Risk-Taking My congregation in Wilmington, Delaware has signed on to the Soul Matters program, so each month we get a theme and worship and educational materials around that theme. We are among 200 or so UU congregations doing this. This month’s theme is Risk and the question for us to ponder is: “What does it […]
Stewardship and Risk-Taking 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 »
Multi-phase church building projects, and campaigns to fund them, require excellent planning in order to succeed. If you are thinking of embarking on a building project, here are some things to consider: How big a project can we take on? Before hiring an architect to sketch out your dream building, have a general idea of
Phasing A Building Project – Campaign Size Does Matter Read More »
I’m delighted to report that Unitarian Universalism is alive and well – in fact, by some measures, we are thriving. Over the past year, we stewardship consultants have seen an uptick in capital campaigns, including some large and ambitious ones. Stewardship for Us assisted 14 congregations with financial feasibility studies or capital campaigns (or both)
Unitarian Universalism and Stewardship for 2017 and Beyond 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 »
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 »
The 4th T to add to Time, Talent, and Treasure You all know the Three Ts; most congregations talk about them and so most congregants know them as well: time, talent, and treasure. Now congregations generally admit that they are not doing such a great job in motivating, engaging, or certainly asking for all three
There’s a New T in Town Read More »
This Fall Kay Crider, along with the Rev. Jan Christian of the Pacific Western Region, will be presenting two webinars on stewardship: In October, Stewardship Transitions for Small Congregations: How can small congregations become aware of and adopt successful stewardship concepts and practices as they grow? This webinar will help you become more comfortable talking about
Webinars on Stewardship: Small Congregations and Improving Congregational Giving Read More »
Four Trains Leave the Station… Does it sound like those old math puzzles? The ones I could never solve about a train leaving Chicago? Well capital campaigns are even more complex, as four trains leave the station. They leave at different times, travel at different rates, and vary their speed. Yet they all need to
Capital Campaign and the Four Trains Read More »
