January 19, 2005 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Q. I’m going to begin raising money for a church that was founded by my late grandfather. I’d like to raise enough money to renovate it over the next two years, but I don’t know where to begin and our membership has dwindled to just a few, very financially needy members. What can you tell me about the funding options that might be available to us?
A. When you’re trying to raise money, and your membership is cash-strapped, it’s time to get creative. John Sellars, senior vice president for institutional advancement at Syracuse University, and a former minister for the Community of Christ Church, encourages you to explore every angle. For example: Is your church’s building historically significant? If so, he says, you might find money to help preserve the structure. (Search for grants via the Foundation Center library — and don’t forget about The Chronicle’s own Guide to Grants.)
Then, think expansively about the people who have a stake in your church. “Review old membership records to see if there are wealthy children or grandchildren who no longer live in the area, but would enjoy the opportunity to help preserve the church, ” suggests Mr. Sellars. “Are there friends of the church who are not currently members but would feel like they have a stake in preservation of the building? Relatives of the pastors who served the church over the years? I know a pastor’s granddaughter, who is very wealthy. She paid the full cost of restoring her grandfather’s church.”
You might also think about fund-raising events that make sense for your church. For pointers, take a look at The Fundraising Guide for Chairpersons: Seven Steps to Coordinating Non-Profit and Church Organizations Fund-Raising Events, by Ron Urbanczyk (Universal Publishers, $19.95, 2001). Such events probably won’t solve your fund-raising problem completely, says Mr. Sellars, but they might help give you a start. You didn’t mention what denomination your church is, but you might find it helpful to review the fund-raising standards of the Evangelical Council for Fundraising Accountability.
For more inspiration and ideas, you might want to read Growing Givers’ Hearts: Treating Fundraising as a Ministry, by Thomas H. Jeavons and Rebekah Burch Basinger (Jossey-Bass, $26.95, 2000).
