Church Executive MAXIMIZING YEAR-END GIVING

ideas for year-end giving that inspires year-long giving By Valerie Russell Every year on December 31, the lines for thrift store drop-offs almost rival the lines of Black Friday that occurred just a few weeks prior. Huge spurts of giving and donating in December are the result of the fiscal year coming to a close and holiday cheer inspiring generosity. This makes the year’s end an ideal time to call your church into a season of extraordinary giving. The additional end-of-year gifts are vital to help churches close the gap where giving doesn’t match budget expectations, and this abundance of generosity can happen throughout the year! Of course, coming up with ideas to get everyone involved is easily overlooked with other activities demanding attention. Instead of only hoping the holidays stir your congregation to give more, here are four ways you can focus everyone towards year-end generosity that leads to year-long giving. #1: Bless a campaign abundantly Challenge your congregation to multiply their collective impact of giving by funneling all of your December generosity to one campaign that serves the needs of your neighborhood. An easy way to do this is by using a text or online giving solution that lets you pick a keyword. You could use “Christmas Challenge,” for instance, which would designate any gifts given before year-end to the chosen fund. Make sure to revisit the ongoing campaign throughout the year by encouraging your congregation to volunteer additional time, treasure, or talent. Regularly update your church about the impact their combined year-end giving created. #2: Start a year-long campaign When asking churches if they have special projects on their “Dream” list, you’re guaranteed to hear an emphatic “Oh yes!” Whether it’s for new carpeting or better equipment, there’s plenty that demands attention. If there’s a particular project your church would like to start, there’s no better time to launch than December. Roughly 40% of all gifts are made during year-end, which means you could kickstart your campaign with some significant momentum to carry into the new year. Include a communication calendar in your plan to ensure you’re keeping up with givers throughout the year. Mark your calendar for days to send an email sharing how year-end and year-round gifts have specifically impacted the campaign and furthered the church. Continue adding to the calendar throughout the year so that you stay on top of communications and keep everyone informed. 6 CHURCH EXECUTIVE • M A X I M I Z I N G Y E A R - E N D G I V I N G #3: Create a generosity fund Because most people do the majority of giving at the end of the year, some local charities and community groups face a drought of gifts and volunteers in the spring and summer. This year, your church could be the solution. Divide up your church’s small groups, campuses, or Sunday school classes into 10 groups. Assign each group a month in 2020 and ask them to pick a local charity to bless that month generously. Challenge each group to give abundantly in December towards this “Generosity Fund” (another great time to use a keyword!) which will then be evenly distributed between the 10 groups. Encourage the groups to share their time as well as their money. Give them space during a service to share about their cause and the way your church was able to bless them during a difficult time. #4: Focus on relationships, not retention Sometimes all it takes to turn year-end giving into year-long giving is to think of it differently. While the primary goal will be to increase gifts and participants at church, ultimately what you’ll be doing is building relationships. This takes time, but the Christmas season provides the perfect opportunity to get to know your congregation a little better. Keep the connection going when the new year begins by sending thank-you messages and sharing opportunities for the giver to engage again by inviting them to join a Bible study group or attend an upcoming outreach event. Sometimes all it takes is extending an invitation to make church donors feel welcome and generous after the holiday season has ended. Learn even more strategies to unleash generosity during year-end and into the new year. Grab the free 2019 Year-End Bundle with a video and 15-page strategy guide. Valerie Russell is a content marketer at Ministry Brands. churchexecutive.com

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