Because of the importance of year-end giving to the financial success of a church, I wanted to bring you the thoughts of my friends at MAG Bookkeeping. If your church needs bookkeeping or virtual admin assistance, there is no one better. You can contact MAG’s leaders Bryan and Shannon Miles or Randy Ongie by clicking HERE.
Now let’s read their thoughts 5 Things Churches Can Do To Increase Year-End Giving:
Right now, your church may feel like you’re in the calm before the storm. Your fall ministry activities are (hopefully!) rolling right along, and the Christmas holidays are still far enough away that you aren’t too stressed out yet. So now is the ideal time to set the stage for your year-end giving efforts.
Here are some things you can start doing now, before the holiday season hits in full force:
- Make sure you’ve made it easy to give. Your congregation should be reminded, through written and communication during your worship services, of all the ways they can give to your year-end efforts. They should be able to easily find the “Donate Now” buttons on your website, offering envelopes in your lobby, or giving kiosks in your gathering spaces.
- Find and share stories of life change. Either through video, email or in-person stories during your worship experiences, have members of your church and community share how your church’s efforts have made a difference for the Kingdom in 2014. Remind your congregation that these stories happened because of their generosity.
- Include a clear call to action. Make sure each communication shares how, when and why you need your congregation to give. It may seem obvious to you that you want people to give generously of their financial resources, but each communication needs to include a clear “ask” for a financial gift.
- Time your communications right. Share stories of life change or updates on your year-end giving progress just before the offering, so when you ask people to give they know exactly how and when to do it. Make sure any email stories include a clear link to your online giving page.
- Celebrate your milestones. Make sure your congregation knows when you’ve hit major year-end giving goals, and that you celebrate together. Each step along the way gets you all closer to funding the ministry you believe God has called you to do.
What else are you doing to encourage year-end giving?
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