Fundraising for churches has gone through different variations in the past century, yet many of the basic tenets of fundraising remain the same, whether the fundraising is for the annual operating budget or a capital campaign. However, one area that has changed is that many churches have abandoned the practice of personal visitations when soliciting funds. Your church may find it helpful to consider bringing back this approach when planning for your annual stewardship campaigns.
Background
Through the period from the end of WW II to the late 70’s, most churches in the United States that put on a fall pledge or faith commitment solicitations program to determine their budget for the next year would do a canvass of their congregation. This canvass was usually a system of personal visitations where couples visited couples or individuals visited individuals in their homes to discuss with them a financial commitment to the church for the coming year. In keeping with stewardship principals of Time, Talent and Treasure, families were asked to volunteer to assist their church with a ministry commitment as well.
Culture Change
But as the 80’s approached with increasingly both spouses having to work and congregations growing to larger sizes, the system of visitations gave way to the mailing of a solicitation letter. This letter usually states the needs of the church and asks for a percentage increase in giving over the previous year. While a church may have legitimate reasons for using the more impersonal approach with a general solicitation letter, your ministry may be missing out on an important technique that can help you better balance the budget. Personal visitations are time intensive, but can provide the necessary marginal increase in donations so that Church leaders and clergy aren’t placed in a position of making special appeals throughout the year to stay current on expenses.
The Case for Personal Visitation
Of equal importance is the fact that personal visitations help strengthen your ministry. The reality is that most couples enjoy personal visitation among each other. Often, it’s the only time when many families can visit other families outside of Sunday worship. There is a note of camaraderie and friendship with these visits. Also, the gatherings are the best vehicle to inform fellow members of the “vision” for ministry and mission of the church. If the program is done correctly there is a “coming together” of the congregation into a unified spirit of optimism for the future. While raising significant dollars, a well managed, personal visitation campaign also develops new leadership and strengthens the church’s volunteer base. Additionally as we all know, it is harder to say “no” to a personal request from a fellow congregant. Unfortunately, too many churches have abandoned this effective method of fundraising and instead rely on impersonal letters from the Senior Minister or church treasurer.
A number of churches have also abandoned the personal visitation program for major capital campaigns. Since major capital campaigns are infrequent events, it is necessary that financial commitments be personally asked for from fellow members. It is the way that the story of the church and its long term “vision” can be told so that a sufficient amount of capital dollars can be raised to make this “vision” a reality. Increasingly, well intended church leaders have chosen fund-raising counsel that does the solicitation themselves through a series of worship services or special events and does not use church members. These fundraisers argue that most volunteers “can’t ask for money” or that giving is a private affair and that personal solicitation visits can be too heavy handed. We caution against that way of thinking, and advise churches that if structured and used properly, personal visitations are a very helpful ministry tool.