Faith-Based Fundraising Relies Heavily on Heartstrings

While most faith-based organizations focus on social service, community development or health case, etc., the mission of the National Catholic Development Conference is fundraising itself — fundraising done in an ethical, professional way to benefit the organizations that operate within the religious community.

According to NCDC President and CEO Sr. Georgette Lehmuth, the organizations that benefit from NCDC’s education, networking and advocacy programs range in size and structure from one-person programs raising less than $1 million to much larger and more sophisticated departments. Fundraising strategies among these organizations are direct-mail heavy, although many have major-gifts and planned-giving arms as well.

“One thing our members hold in common is that no gift is too small,” Lehmuth says. “Every donor deserves thanks for their contribution. There are also some surprising stories out there about the two-dollar donor who leaves the charity a significant gift in a bequest.”

Here, Lehmuth talks more about the NCDC and the special challenges facing nonprofit organizations with faith-based missions.

FundRaising Success: Who is your target demographic as far as fundraising?
GL: The primary target for our members is the Catholic community. However, in the case of many of our social-service groups, there is a growing trend to reach beyond Catholics. A great number of the people served by these agencies are not Catholic and, therefore, it seems reasonable to reach beyond the Catholic community for support. In fact, these groups are receiving support from other than Catholic donors because of the incredible amount of good these organizations do for all people in need.

Most of our members who serve primarily the Catholic community are working diligently to be more inclusive of many cultures within the community by targeting African-American, Asian, Eastern European and Hispanic Catholics. A significant number of our members also are exploring fundraising in Europe as well.

FS: What is the most effective approach for organizations whose mission is faith based when trying to get people to give?
GL: In the faith-based community, it is all about love of God and neighbor. What seems to work best is to clearly articulate the mission and demonstrate to the donor how that mission is realized in the lives of others.

For our members, giving is a process of engagement. It is about relationship. It is about the donor’s need to participate in doing good for the love of God and neighbor. It is about the needs of those most vulnerable.

Through engagement in the mission, the two come together in an act of faith. The role of the fundraiser is to provide opportunities for that to happen. Likewise, the role of the fundraiser is to nurture that relationship and reverence it as a sacred trust.

FS: Are there any special traits or other considerations that make persons of faith in general harder or easier to engage as donors?
GL: Persons of faith often have learned through their religious practice to be conscious of those who have less. In the United States, they also have learned to support the efforts of their religious community by tithing or donating of their time, talent and treasure. For many, this predisposes them to respond.

However, sometimes there are significant differences of values among various religious groups that could cause a donor to question giving to a particular faith-based group. Some, for example, give only to programs affiliated with their own religious denomination.

For the most part, it seems people of faith are people of good heart and good will. It is our responsibility to touch their hearts and compel them to act. During some of the difficulties that have arisen in the Catholic community in the aftermath of the sexual-abuse scandals, for the most part the Catholic community continued to give to church-based programs. However, many of these donors did so more cautiously and selectively.

FS: Any additional insights for our readers who have faith-based missions?
GL: The mission must always be particularized and realized in the lives of real people in order for it to be compelling. If, for example, the mission of the organization is prayer, tell your potential donors for whom you pray and why. It’s not about the needs of the world — it’s about the people of the world with so many needs.