Major Gifts Program ManualA program of strategic planning and spiritual formation regarding issues in stewardship of money and major gifts management:

building the church, building the body of Christ & building the giver.

Christ Pantocrator, egg tempera on WoodMount Athos, Greece, 2001(The Logo for Stewardship Ministry in the Diocese of New Hampshire)

Episcopal Diocese of New HampshireThe Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Bishop

The Rev. Canon Charles LaFondCanon for Congregational Life63 Green Street, Concord, New Hampshire, 03301Office (603) 224-1914 ext. 20; LaFond Cell (603) 344-2711Email: clafond@nhepiscopal.orgStewardship, Capital Campaign and Major Gifts Web pull-downs at www.nhepiscopal.org

Asking for Major GiftsEpiscopal Diocese of New Hampshire © 2010The Rev. Canon Charles LaFondCanon For Congregational LifeThe Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire63 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301clafond@nhepiscopal.org, 603-344-2711

I. Introduction: Of all the various levels of prejudice Christians tend to have against discussing money in public, asking for major gifts is by far the most laden with hesitation, fear and anxiety. The probability that Jesus’ ministry was funded by the women within his community from whom Jesus or others asked major gifts of money seems to make no difference to our modern discomfort with asking for money in the context of church and community life. The fear and anxiety which we pile onto asking for large gifts is, often, an ingenious way in which to get out of asking. If asking for major gifts is made taboo by our church culture then we do not have to do it. This is a good strategy with the exception that Jesus himself commands us to give our money and valuables away and uses examples which are stunning in their drama. The woman who anoints Jesus’ feet with valuable oil, for example, is giving Jesus a financially valuable gift and is not going to the desperately poor or the horribly sick but rather to the honoring of Jesus through an intimate and arguably liturgical – even sensual event. The value of the oil was 300 silver pieces and since one silver piece was a day’s wages, the value was almost that of a year’s salary! Jesus accepts the gift knowing that the giver is glad to give it and that the receiver is glad to receive it. Judas, of course, who has been stealing from the common purse, objects to this beautiful act of self-giving. Jesus commands he be silent.John 12:1-8 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."We often hear people say “I don’t give to the church….I don’t trust that the money will go entirely to the poor and desperate….so I give outside the church ….that way I control where it goes.” Sometimes this is just an excuse…the money is kept for bill paying and shopping. Sometimes the gifts are made…but this hesitancy in giving sounds a lot like Judas. The hesitancy often comes from a darker place in our hearts. We are called to be like Jesus and not like Judas. Jesus was completely self-offering while Judas was self-providing.

But life is hard, and many of us are barely able to pay our bills. So why even have the conversation about major gifts? It is because there are some – even some of us at times- who can and will make big gifts. we must consider how to have this conversation.

Our anxiety about asking for money in the context of the church and for the mission of the church is not something to be encouraged but is something to be healed. They say that the best way to get over a fear of horseback riding is to get onto a horse. The best way to get over the fear of asking for a gift (a gift which will, in the giving of it, bless the giver, bless the receiver and honor God) – is to go ahead and ask for one!

“Major gifts” are not massive gifts like the three-year pledges of a capital campaign, nor are they usually the pledges we make out of our regular income as a symbol that we understand that God is the giver of all we have. And yet, some of the gifts given in the course of an annual stewardship campaign are indeed “major gifts” and are asked for just as one would a “major gift.”

Most major gift falls somewhere in between capital pledges and the bulk of annual pledges . A major gift can be asked for or simply offered. It can be for a specific thing or it can be undesignated. It can be in honor of a person or an event or for a specific reason such as a new stained-glass window or a new furnace when the old one expires.. Major gifts are often given out of assets rather than income except among the wealthy . Major gifts often are given from having received a bonus or an inheritance or having some savings reconsidered.

The givers of major gifts generally enjoy giving the gift and once the askers have had their first experience, they become intoxicated by the joy of helping people to give to things they love and find meaningful.

Asking for a major gift often happens in capital campaigns and planned giving programs but it can happen any day and any time. Indeed an argument could be made that the largest gifts of an annual stewardship campaign are often “major gifts.” One hopes this discussion results in major gifts being fearlessly asked for and major gifts being joyfully given to the glory of God.

II. What is a major gift?A “major gift” is 1%-10% or more of the total amount of gifts to the annual stewardship program of a parish or ½% - 1 % of the total amount of gifts to a parish capital campaign.

There are three kinds of major gifts:

annual- large, or challenge or in-kind gifts to the annual budget of the parish.

special/capital- large gifts to a capital campaign which amount to 3-20 times the amount normally pledged to the annual Stewardship of Finances campaign.

Ultimate- a gift of massive quantity or a planned gift through an estate.

Major gifts given outside a regular stewardship program are 3 to 20 times larger than the usual annual gift and usually are either made in response to a capital campaign, a special need or as part of an estate plan at death. What is important regarding the consideration of asking for major gifts is to live in a tone of expectation of bounty rather than in a tone of pessimistic assumption of scarcity. Usually churches do not receive major gifts because no one asks for major gifts – not because major gifts do not exist in the parish. Every pledger and every non-pledger is a prospective major gift giver. If the parish is not asking for major gifts from anyone then those gifts are being given to alma maters, YMCA’s, hospitals and libraries.

III. “My carrots are touching my peas!”The spiritual and emotional barrier to asking for major gifts is what the church mothers and fathers considered “compartmentalization” (though they used a different word) which means that we divide our lives into what is spiritual and what is temporal. This way of dividing the world is very Latin and runs counter to the more Celtic notion that everything is good and of God and is a gift from God and can be returned to God in praise and thanksgiving.

We first learn this when we are children. As children, often we act out early compartmentalization when we demand that the various foods on our plate must not touch each other. A child will scream, “my carrots are touching my peas!” with a sense of outrage and disgust. As we grow older, we compartmentalize so that what is spiritual must not “touch” what is financial. This way of thinking can easily be seen in the words “filthy lucre” attributed to money in the King James version of the Bible. Money is not inherently evil just because how it is achieved and how it is used in our present culture is often evil, prideful and thoughtless.

Jesus spoke both boldly and strategically about all manner of very real things such as money, wealth, food, bread, water, wine, stones, wheat etc. Jesus spoke of real things

and not spiritual pleasantries and so our calling, especially in stewardship, is to follow Jesus’ modeling leadership in dealing with money. The church has spent 1,000 years developing a lie that women around Jesus were absent or weak or sinful, however in fact, we now know that the women around Jesus were most probably not only present but wealthy and generous. It was from these women that Jesus asked for the major gifts which funded his small team’s ministry and philanthropy (literally “loving of people”).

The Church needs to let its carrots touch its peas by breaking down this division between spirituality and money. One reason for doing this is meeting the needs of a giver. In the church, the agenda for the giving and receiving of money is both the giver’s and the asker’s. The church needs the funds in order to be the church. The donor needs to give the money away because that self-giving is the very core of the model that Jesus is for us. It is as much our responsibility to ask for the major gift as it is the donor’s responsibility to give it or at least consider the giving of it.

IV. Prospect versus suspectThe components to the giving of a major gift are linkage, ability, and interest. A person who is a prospect is someone who has all three components in advance of the asking for a major gift. “Linkage” means that the person who is being asked for a major gift is truly linked to the parish by real attendance and by personal involvement. “Ability” means that a person has the ability to make a large gift without in any way jeopardizing immediate well-being. “Interest” means that a person has caught sight of a vision and is so inspired by it and so personally involved in it and so invested in its success that they desire to make a major gift in order to make a vision into a reality.

A “suspect” is someone who may have some linkage and may have ability but has not been personally engaged and inspired to have a level of interest which inclines them to make a pledge or a gift which results in a major gift. Too often, a parish will simply assume that “Mrs. Got-rocks” whose family owns the mill and most of the town, will make the leadership gift when in fact Mrs. Got-rocks has only been to the parish a few times and is personally known by none of the vestry, stewardship team or clergy.

V. Why people say “no”There are many reasons that a person with financial ability declines to give to a capital, annual or major gifts campaign including:

The ask “out of context” The Church, its clergy, vestry and wardens have been planning a capital campaign for months. Plans were drafted, designs were made, a case for support was planned and communications materials were developed but the first time a donor sees any of this is when he or she is being asked for a major gift. The information comes at them like a tsunami and they are not in any way personally invested in the project. The response will be “no.” This can also happen in an annual campaign in which the “case for support”

(i.e.: the reason that we are asking for the money) is not well defined or well communicated or both.

The ask under pressureOften, the anxiety around asking for a major gift is postponed and procrastination (the worst enemy of any stewardship effort) gets a hold on the situation. The askers wait until the last possible minute out of nervous anxiety and so when they finally make the appointment or the call (because the deadline is next week!) the request is made by the wrong person, at the wrong time, in the wrong way and the asking amount is for the wrong level of gift.

The ask in times of financial uncertaintyThere will always be a level of uncertainly in life, but asking for a major gift at a time in the life of the donor when they are going through divorce, major changes or during a financial market crisis needs special consideration and careful planning. Churches are the last organizations to be hit by economic recession and so usually, if all the hard work of planning, communications, cultivation, and spiritual depth are being done, the major gift – especially to an annual campaign – will not be affected much by a recession. The recession does, however, make for a good reason not to give – but a recession is rarely the true reason. The important thing to do is to ask with clarity, preparation and confidence. If you ask with timidity and offer excuses for not giving in “these troubled times” then the donor, unless very firm in their faith, will decline based on your suggestion.

VI. The Wider view of asking for Major GiftsThe wide view for the long-term is that people do not make major gifts without careful consideration. This is why a person being asked for a major gift needs to have 5-10 very real and tangible experiences not only with the parish but also with the very project or budget and case-for-support (in the case of annual support)for which the money is being requested before being willing to make a gift. This is not to manipulate a person into giving a major gift but is rather to fully inform and engage a person who can give such a gift. If they choose to make this level of gift, they are doing it out of their own experience and faith; and not because someone tells them they should.

For example:

Mr. Jones has been a parishioner for 15 years. He makes $50,000 per year as a manager and has no children. He has received a $120,000 inheritance from his parents and is trying to decide about perhaps giving 10% of the inheritance to the parish. We know that Mr. Jones loves parish suppers, hospitality and cooking. We ask if he might be interested in making a gift towards the renovation of the kitchen as part of the capital campaign. He shows some interest.

So the following occurs:-He is taken on a tour of the kitchen by the lead renovator

-He is sent home with the plans for renovation and encouraged to make comments on it and return his ideas.-He is taken on a tour with other people who could give gifts of $5,000-$20,000 and shown all the planned renovations and additions.-He is shown a draft of the brochure being used for the public phase of the campaign.-He is invited to help out at a dinner for the youth during which the head “cook” shows him how the changes will make a difference in the running of the kitchen.

Finally, he is asked by the head cook and a close personal friend for a pledge of $5,000 per year for three years, a total gift of $15,000. He makes the pledge and is as joyful about giving it as the parish is about receiving it.

In major gift-giving, there are different gifts which can be used just as a carpenter uses different tools in different jobs:Cash – gifts from income, savings, inheritance, bonus, etc.Appreciated securities – this is often a good way to mediate Capital Gains taxation.In-kind- ie: the woman who owns a construction firm makes a gift of the flooring for a new building because the flooring she has is over-stock and she can take a write-off on the whole value of the gift which would be more than if she were to make a cash gift.Trusts, bequests, annuities- planned giving tools (see this section in the Resource Manual)

VII. The “ask”: So how does one actually ask for $….?i. First … getting our head ready to ask for a gift – humility.When asking for a major gift the key is, as with most things stewardship, planning! The church gets squeamish about this planning. This comes not only from our fears and anxieties about money but also and mostly from our pride. To ask for anything – even for something on behalf of another or on behalf of an organization is a humbling thing. The mark of “being poor” is standing in line for what you need and receiving something from another. We western Christians and especially Episcopalians who are so often very sensitive to class-issues, just hope people will give and then we are confused or even upset when the local library receives a $10,000 gift from a parishioner because they were asked boldly and well by the library!

For example:

A donor, Mrs. Smith, gives a gift of $10,000 to the local library for the children’s literature department. Word get around town of the gift and the local parish, to which Mrs. Smith goes and has long been a member starts grumbling about this gift to the Library. “Why did she give to the Library when she spends so much time here at the church!? Why not give to us when we clearly need the money and she knows that we need the money!?”

The problem is that “we” the church, never bothered to ask boldly for the gift whereas the library did ask and they asked with a plan and they asked for something they knew Mrs. Jones is passionate about and they sent the right people to ask. They had a plan. The plan was not manipulative…it was just a well-organized request to which Mrs. Jones could say “yes” or “no”! The library committee spoke frankly about this person’s suspected ability to make a large gift and the committee considered all the history of the family and the fact that Mrs. Jones likes children and children’s literature and was, for a long time a teacher. The Library then chose an ex-pupil of Mrs. Jones who now is a teacher himself and the best friend of Mrs. Jones who has also pledged a gift of that same size to the Library book fund.

We in the church, cannot have it both ways. Either we swallow our pride and begin to see asking for major gifts as a ministry which helps both the person who gives and the church

which receives, or we must stand idly on the sideline and watch the gifts go to other organizations and fund other missions in our towns and cities.

So first, we need to change our thinking about money, giving it and the conversation around it less power and less weight as a spiritual counter-point. We need to see money as a benign but valuable tool and we need to let go of our pride and our squeamishness about money and about talking about money.

A. A plan in advance: person, time, amount

A written request vs. a follow-up proposalA written request is often submitted to a person from whom we hope to ask for a major gift (more than $25,000) so that we do not have to step into the vulnerability and humility of asking for the gift in person. Think about your own perspective….would you rather a friend asked you for a favor in writing or would you rather that a friend asked you in person in the context of a conversation? Perhaps a letter to Bill Gates’ foundation is required to receive a major gift from Mr. Gates, but our major gift requests in the church are friendship-based and need to be done in person if at all possible.

Occasionally, a person may respond to a major gift request by thanking you for the visit and asking you to put the request in writing so that family may be consulted or so that the gift can be prayerfully considered, in which case an immediate and concise response within 24 hours is always best. You may even arrive with such a written request in hand in case it is asked for.

The conversation: silence & the Holy SpiritThe conversation about a major gift is not rocket-science but it is emotionally and psychologically difficult if we try to do it based solely on our own strength. Remember that what we are doing in all our stewardship work is simply helping as the hands and feet of Christ. The Hoy Spirit is in charge and if not, then whatever we do will fail.

B. The actual conversation in which a gift is asked for:There is no complexity to the conversation about a major gift. Here is what happens:

Preparation is the most important part. Care has been taken to determine that the person being asked has both the ability to give the gift in question and the inclination to do so based in their involvement in the project or organization along the way. The person being asked is already well-informed, tangibly involved and is therefore expecting – even waiting to be asked. The interests of the person being asked are taken into consideration and an amount, which will be asked for is determined.

Remember: People are not offended when they are asked for too much, however they are offended if they are asked for too little! If you have asked for too much, the person being asked will simply end up making whatever gift they make. If you ask for too little, then you are not only short-changing the church and its mission, but you are short-changing the donor as well.

Choose the team who goes to ask for the gift carefully. The person who asks for the major gift should be someone whom the donor likes, respects and who has given a gift of a similar size to the church at some time. Occasionally the clergy may decide it is best to ask for a large gift but in general, we suggest that the parish is the people’s church and not the rector’s church. The rector can ask for the gift if they themselves are giving or have given a gift at that level and do not feel that their emotional and pastoral power is in play. Generally, a rector is present for a request of a major gift because the donor is, in part, investing in the leadership of the rector and so the rector plays a significant role in the receipt of the gift on behalf of the parish. Generally no more than one, two or three people go to make a major gift request.

The visit should be at the home or private office of the person being asked and should be done at a time when no one is in a rush to get to the next place and no one is likely to be late to the meeting. Restaurants and parishes are not good places to make this request because they tend not to be private and this kind of request is a very private event.

Materials to be given to the person being asked need not be complicated nor volumous. Hundreds of handouts and papers just complicates the conversation, overwhelms the donor and distracts the conversation making the people asking seem defensive and confused. Anything the donor needs such as a pledge card or brochure or set of building plans or letter proposal can be left behind or mailed the next day though leaving materials behind is always best. Never leave originals such as blue-prints with a donor.

Come straight to the point. Thank the person being visited for their time. Ask about the donor’s time availability so that the meeting is not concluded prior to asking for the gift. Review the project or issue for which money is being requested. Note any recent large gifts received, if there are any, and then ask for a specific amount.

Asking for a specific amount is essential! People need to know what is being asked for. If you are worried about the request, then say something like “We are asking you (and your family) to consider a gift of $5,000. This may be more than you were thinking about and it may be less that you were prepared to give but this is what we are asking for.”

Silence. Then allow silence. This is the most awkward and most holy part of the event and it is often where people get nervous and anxious and upset as they wait for people to think about the request. Horrible doubts begin to run through the asker’s mind (possibly whispered by Satan or one of his demons!...or just our insecurities). Ignore the doubts. Just wait for the person being asked to speak first. Maintain dignity and composure. In the silence, the Holy Spirit is working and the person being asked is thinking and possibly praying. Please do not interrupt that work of the Holy Spirit which is an essential part of the discernment of the donor. Silence does not mean discomfort or anger – it just means that thinking is being done.

C Relationship, relationship, relationshipRemember that parish life is about relationships. These are often friendships or at least regular acquaintances. Rely on the Holy Spirit to make friendship and rely on the common bond of the parish for the foundation of the conversation.

D. Relax, relax, relaxThere is no need to get uptight. If you have done all the preparation, sent the right person for the right gift for the right amount at the right time, then all you can do is to rest in God and allow the Holy Spirit to manage the situation.

E. . The Step ProcessAs in any work, there is a process in asking for a major gift. The process is generally considered to have the following steps:Identification: Who are real prospects? Have we taken the “suspects out of the “prospects” list? Are we asking a “suspect” for a major gift before we have done the hard work of informing and involving them so that they become a real “prospect?” Have we decided what we will ask for and who will ask?Qualification: Do we know that this person can and is likely to give a major gift or is this just wishful thinking? Qualification comes from being both able to give a major gift and being inclined to do so.Strategy: Do we have a plan? Best amount, best asker(s), best place, best literature to leave behind, best follow-up plan.Relationship Building (both sides) The relationship must be on both sides. There is no benefit (and possibly some harm) in asking a person for a major gift just because they live in a big house and come to church on Christmas Eve. There must be a free-flow of experience and conversation back and forth, long before a gift is asked for. That conversation must be rooted in friendship and relationship.Request of the Gift: A specific amount needs to be asked for by the right person at the right time.

Acknowledgment: Thanks needs to be planned out and managed properly.Stewardship and renewal: The results of the gift given by a major donor to the parish must be communicated back to the donor in such a way that they feel and know that their gift made a valuable difference and so are inclined to be open to being asked again at some later time.

F. Asking for a gift over the telephone:In some parishes, the larger gifts of the annual stewardship campaign are asked for in face-to-face or telephone conversations as peer-to-peer solicitation. Telephone conversations may also be used in the clean-up phase or community phase of a capital campaign to raise the last 5% of funds.

Here are a few suggestions for a successful call:

Preparation:Do not procrastinate. As soon as you have the names and numbers of people you are calling, make the plans to make the call. Procrastination is the worst enemy of a campaign and especially of asking for gifts.Be sure you are asking someone for a gift you are willing or have given. You calls should only be made to peers in giving levels or to those giving less than you have given.Make sure you have given you own pledge first and be clear to the prospective donor that you have done so.Study the case-for-support (that document which explains what the vision of the organization is and what the money is going to be spent on and why it is so important to make this gift now.Email or call the donor to ask when you might make a call about the campaign. Set a telephone appointment which is convenient to the donor. The donor may want their spouse on the line or they may have a time of day that best suits them. By making an appointment in advance, you are more likely to have a stable, unrushed conversation when both parties are able to do the job right.Make the call from a phone which has good reception and at a time when you are seated in a building with the door closed and able to concentrate. Unstable cell reception, family background noise, office interruptions and rushed conversations because another (more important) call is waiting are all recipes for disaster on a campaign call.Plan to make the call on a Saturday morning if possible when everyone is well-rested. An early evening is second best as a choice. When making the call, have a few things in front of you so that you do not need to find things in answer to questions of the donor in the midst of the conversation:The case for supportThe budget of the case for which the gift is being asked (macro- not micro)The giving history of the person being asked for a giftYour calendar in case another call or a meeting becomes needed by request.The deadlines or calendar of the campaign.The details of any upcoming campaign event to which this donor will be asked to attend.

A pad for taking notes which you may or may not want to provide to the rector or campaign chair or development staff (in a large parish).

The Call Itself:

Make the call when the donor has asked you to make the call.Ask those around you not to disturb you while on the call.Turn off all other cell phones or music.If the campaign is in mid-run, get an up-to-date status on the campaign if asked for it.If the campaign is in any way weaker than was hoped, speak in positive and optimistic tones. People will never give a gift to a sinking campaign.Say a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to inspire the conversation you are about to have and to fill the time with clarity of speech and hearing. Thank God for this person – for their ministry in the parish and for their membership in the parish community. Ask God to give you the wisdom to know what to say and when to remain silent. Take a deep breath and have a moment of silence to collect your thoughts and remain peaceful.

Thank the donor for their time.Tell the donor why you are calling (even if they know)Touch on the following topics:I have made my pledge We are seeking to accomplish (…summarize the case-for-support)(note: you may need to summarize the case yourself if it is longer than one page or if the staff have not given you a 3-6 sentence summary in advance)I am asking you (and your partner, spouse, etc) to consider a gift of $.......to the campaign. Remain silent. Do not break the silence. Still remain silent. Still do not break the silence!)Listen carefully to the response – taking notes if you need them for recall in the conversation (destroy them later).If you do not get a response which is firm and definite, then ask one of the following:Do you want a written proposal for the request – would that help you in your consideration?Would you like to think and pray and converse on this request, in which case when would you like me to call back?Is there anything else I can provide you in your decision -making.?Would you like to meet face to face if you have other questions?When may we expect your pledge card? The deadline for this campaign is ________________ and we are grateful for your participation in it.If you do get a firm and definite response:Thank you for your pledge.Is there anything else I can provide you in your decision -making.?Would you like to meet face to face if you have other questions?

When may we expect your pledge card? The deadline for this campaign is ________________ and we are grateful for your participation in it.Thank you for your time and consideration.NOTE: if the pledge is lower than you had hoped, do not negotiate. Fall back and know that more work needs to be done to communicate the value of the organization prior to the next request.

After the call:Write a hand-written thank you note.Email or call the campaign office or the church office to let them know that status of the callDestroy personal notes from the conversation.Send any information you think should be conveyed to the church leadership such as pastoral issues which need follow-up, disappointments about the church expressed by the donor, etc. If mailing this material, mark it confidential.Get on with the next call.

A note about call-screening and message answering machines…When calling about asking for a pledge, only leave a message asking when it is best to call back to set an appointment to have a conversation. Do not ask for the pledge in a recorded message. Leave a phone number, bests times to reach you and an email. Keep calling until you get a live person for the conversation even if you need to make 4-6 calls. Make no more than 6 calls. If you get no response, make note of what you accomplished and the response (or lack of one) and return the information to the campaign office or the church office so that it can be given to a new caller.

G. Four reasons gifts fail to be givenLack of basic trust between people: The wrong person was sent (or called) to ask for the wrong gift at the wrong time from the wrong person. Giving a major gift is based in trust. If there has been even a hint of financial or other mismanagement then trust is compromised and a major gift will not be given. If there is doubt in the leadership of the vestry or rector, then a major gift will not be given.

Failure to show the inherent value of the parish’s mission, vision and service: Generally, the most common reason people do not give a major gift is because they have not been convinced that the parish is worthy of it. The case-for-support bust be well-communicated and compelling.

A lack of a sense of urgency is communicated: When there is poor planning and/or poor communications the sense of urgency, which inspires a person to make a major gift is absent and so the gift is not made. People do not

give to a sinking ship; but neither do they give to a program, which does not seem to really need their gift.

d. Negativity:No donor will give a major gift to a campaign under dire circumstances because the message they are getting is that they are being asked to invest into poor management. If the request comes with a sinking ship message to save the drowning organization from financial disaster then the pledge is doomed from the start. Nor can the request come as a threat that staff or programs will be cut if the money is not raised. And in economic downturn, remember that the donors do not want to hear how the economic downturn is affecting your organization. They want to hear how your organization is helping people whose lives have been traumatized by economic downturn.

G. Focus: God in ChristThe importance of time and spiritual discernmentOne of the primary ways in which the Stewardship of Finances is different from secular fundraising is our Christian belief that the Holy Spirit is particularly at work in the building up of the kingdom of God. God will provide, but God employs our hard work in the process. It is often said: “Pray for God to move the mountain but also, bring a shovel.” Helping people to give their money to the mission of the church by unashamedly asking for gifts to the church is “bringing a shovel”. We do not manipulate people with gimmicks. We do not guilt people into giving nor do we employ complex insurance scams or low-interest lending. We simply do what Jesus commanded us to do. We ask for what the church needs and do those things, which help people to give. We ask boldly with careful attention to process and the Holy Spirit does the rest.

The importance of helping a donor to identify their deepest need to give and the world’s deepest need to receiveOur work in asking for major gifts is to bring into focus a person’s deep need to give out of their bounty and the world’s deep need to receive money to usher in the Kingdom of God.

Stewardship of finances in church life and asking for a major gift is simply the management of a natural process in a busy culture. If we took the analogy of the making of bread, we would say that the ingredients can’t just be dumped into a pan and placed in the cold oven. Various things have to happen in order for the bread to come out as a loaf: care needs to be taken of measurementsovens need to be pre-heatedingredients need to be mixed in a certain order and with precise measurementsmixing happens in different ways and at different timesa process of dough rising and falling as yeast works its magic must occurpans must be oiled and floured and timing must be attended to.

Such is the case with raising money in the church. Various things need to be done in various orders so that an outcome is encouraged. It is no more manipulative of flour to

make bread with a recipe than it is to be manipulative of a donor to create a process which helps them to make the best possible decision in a culture mired in fear, despair and anxiety about money.

Raising money in stewardship programs is a pastoral act with logistical implications.

H. The last word: Thanks!Thank you, thank you, thank youIt is not possible to thank people too much for their gift unless one was to spend too much money doing so. People like to be thanked and need to be thanked. A donor giving a gift of $9,000 over 3 years to a parish could be thanked in the following ways:A note from those who asked for the giftA call from the wardensA letter from the vestryA picture done in Sunday-school as a thank-you cardA photograph of the thing purchased (if something was purchased) with a note as to why it has been valuable to have the thing purchased.Recognition at an event at which the thing purchased or the campaign is culminatedA tour of the space affected by the gift.Written thanks (taxes) Written thanks is needed for tax purposes citing the exact amount of the gift and its use as well as any other terms involved.

A word about plaquesThere are occasional situations in which a plaque is valuable to recognize a donor but remember that once a plaque is on the wall it must remain there for decades or even centuries. Also, once one plaque is up, the precedent is set for other gifts to demand or expect plaques. We suggest a plaque or cornerstone be done only in the event of the naming of a building and even then, that the gift which is recognized be at least 50% of the campaign goal or building cost in order to result in such obvious and public recognition.

VIII Supply-side StewardshipDiscernment model vs. the scolding or pushing modelsOne of the complications of raising money within the church is the weight of the clergy and of their voice. Clergy tend to have made choices to become clergy, which have precluded other, more financially lucrative careers. Occasionally clergy who are under-paid, over worked and must ask for congregations to fund their well-being are envious of parishioners whose other vocational choices have brought them financial reward. It is easy to become scolding or pushy when asking for money as a way of coping with un-resolved issues around money and status. Nothing will more destroy a congregation’s desire to make pledges let alone make major gifts.

The discernment model allows the people in a parish to gradually see for themselves the needs of the parish, become involved in the management of those needs and then discern the calling or desire (or both) to give the gifts which not only free them up from mind-numbing greed but which also give them a sense that their finances and their faith are not compartmentalized but are a unified whole.

Not through competition for a piece of the pieOn the one hand, we tend to so ignore issues of money and giving that we do not fully and healthily challenge our parishes to give and to give boldly. On the other hand, with some success at major gifts work in a parish we can all too easily swing the other way and start seeing dollar signs walking into our churches rather than human beings. The entire work of stewardship and especially of major gifts is to do our fair share to plan, communicate and manage effectively and then to let the Holy Spirit inspire bold giving.

Inspiring people to give towards significanceOne of the reasons many churches do not have a major gifts program is that they have not done the planning for the receipt of major gifts. A vestry would do well to quarterly consider a wish list (compiled by the staff and wardens), which could be given to anyone inquiring about making a major gift to a parish. A wish list should have a variety of giving levels and a variety of foci so that different people can catch a glimpse of different possibilities for giving. You never know when someone says “I have a tax refund and I would like to give it to the parish.” The church should have a ready and updated list of the kinds of things the parish needs that would be in the $2,000 - $5,000 range, the $5,000 – $10,000 range and so on.

Quality of giving vs. quantity of givingThe giving of major gifts, especially in the church, is not about quantity of gift but about the quality of the experience of giving the gift. The quantity of a gift is going to be up to the Holy Spirit. The quality of the gift: how they were asked, what the money is for, who asked them, how they were thanked, how they are kept involved in the parish, etc. is what we can manage either well or poorly. Managing stewardship and especially major gifts ministries well will create a philanthropic energy of its own and will be an encouragement to future giving as well as a comfort to the giver.

Further Reading on the subject of Major Gifts:

The Millionaire Next Door, Stanely, DankoThe Seven Faces of Philanthropy, Prince and FileAchieving Excellence in Fund Raising, Henry Rosso

For more information about stewardship strategies, see the Stewardship section of the Diocesan web site at www.nhepiscopal.org

The Rev. Canon Charles LaFondCanon For Congregational Life

The Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire63 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301clafond@nhepiscopal.org, 603-344-2711© 2009

Capital Campaign ManualA program of strategic planning and spiritual formation in spirituality regarding issues in stewardship of money and capital development:

building the church, building the body of Christ & building the giver.

Christ Pantocrator, egg tempra on WoodMount Athos, Greece, 2001(The Logo for Stewardship Ministry in the Diocese of New Hampshire)

Episcopal Diocese of New HampshireThe Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Bishop

The Rev. Canon Charles LaFondCanon for Congregational Life63 Green Street, Concord, New Hampshire, 03301Office (603) 224-1914 ext. 20; LaFond Cell (603) 344-2711

Email: clafond@nhepiscopal.orgStewardship, Capital Campaign and Major Gifts Web pull-downs at www.nhepiscopal.org

Capital Campaign ManagementIntroduction:

The changing tide of capital campaignsIn the 1980’s during the upswing of economies and building, there was a change in the way we do capital campaigns in and outside the church. In previous decades, capital campaigns were massive and very occasional thrusts of major giving and would often represent a goal of ten to twenty times the value of the annual budget of a parish. In the last two or three decades there has been a shift to smaller and more frequent capital campaigns. This is not something to like or to dislike. This is just the facts.

The second major change in capital giving is that where in the past, 80% of the gifts came from 20% of the people in our pews, now 90% of the gifts come from 10% of the people.

This change makes it imperative that two things happen in the management of capital campaigns. First, early and maintained communication with and involvement of those who will be giving the biggest gifts to a capital campaign must be a focus of planning. Second, a distinction between prospects and suspects must be carefully discerned and considered. A “prospect” is someone who has the ability to give a major gift and who also has the inclination to do so. A “suspect” is simply someone who has the ability to give but who is not involved or informed and thereby has no intention to give to your campaign. Thinking and hoping that a “suspect” will be making a huge gift to the capital campaign is NOT an act of faith but is rather as act of wishful thinking. It is possible to “convert” a person from being a “suspect” to being a “prospect” but that is hard work and requires moving a suspect into the center of the life of the parish and the life of the campaign planning process.

The use of this sectionThis section is merely an overview. Every capital campaign is different and every church is different and every vestry and Vicar or Rector is different. These are simply general guidelines to consider as you are thinking and discussing and praying about the possibility of a capital campaign be it large or small.

In the appendix is a valuable tool called The Capital Campaign Initial Fact Sheet which every Vestry is encouraged to pray through and fill out as they begin the process of discussing a capital campaign so that a capital campaign is not begun on the sand of wishful thinking and poor planning but on the rock of planning and God’s call through God’s people. At any one time there are 5 – 15 capital campaigns in various states of management going on in the Diocese of New Hampshire. It is possible for a capital campaign to get away from a vestry like a large hyperactive dog on a leash – pulling and growing and becoming unwieldy and ultimately very damaging to the body of Christ in the parish. It is very important therefore for the parish considering or managing a capital campaign to do so in conjunction with the Canon for Stewardship and the Bishop.

The importance of advance planning

The importance of advance planning cannot possibly be overemphasized. Taking on a capital campaign, even in the strength of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit is a massive undertaking which can go wonderfully well if well planned and horribly wrong if not well-planned.

Any capital campaign whose gift goal amounts to more than 25% of the parish’s annual budget (and most capital campaigns amount to 200 – 500 % of the annual budget) must be planned out with care and considerable lead time. From the time we begin planning until the celebration at having achieved a goal, more than 75% of the hard work happens before anyone is asked for any pledge! The next 15% of work is asking for the few major gifts which will make the campaign a success and the final 10% of the campaign is asking the congregation in general to make some kind of inclusion pledge. More than 75-95% of all funds should be pledged before opening the pledging up to the general population of the parish.

Of course, the size and resources of a parish will dictate how long the planning and management phases will have to be. But remember that a capital campaign is a second part time job which means that plenty of time is needed in order to be able to accomplish the capital campaign alongside the other pressing pastoral, liturgical and management activities of day-to-day parish ministry.

Diocesan ResourcesThe Diocese of New Hampshire is one of the most forward-thinking dioceses in the Communion regarding a vision for helping people to manage their money, time and land in the mist of their life in Christ and in community. The Office of the Canon for Stewardship in the Center for Congregational Development offers all levels of assistance with every aspect of stewardship including:ConsultingStrategic planningTeaching and preachingAssistance in hiring counselAssistance in designing and managing (but not conducting) a feasibility studyLay-leadership trainingMacro grants research Planning and calendar designSite and facility requirements studiesDonor recognitionDemographics research

The Spirituality of Giving Capital campaign Gifts

Capital campaigns are neither new nor unspiritual!In his recent book, John: The Son of Zebedee, The Life of a Legend, R. Alan Culpepper notes that in the excavations of a synagogue near the Sea of Galilee, there has been found a stone commemorating a gift made by Zebedee, the father of James and John, on behalf of his family. This carved and engraved stone is an indication that in Jesus’ own day, the

synagogues and other public buildings being built were being built because of the contributions of the faithful.

ResistanceThe childhood tendency for petulant children to whine and cry when their carrots touched the peas on their dinner plates has not entirely been eradicated by growth and maturity. We still do not like one thing touching another and often this can be seen quite clearly when well-meaning people in the church honestly believe that their faith and their money should not touch each other. Nothing encourages this childish resistance to stewardship issues more than a capital campaign.

The best way to combat these attitudes is to be intentional about making the campaign (be it annual or capital) steeped in prayer and teaching. Appendix VI provides a series of collects and the office of the preacher provides a very valuable opportunity for teaching.

What must always be kept at the forefront of the mind of leaders in the church is that like physical exercise, financial stewardship issues in the church will always be met with resistance partly because doing the work is hard and touches very sensitive and vulnerable places in our human psyche. To steam ahead and allow the occasional tantrum is the best and most responsible way to proceed.

The Leadership PhaseIn this phase, the Rector, Vicar or Priest-in-Charge meets quietly with the Wardens, his closest friends in the parish and some of the “pillars” or the parish to discuss a vision for a capital campaign. Slowly he or she develops a list of 3-6 people who will be the largest donors to the capital campaign and who are the most involved with the most experience and the least resistance to stewardship issues. The leadership of any effort is integral to its success. Making a poor choice here will play out very badly over time.

Characteristics of a good choice for Chair of Stewardship or Capital Campaign: (This is a very important choice.)An able person with proven leadership skills who attends Sunday services regularly and exhibits those charisms which scripture promises will emerge from the life of a person of prayer, love and balance. A person who gives generously and consistently to the parish and who is either a person from a family which tithes or is working towards a tithe.A person who is well-known to the congregation and who both likes and has a good relationship with the clergy and vestry.(Note: Please do not use co-chairs! The Buck needs to stop somewhere!) .

Recruit Stewardship or Capital Campaign Committee

consisting of 4 - 12 people, business-savvy “doers of the word and not hearers only,” with positive attitudes who pray and give and get things donePeople WHO WILL FOLLOW THROUGH with kindness

a cross-section of the church population Ideally, able persons with proven leadership skills who attend Sunday services regularly and exhibit those charisms which scripture promises will emerge from the life of a person of prayer, love and balance.This is not a committee for “nice” people- this is a committee for proven “effective and bold-faith” people.

The Discernment Phase (up to one month per $100,000)It is in the discernment phase that the clergy and Vestry of a parish let go of preconceived or tightly held views about the future of a parish and the related capital campaign which is envisioned. Invariably the best work done by a Vestry and parish leadership in a capital campaign is done during the leadership giving and public phase of the campaign however that discernment, study, input and communications phases are the firm foundation of any successful capital campaign. When the early phases Of prayer study and communication are shortcut then the entire campaign as well as the future stability of the parish are in jeopardy.

The focus of this phase is prayer. How this prayer is encouraged is going to be up to each individual parish however some combination of the following may be helpful as a menu of activities from which to choose:A capital campaign collect written in such a way as to emphasize the importance of prayerful discernment and input from the Holy Spirit could be included in all liturgies.A Vestry retreat may spend a day or so listing various possible capital additions to a parish and praying about the list with regular intervals of sharing as a means by which to determine what the spirit is saying to the people.Prayers may be added to the “prayers of the people” which would encourage the entire congregation to have periods of prayer specifically to discern what the Holy Spirit may be calling the parish to do and what resulting capital improvements may be required for such a calling. This Form of public prayer not only provides tremendous discernment input but also gets the entire congregation thinking about and praying about their own role in a capital campaign.

The Study Phase (up to one month per $100,000)The study phase in preparation for a capital campaign is designed to complement the discernment phase honoring the input and the direction of the Holy Spirit while not neglecting the very important work of obtaining and considering data. In some situations A Vestry may be divided into two parts one of which encourages the discernment phase while the other manages the study phase.

The study phase has two parts. The first part is internal and the second part is external. Generally speaking it is best to begin with a collection of external data. By starting with the external data The parish is encouraged to be looking outward before it is encouraged to look inward. The external data for the study phase involves looking at real data which reflects demographics of the local geography of the parish. Some of the questions which an external data will answer may include:

What are the current demographics of our area?In what ways have the demographics of our area changed in the last ten years?What do city or town managers report to be expected demographic changes over the next five to ten years?In what ways have numbers changed as reflect the number of young children, families, older adults, professionals, single parent families, unemployed families, teenagers, etc.What do social services professionals say about the needs of people in our area? How have those needs changed in the last five years? How Will social services needs change in the next ten years?What do social services professionals say about what our parish is doing to help poor and marginalized? What to they say about how we are currently positioned to meet human need? What is our parish’s reputation among the helping professions?

Internal data is designed to reflect an understanding of precisely how our facilities are used on a day to day basis. This data is collected by considering in each physical space and asking some of the following questions:How is the space used, room-by-room and as a whole?How many people use this space and with what frequency?In what ways has the space been used in the past?In what new ways might we consider using the space?What does it cost per week to use this space and how does that cost compared to the number of people who benefit from its use?What major systems need to be either improved or replaced and what would be each cost? (roof, walls, electrical, plumbing….)What issues of code would need to be considered with various capital improvements or additions?In what ways this information gained from external data affect the proposed use of current space and the possible addition of new space?

7. The Input phase (can run alongside the Study Phase)The study phase is designed to provide raw data and the discernment phase is

designed to provide an awareness of God’s call on a parish. The input phase is designed to allow for input from every person in the parish regardless of the expertise, experience, attendance frequency, and pledging level. Input does two things which are important to the foundations of a capital campaign. First and foremost input from the congregation allows the congregation and early opportunity to become aware the possibility of a capital campaign and to feel and actually be a part of the design of capital changes. Asking people to make a pledge without having truly engage them by asking their opinion will not only reduce the likelihood of a pledge but will offend the person from whom a pledge is being asked. To ignore the input phase of a capital campaign is as much as saying to a congregation “ we want your money but not your opinion.”

The input phase can be as simple as asking people to write down their ideas on an index card and drop them into the offering plate or as complex as using a survey or

interview (what we used to call “every member canvasses”) to collect points of view. Regardless of how information is collected, the important thing is that the people perceive their input is valuable and that the input which is offered is not ignored as plans are being made.

Some of the questions which might be asked to individuals in a parish might include the following and would certainly be part of a feasibility study among larger donors later in the planning phases of the capital campaign:

If we were to change our building or land? What would you consider to be the most important change?What capital improvements would you make in order to better serve the people of our parish and our area?What a areas in our church buildings do you feel poorly used?What needs could our church address in this area which we currently do not address?If you were to add to our building(s) what would you add? What would you subtract? If someone gave you $100,000 and asked you to give it to your parish capital campaign what would you want the church to do with that money?

8. The communications (runs from the study phase through the recognition phase)Internal communications between the Vestry or campaign leadership and the parish in general is essential to the success of all stewardship regardless of whether it is in the form of a capital campaign. Communications is very time consuming and needs to be assigned, if possible, to one person or to a committee whose focus will always be the communication between leadership and congregation. This communication will be in the form of bulletin inserts, form letters, special mailings and status reports.

9. The Leadership Giving Phase- also called “advance gifts” (80-90% of goal) (usually only a few months) (Also see part 8 of the Stewardship Resource Manual, “Asking for Major Gifts”)

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!!! The top donors make it or break it!One of the most common mistakes made in the management of capital campaigns is the lack of awareness of the importance of the top level of givers. 90% Of the money pledged to the capital campaign will come from 10% of the congregation.

For example, in a $100,000 campaign as much as $90,000 will come from 4-12 of the 40 families which pledge. This is why Differentiating between people who can give versus people who will give is so important. Just because a person Has the capacity to give a large gift does not mean that that person is sufficiently informed and sufficiently involved and sufficiently inclined to give a major gift.

If someone were to ask “what is the most important work we have to do in this capital campaign?” the answer would be prayer. However immediately after prayer the next

most important work that has to be done in any capital campaign, and which must begin very early, is the decision-making around and who will give the biggest gifts and who will ask for those gifts.

For example, to raise $250,000 in a small parish….If you want to raise $250,000 from an active congregation of 50 families who annually give $50,000 to the budget then, over three years of a pledge,….

…what five families could give $25,000? (expect two to say “yes” and three to give smaller gifts.)…what ten families could give $15,000 (expect five to say “yes” and five to give smaller gifts.)…what ten families could give $10,000 (expect five to say “yes” and five to give smaller gifts.)….what twenty families could give $5,000 (expect ten to say “yes” and ten to give smaller gifts.)…what twelve families could give $3,000 (expect six to say yes and six to give smaller gifts.)What other families will give the remaining $7,000 through gifts of between $100 - $2500?

If you can answer these questions with real names who are prospects (and NOT suspects) then you can raise $250,000!

10. The Public Phase (usually only a few weeks)The public phase of a capital campaign is designed to raise the final 10% of the campaign goal which will come from 90% of the congregation. It is important that everyone be given the opportunity to make a pledge however for many of us even a capital campaign pledge which is paid over three years is going to be a relatively small pledge of $1,000 – $6,000 over three years. In any campaign every pledge is important and the public phase of the campaign designed for inclusion rather than significant fund raising.

11. Recognition and ThankingIt is important that everyone who makes a gift to a capital campaign be properly thanked both because people like to be thanked and because many people rely on thanking documentation for their taxes.

In general, people like to be thanked and yet within the church is very important to spend the money on capital improvements and not on donor recognition. In planning for a capital campaign it is important to be sure that the human resources for gift management and donor recognition are in place.

Thank you letters are time consuming and require very careful attention.

12. The Building Phase

With the exception of very small campaigns, it is generally a good idea for a new set of leaders to take on the building phase. In general The gifts and talents required for fund raising our somewhat different then for the building phase. By the time a capital campaign breaks ground on capital improvements, those who have been managing the fund raising are often exhausted. Planning for a new set of leadership in the building phase needs to be done early so that leaders are set aside whose talents are more in keeping with project management than the raising of pledges.

13. Reading ResourcesConducting a Successful Capital campaign, Kent E. Dove (Amazon.com) This book is the only book on Capital campaign management I can suggest with confidence. Dove’s first version was a stunning compilation of materials and this new edition is even much improved. This can be purchased for around $45 which, though expensive, is a fraction of the cost of managing a poor campaign. This book may be borrowed from the office for Stewardship Ministry.

Capital campaign Appendices: the leadership frames

Appendix I Capital Campaign ManagementEpiscopal Diocese of New Hampshire, © 2010

Capital Campaign Initial Fact SheetEpiscopal Diocese of New Hampshire

Rector:Parish:Date of initial meeting:

Senior Warden:________________ Capital Campaign Chair:_____________________

Estimated size of the campaign goal: $___________________Date of Completion: ____________________Last date of last major gift activity:Case for last major gift activity:

Current average # of attending people: ________Current number of pledges to annual fund: ________Current amount pledged in last annual fund $________Fair Share paid in full? (y or n) 05___ 06___ 07___ 08___Number of “major gift” annual pledgers1 ___General state of financial health: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (circle one)General state of contentment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (circle one)Number of major capital gift2 prospects3: ______Do you plan to hire counsel? No or if Yes: Company Name:Do you have ready funds to pay a consultant? Yes or NoDo you have a consultant in mind now? No Yes : Rep Name:Do you need Diocesan Assistance? Please specify: (Basic questions, assistance in finding a consultant, basic time lines etc.)

Do you expect to need to seek approval from the Bishop and Standing Committee for a loan of any kind as part of the Capital Campaign ? Yes NoIf “yes,” do you plan to seek that approval before printing your Case Literature? Yes No

How long do you plan to be in active Capital campaign management mode? 2 years (1.5 of planning and .5 of asking)

1 A major gift in the annual campaign is equal to $10,000 or higher or 10% of the total annual budget of a parish.2 A “major capital pledge” (paid over 3 years) is equal to 10%-50% or more of the capital campaign goal.3 Prospects are people who can give and who are ready and willing to give. Suspects are just people who could give but are not involved or ready to do so.

Will the rector have staff or staff-like-volunteer assistance to alleviate the added burdens of managing a Capital Development Program? :

What other major Capital Campaigns are underway in the town in the last 5 years?:

Do you foresee any problems or concerns with this campaign?:

Has clergy leadership been stable for the last three years?

Will clergy leadership be stable for the duration of the capital campaign and beyond for the following years through to project completion and complete collection of all pledges?

Is there a “green piece” in the campaign case and the building plans (ie: solar panels, grey water usage, etc.)

Did you do a full Needs Assessment? What was the amount and case for the whole vision before pairing the vision down to the arrived at case-for-support? Do you plan to work in phases or will some of the vision simply not be funded?

Do you have a written (draft) strategic plan? (a three year, step by step plan other than the draft case for support):

Do you have an Endowment? What is the amount? $__________

Case for Support (summary) or attached:

Among the Vestry, what do you consider to be the level of support for this case?: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (circle one)

Among the congregation, what do you consider there be the level of awareness that there may be a capital campaign in the next few years? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (circle one)

Background to Case:

Appendix II Capital Campaign ManagementEpiscopal Diocese of New Hampshire, © 2010

$200,000 Capital Campaign Sample Planning Calendar – Macro View(This plan is only a model. It is assuming an annual budget of $50,000 - $100,000, financial and spiritual health in the parish and a bold and compelling vision for ministry outside the church walls. This plan is a macro plan. Each step has 5-20 steps within it in its detailed version which is done in Steps 1 - 6.)

Step Month/Year TaskJanuary /1(2 months)

Discernment: The Vestry begins discernment (prayer and reflection on God’s call) about what God may be calling them to do in terms of Capital Development. Prayer and imagining take place individually and corporately.

March/1(6 months)

Study: The Vestry begins an internal and external study to show what the parish is doing and what the area needs from the parish. Demographics and statistics are collected. Discernment continues.

October/1 Stewardship of Finances Campaign gets very great attention. Systems and communications are improved. Every attempt to convert all families to pledging is made. The best preparation for a capital campaign is a strong annual campaign. Discernment continues.

December/1 Input: The parish is told what was discerned about a Capital Campaign and what results came from internal and external study of mission and demographics. The parish is asked to imagine what the capital campaign could accomplish and to report back. Discernment continues.

January/2 The Campaign Leadership is recruited and the Capital Campaign Initial Fact Sheet (see appendix V) is drafted and reviewed. A small “prospect review committee” of 3 – 4 people is recruited to consider who will be asked for major gifts. This work is essential and must be done with prayer.

March /2 A Capital Campaign Plan is developed with the Canon for Stewardship. The plan is reviewed by all those expected to be top givers to the campaign (gifts over $10,000). Architectural design work is done. Campaign

materials are drafted and reviewed. A calendar is developed.

March / 2 Campaign Communications tool are developed. Drafts are discussed with all top donor prospects so as to get input and so as to involve top donors. This is a strategic phase. Remember that strategy is not unspiritual – Jesus was very strategic in how he managed his ministry.

April / 2 Leadership Gifts Phase (8 weeks): Donors who are expected to give gifts over three years totaling more than $10,000 are quietly asked by the right people for the right gift at the right time in the right way. Gifts are ideally recruited in order of size from highest to lowest so that as people make pledges, they can participate in the asking of the gifts of the next tier down. This phase is quiet and allows for privacy. The success of the campaign rests on Jesus, but our part of the success of a campaign rests on this phase.

June /2 Public Phase (4 weeks): All other gifts are asked for and a goal of 100% participation is sought from the congregation at large. This is usually done in teams. Five people per team, five pledges asked for per person. This must happen fast and be well-coordinated or it will fall prey to procrastination. Campaign communications is on-going with reports, brochures, status reports, flash reports, bulletin and newsletter announcements, etc.

July / 2 Campaign Clean-up &Thank you / recognition Phase. Stewardship of Finances campaign planning (which began quietly in May) steps up its work to be sure that the Stewardship of Finances campaign is not undermined by Capital Campaign energy. IMPORTANT!... If communications is done well, capital campaigns will only strengthen annual campaigns and increase giving.

Appendix III, Capital Campaign ManagementEpiscopal Diocese of New Hampshire, © 2010

Capital Campaign Test for Readiness

HOW THIS WORKS:A score of 100 is the maximum a parish can score on this test for readiness. A score of 80 or higher indicates a very good chance for success. A score of 60 – 80 indicates a reasonable chance for success. A score of 40-60 would indicate that there are problems in management and vision which need to be addressed before moving forward to a capital campaign discernment or planning phase. A score of less than 40 indicates that a parish is not ready to even consider a capital campaign and must ready itself if the desire or calling seems to be there. Note that the first four total 60 points and if there is weakness in these areas, then planning for a campaign needs to be placed on hold until issues can be addressed.

Score

Staffing: Is the clergy and lay staff ready for the demands of a capital campaign? Could schedules allow for 30% increases in work which comes from a capital campaign? Can the Rector, Vicar or Priest-in-charge devote 50%b of their work time to the capital campaign?

Score0-10

Vestry Leadership: Can the Vestry increase its level of financial and time commitment to the parish by 50% during the campaign? Is the Vestry a healthy vestry? (ie: Are there “parking-lot meetings,.” Does the Vestry pledge? Does the vestry pledge at least 1% of their income to the parish in the Stewardship of Finances campaign? Does the vestry have a routine of regular attendance and prayer? Has there been any financial or sexual scandal in the last 5 years?

Score0-10

Leadership Gifts: Are there a top set of 10-20 prospects (not suspects=able but not willing) who are able and willing to give 40-60 percent of the campaign goal? Will the top gift provide for at least 10% of the goal? Will the second and third largest gifts each provide for 5% of the campaign goal?

Score0-20

Planning: Is there a five – ten year written draft of a plan which is updates regularly and is steeped in prayer and discernment?

Score1-5

Case-for-support: Has the clergy and vestry written down what the money would be raised for and why it is important that this money be given and that this building or renovation be done? Is the case mission-driven or simply empire-building? Would a parishioner, on reading this case say “Wow! Can we really do that? How wonderful? Jesus would love our doing this! This case really meets human need!”

Score1-10

Study: Has study been done which indicates that demographic changes and needs assessments have been done? Is the parish just looking at what it wants or has the parish studied what the parish and the surrounding town or village or city needs? Has the parish considered its current

Score1-5

building and its use? Has an audit of space use been done?Pledge Support: Does the parish engage the congregation in bold Stewardship programs? Is the Stewardship of Finances ministry strong? Is the vestry squeamish about asking for major gifts or is there a solid history of boldly asking for the pledges which are needed to fund a robust budget? Is there a willingness to differentiate between suspects (people who can give) and prospects (people who can give and will give)? Is there culture of bounty rather than scarcity?

Score1-10

Record-keeping: Is there a system in place to keep records of pledge giving? Is the Rector, Vicar or Priest-in-charge clear that they know what the congregation pledge as a function of both spiritual care and parish management responsibility? Will current functions allow for the increased record-keeping and gift management of a capital campaign?

Score1-5

Communications: Is communications set up both to offer information to the parish and to receive information from the parish? Is there a regular news-letter which is easy to read and economically written? Does the communications speak AT people or wit people? Is there money in the Capital Campaign Imaginations budget for the design and implementation of simple but attractively designed materials? Are internal communications well-managed? Does everyone know what is happening, why and in some measure of advance notice s that last-minute crisis is not a norm?

Score 1-10

Spirituality: Is the parish fully engaged as a community? Is there an atmosphere of anticipation or of timidity? Is leadership well-disbursed so that many areas of leadership feel and are in fact empowered to use their creativity or is absolute power held by a clergy-person or a Warden? Is the parish thinking about capital development or is the parish praying about capital development? Do parishioners seem to enjoy each other? Is there a sense of call to comfort the discomforted and discomfort the comfortable or is it the other way round?

1-15

Total Score

Appendix IV Capital Campaign ManagementEpiscopal Diocese of New Hampshire, © 2010

Parish in-reach and out-reach Survey

Parish name parish address March 2007(also useful in annual stewardship preparatory work)

Dear parishioners;

As we enter Lent, which is a natural time of discernment, your Vestry is prayerfully considering the budget for (year) in advance of our stewardship program next fall. We are planning a year in advance so that we are sure that the money interested to this parish to a pledges is used in the best possible way both as we reach in to care for people attending the parish as well as our reaching out to those people in our area to whom Christ would have us minister. As the Vestry does this Self study and discernment we would very much benefit from your input.

Below we have listed inreach ministries and outreach ministries in which the parish is currently involved a long with some basic statistical information about each ministry. Having read the following listing of ministries please prayerfully consider other ministries, either to our own parishioners or to people in our area which you feel this parish might consider providing.

We hope that your awareness of our ministries will be of interest to you and we’re sure that your suggestions for other ministries will benefit us as we consider the best possible use of time and money in the next year’s budget.

Food Pantry: We currently provide three bags of groceries to three families per week from September through June.

Parish Nursing: Sarah Jones visits two home-bound parishioners each week and is available to parishioners who have no health insurance.

Clergy Visitation: Clergy visit those in hospital every day and those who are home-bound every month with communion and conversation.

Child Care: Infants and toddlers attending this parish are cared for during services and major community events. This ministry involves 150 volunteer hours and 50 paid hours per year to a congregation increasingly growing with young families.

Etc…..

What other out-reach opportunities do you see need to be addressed and may be addressed by this parish?