Church Executive MAXIMIZING YEAR-END GIVING

3 WAYS TO THANK YOUR DONORS Creating a culture of generosity all year long By Troy Pollock As we prepare for the end-of-year giving season, it is easy to get wrapped up in planning a holiday service or trying to hit end-of-year budget numbers. As a result, sometimes we forget to stop and thank those who have generously given to our church. Saying thank you feels like an obvious follow-up to any good deed, but you’d be surprised how often this is put off until someone on staff has the time. However, giving thanks is a biblical imperative as well as a key driver of growth. Donors that feel appreciated are simply more engaged and more likely to give again. app from Pushpay, for instance, you can send personalized thank you messages to donors based on the specific fund they donated to — all within a few minutes. Here are a few ways to display gratitude in a meaningful way as you thank and nurture people within your community: Personalize thank-you messages No matter how much someone gave, it’s important to think about how they’ll feel when receiving a thank you note. Will they feel acknowledged and respected? Or will they feel like an anonymous donor whose gift was just one of hundreds? While maybe it’s not feasible to handwrite personalized thank you notes for everyone who has ever given, technology can certainly help you deliver personalized and meaningful thank you messages. Make sure you include personal touches such as their name, what fund they contributed to, and how their donation will/has made a difference. Deliver timely messages The sooner you thank your donors the better. In fact, “Donor-Centered Fundraising” by Penelope Burk tracked donors who received personalized messages of gratitude over 14 months. Researchers found that donors who received a thank you phone call from a board member within 24 hours of giving went on to give 39 percent more in future campaigns than donors who were not thanked in the first 24 hours. In fact, after 14 months, those who were 8 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 Say thank you — and nothing else It’s important not to ask for more in a thank- you note. Thank-you notes that ask for more money or volunteer time are ingenuine and seen by most as tactless. Let this simple communication be about the giver, their donation, and the impact it has on your ministry. To ask for more while thanking someone undermines your organization’s gratitude. Be genuine and focus on them. That will go a long way with your donors and it supports a culture of generosity within your church. For more information on donor development and ways to nurture generosity, download the Digital Giving Trends eBook or visit the Pushpay Blog. called within 24 hours of giving were donating 42 percent more than when they originally started. While you might or might not see these kinds of results, it’s clear that thanking givers in a timely manner makes a huge impact. No matter the size of your church, delivering a timely thank you can be relatively easy using digital tools. With a custom church Troy Pollock is Chief Ambassador at Pushpay. Pushpay provides a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to the faith sector and non- profit organizations. Our leading solutions simplify engagement, payments and administration, enabling our customers to increase participation and build stronger relationships with their communities. churchexecutive.com

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