Democracy Lives – in Your Congregation!

Why Do We Pledge: Part III

I live in Washington, DC, where democracy is mired in financial influence and partisan radicalism. So I appreciate that, in virtually all of the congregations where I consult, the democratic process is functioning quite well. Part of what distinguishes liberal religious organizations like ours from more conservative ones is that we are committed to the democratic process; with the election of representatives, to whom we delegate responsibilities, and to “polity” or group decision making. This is the Unitarian Universalist 5th Principle. I was raised in a religion where the congregation made few decisions about itself, did not control its budget, call its clergy, or even decide whether its doors should be shuttered. The church and organization were literally owned by the denomination.

What does this have to do with pledges? Or as I prefer to call them, financial commitments? Well the financial commitment process not only allow us to be fiscally responsible, it is part of the democratic process by which we manage our congregations.

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Beyond that, the annual budget drive allows for key congregational communications, helps build the relationship between the congregation and its members, and creates an opportunity for a practice of giving, which may have spiritual dimensions.

Exercising Democracy, Polity, and Program Funding

We are fully responsible for our congregations; the denomination is neither going to command how we manage our budgets nor prop us up if we get into fiscal trouble. So we must build and implement budgets that are allow us to reach for our ambitious missions and avoid unplanned financial liabilities. In order to create this responsible budget, we have to know how much our supporters (congregants) plan to give. Our regular annual budget drive process allows for this.

1. Based on the past year’s finances, and anticipating the coming year’s events, lay and professional leaders build a draft or preliminary budget
2. Then we hold an annual budget drive
3. Using the financial commitments that result, the preliminary budget is refined
4. Our boards receive, discuss, and approve the budget
5. Which is made available to the congregation for review and comment
6. Then the budget is brought to the congregation for a vote
7. Once the congregation affirms the budget for the coming year, it can be enacted
8. Once the new fiscal year starts, but budget is implemented and people pay toward their commitments

The congregation is not only informed and empowered through this process. It also allows the leaders to know how ambitious they can be in the coming year. Unexpected contributions are wonderful and I am sure are much appreciated by your (or any!) congregation. However, if we make a budget based on our expected financial resources, those contributions cannot be factored in, which means the congregation may not stretch as far as might, or achieve as much. Yes we are talking about shorting our programs of funding and missing opportunities if people don’t make financial commitments (pledges).

Operational Feedback/Communications

I have worked with congregations that act as if their annual drive is a scourge upon their program year. They want it to be as brief, automatic, and unobtrusive as possible. They want it to use as few human resources as possible, and then not burn out the one or two people who take it on. And they want it to magically deliver the greatest amount of money possible, so their dream budget is fulfilled. Many members absorb this from their leaders and do not want to be bothered either. Usually in this setting, the solution to the poor results from the annual drive is to cut the budget – does this seem like the entrance to a downward spiral? Yes it is.

I do not believe that an annual budget drive is a necessary evil; something no one likes but we just have to do it. To me, an annual budget drive is a wonderful opportunity that we have every year to celebrate our mission and purpose, laud what we have done in the past year, and look forward to the coming year’s ambitions. The drive honors our constituents by informing them and reporting what was achieved through their donations. Sometimes these impacts are hard to express in concrete terms, but trying will make a difference, and telling stories is good as well. It also asks them to participate in making the next year possible, because their giving quite literally makes a difference in what can be planned for the following year.

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The annual drive also allows our lay and professional leaders to understand what is working and not working in congregational life. If there is conflict in the congregation, then the financial commitments will show that, even if the challenges are under the surface. If there is not enough communications about our programs or if those communications are not inspiring the congregants to give, that will also surface in people’s responses, which helps provide intelligence to the leaders. If the drive does wonderfully well, we can look at which givers responded and why. In this way the giving data is important and can help us align our congregational planning.

But wait! There’s more! Watch for the next post that shows how our financial commitment process allows us to create deeper relationships with each other and supports our personal growth.

Mark Ewert is a stewardship consultant with the Stewardship For Us team. Mark can be reached at mewert@stewardshipforus.com, via the UUA’s Congregational Stewardship Network, (http://www.uua.org/finance/fundraising/index.shtml), or through your regional staff.

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