complete

o  Larger churches require more time to get approvals from leadership

§  Planning is an ongoing process o  As goals are reached, new ones need to be identified,

evaluated and implemented

§  Don’t let bumps become major obstacles o  Challenge assumptions and rethink ideas


Connect Members to Your Mission


13

“People want to be a part of something that changes lives.”

_ Will Willimon, author, professor at Duke Divinity School and a retired bishop of the United Methodist Church


Building Strong Relationships

§  Churches must connect members’ emotions to the mission to fulfill their desire to build a better world

§  We’ve identified 3 ways to keep people giving and volunteering throughout their relationship with your church

o  Develop a communication plan

o  Tell a story

o  Ask for action


Develop a Communication Plan

§  Set a regular schedule of communications about your mission’s goals and successes to ensure members know what’s happening

§  Use both traditional and new methods

o  Bulletin messages

o  Flyers and posters

o  Emails

o  Social media

o  Videos

o  Podcasts


Tell a Story §  Real stories about real people resonate with your

congregation and provide concrete examples of your mission’s success

§  Share the results of your ministry’s long-term support of the organizations it has served

Example: We’ve resettled 3 refugee families in apartments and helped enroll their children in school

§  Get members to tell their stories about how and why they are involved in the church’s mission


Ask for Action §  No matter how you communicate, ask your congregation to

take action to help support your mission

§  Be specific about what you want them to do

o  Give money or other gifts

o  Volunteer time

o  Prayers

o  Outreach


Assess Stewardship and Giving


What the Experts Say We surveyed Voices on Stewardship contributors for their thoughts on:

§  Trends in giving and stewardship

§  Reliance on the annual campaign

Voices on Stewardship is an online resource that brings together influencers in the Christian community — executive pastors, seminary professors, church growth consultants, authors and other thought leaders — to provide inspiration, guidance and resources on growing generosity in the church.

http://www.voicesonstewardship.com/about


Giving Trends Pledge drives still work, but…

§  Understanding donors’ giving preferences can increase their opportunities to be generous

§  New giving tools can complement and supplement the annual campaign by making giving easier

§  Messages from the pastor about church finances are important


Giving Trends Vanco’s Churchgoer Giving Study revealed:

§  60 percent – across all age groups – prefer to give electronically

§  Demand for e-Giving from active members is even higher – 80 percent

§  Many don’t have electronic giving options, but would use them if they were available

§  75 percent give out of a sense of calling

Vanco Payment Solutions surveyed 1,002 U.S. Christian churchgoers in August 2015, focusing on the attitudes, preferences and behaviors of churchgoers toward giving.


Giving Trends New tools such as electronic giving help your congregation by offering them a familiar way to contribute

§  Online allows members to set up recurring donations on their schedule

§  Mobile app is a convenient way for smartphone users to give

§  Text reaches impulse or occasional givers

§  Kiosk makes giving easier for visitors


Giving Trends e-Giving also makes administration easier and more efficient

§  Recording is more accurate

§  Reporting is more comprehensive

§  Processing is more secure than cash or checks


Giving Trends Messages from the minister and other leaders are important to the overall health and future of the church

§  Make financial stewardship a regular part of the conversation

o  Quarterly is good, more often is better

§  Encourage members to look beyond the present and consider estate plan giving

o  $9.8 billion in 1975

o  $31.8 billion last year


Revisiting the Pledge Drive Before you launch your annual stewardship campaign, ask these questions:

§  Is it the best way for your church to raise the most money?

§  Will setting your yearly budget based on how much the drive brings in help you build a sustainable ministry?

§  How does your congregation respond to the campaign?


Revisiting the Pledge Drive Over 65% of Voices contributors surveyed work with churches that still depend on traditional campaigns; however…

§  Many churches know that no matter how hard they work, the pledge drive isn’t bringing in the support they need to turn vision into reality

§  Churches need to follow the giving trends and try alternatives to pledge drives


6-Step Strategic Plan to Grow Your Ministry

3 Tips to Connect Members to Your Mission

Church Leaders’ Opinions on Stewardship and Giving

Churchgoer Giving Study

And don’t forget to share or download this presentation by clicking the buttons on your screen!

More Resources Download these additional tips and tools to help grow your ministry

http://connect.vancopayments.com/-six-step-strategic-plan

http://connect.vancopayments.com/three-tips-to-connect-members-to-your-misssion

http://connect.vancopayments.com/-church-leaders-opinions

http://connect.vancopayments.com/churchgoer-giving-study


Thank You

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