Multiple Income Streams
Ruben Swint, Senior Strategist, Generis Partners, Atlanta, GA
ANNUAL GIVING: Regular annual gifts are used for carrying out the congregation’s annual plan for ministry. Encourage all members to decide on a specific amount they will give and then establish a regular pattern for their contributions. Every year, or as often as possible, encourage members to increase their giving by a certain percentage. Direct mail, personal visits, telethon campaigns or multi-media presentations are the most common strategies for annual giving.
MAJOR GIFTS: Major gifts are usually one time gifts or gifts pledged over time that are significantly larger than a donor’s annual giving. Most major gifts are raised in campaigns for specific projects, usually capital projects. The trend is towards receiving major gifts for annual projects that are not part of a campaign. The Pastor and key volunteers raise gifts through personal cultivation and solicitation.
DEFERRED GIFTS: Referred to today as planned gifts. A program of planned giving will take from five to seven years to be productive, but afterwards will be the cheapest money raised. The most prevalent gift is the bequest in a will. All staff, trustees and key volunteers should make a bequest to Your Baptist Church. Consider an honorary society including all who have placed the church in their estate plan. Publicize the list annually.
INVESTMENT INCOME: Congregations today are establishing endowment funds that, properly managed, will provide investment income far into the future. These endowment funds provide an opportunity for faithful givers to contribute their gift of a lifetime.
GRANTS : Grants are awards from public and private foundations. Grants are similar to major gifts in that they are limited in duration and specific use. As with major gifts, they require time, relationship building and personal involvement.
PARTNERSHIPS: The scale of need and opportunity to minister today often is larger than any one congregation. Churches partnering together can share the costs of ministry and have a larger impact.
INCOME GENERATORS: Providing space for rent to organizations whose missions are compatible with the church’s mission can become a reliable source of income. Participation fee income is another source.
Ruben Swint is a Senior Strategist with
Generis Partners, LLC of Atlanta, Georgia. Over the past 19 years, Ruben has directed 120 capital campaigns, helping churches expand and enhance their mission. For six of those 19 years, Ruben also served as President of the CBF Foundation. Other consulting has included annual stewardship program leadership, stewardship committee training and endowment and planned giving guidance. A professional speaker and published author, Ruben often leads stewardship conferences and is an active member of the National Association of Church Business Administration. You may contact Ruben Swint by
email or calling 1-800-849-2896, ext. 236.