Once upon a time there was a congregation that never seemed to have enough money. It barely had enough to keep the regular parts of the budget going, let alone do all of the things they dreamed about. Then one day a big check arrived in the office. Actually, compared with the rest of their […]
The Parable of the Endowment Gift Read More »
Consulting with Stewardship For Us is only part of my vocational life. The other part is that I am a professional leadership coach. I work with families and funding organizations on their philanthropy (charitable giving), and I coach nonprofit leaders. “Coach” is a term that is bandied around a lot, however it is actually a
Professional Coaching is a Discipline Read More »
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 Resources page, (http://www.uua.org/finance/fundraising/consulting), or through your regional staff.
We Lay Foundations… Read More »
Do you think your Planned Giving program is firing on all cylinders? Is it vibrant and engaging or barely there? Are you really ready for The Legacy Challenge or does it need some shaping up? Rather than Planned Giving, I prefer the term: Long Term Stewardship That’s because people give more long term gifts, because
Ready for Planned Giving? Read More »
If you have not heard, the Unitarian Universalist Association will be launching the Wake Now Our Vision Legacy Challenge program this year. This will be a great opportunity for you to engage your congregants and gain new planned gift intentions. Planned and legacy gifts can build your endowment and help fuel your congregation far into
“Alternative Facts” about Planned Giving, Webinar Scheduled Read More »
In recent discussions with my S4Us colleagues, and with our client organizations, there are new questions based on our current political upheaval: These are uncertain times; won’t people guard their resources and cut back on their charitable giving? Won’t people favor organizations like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, so we will lose support? How can
Political Upheaval as a Call to Stewardship Read More »
Part of stewardship is the use of human resources. How many times have I worked with congregations that have an annual financial support drive every year, that includes contacting everyone, asking everyone to give, has a big celebration at the wrap up, and thank you messages to each giver? Yes that would be all. How
Volunteer Recognition: Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em Read More »
I am happy to announce that I have earned certification as a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) from The American College of Financial Services. What is a CAP®? The Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® is professional designation from the Richard D. Irwin Graduate School of The American College of Financial Services, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The CAP®
Mark Ewert Earns his CAP® Read More »
As a congregation planning an annual drive, you may want to change it up and try something different. We hear regularly from congregations who feel that their annual drive does not perform well. It is too arduous, burns out volunteers, distracts from the “real work” of the congregation (that is another blog post!), members don’t
What is Your Annual Drive Strategy? Read More »
Since the late 1980s, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) have exploded on the philanthropy landscape. They have rapidly grown to hold billions of dollars in assets, and grants from them have also increased in double-digit percentage amounts. Yet they are NOT just for the financial elite; they are accessible to almost any giver – you do
New Webinar on Donor Advised Funds: The Giving Tool Every Congregation Should Know About Read More »
