Raise the funds

Fundraising is one of the most crucial parts of any project.

We can help you be creative and get organised.

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Chapter ten: Raising the funds

Female clergy member being hit in the face with wet sponge at a fun day

Keith Blundy

Step one: put together a fundraising team

You need a group of 2-3 people to lead your call for funds. Their role is to:

If they don’t have fundraising experience, make sure these people have skills in either:

Administration
Education
Marketing
Charity

Helpful hints

Buyers beware! You can hire a professional fundraiser to help you. But this does not guarantee success with your application.

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Step two: get all your ducks in a row

Before you rush off asking people for money, make sure you have:

Then, plan the right time to start your appeal.

Develop your story

Put together a short story to tell funders about the people your project will help.

This is also called your case for support. It is:

The need
The solution
The outcome

Back it up with evidence

Get the facts and figures to prove that your project is needed, well-planned, realistic and fully costed from:

And get letters of support from potential users too.

Write your fundraising strategy

Put together a list of the different sources of funding that you’re going to try to access. Mix it up a bit to make your project more sustainable. Start locally, and then move out:

Church funds (e.g. reserves)
Church assets (e.g. hall or building to rent or sell)
Your congregation
The wider community (e.g. local donations or fundraising events)
Large donations
Local businesses (e.g. donations or in-kind support)
Local trusts and funders (e.g. local authorities and charities)
Your diocese (e.g. grants or loans)
National grant-givers

Helpful hints

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“Fundraising is, first and foremost, a form of ministry. It is a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people into our mission.”
Henri Nouwen, The Spirituality of Fundraising

Step three: try a mix of ideas

Fundraising should be the top priority for your church. But only for a set time. Depending on your project, your appeal should be finished in about two years:

6 months to plan and prepare
3 months to appeal to your congregation and local community
12-15 months to search outside your local area

But before you start, think about how much “person-power” you have and how much you can actually do.

Set up a friends group

This is a good way to reach out to people in your local community who don’t come to your church to worship, but still care about the building or project and want to help.

Harness their skills and fundraising potential. Get them involved.

Find out more about friends groups

Local fundraising event

This is hard work. But it’s a great way to: