Christian School Annual Fund Campaign Seminar

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Growing Annual Funds for Christian Schools

GraceWorks' Annual Fund coaching programs are presented by Bob Rogalski, Senior consultant for Annual Funds. Over the last three decades, Bob has partnered with over 300 schools to start annual funds, or increase annual fund results.

We understand that every school is different. Therefore we tailor your annual fund process to the uniqueness of your school. No cookie-cutter work!

All schools have potential supporters who have only to hear of your mission and they will support it. It’s very simple find those who believe in you and you ask them for financial support.

Click here learn more about GraceWorks Ministries' Annual Fund coaching programs via a free, no-obligation consultation with Bob Rogalski, Senior Consultant for Annual Funds. Or call Steve Rutz, at (719)278-9600, ext. 400 to set up an appointment

Compare GraceWorks' two annual fund programs here. Or, request free: "Ten Tips to Increase Your School's Annual Fund."

Understanding the Annual Fund

An Annual Fund is a coordinated effort by your school's Development Team to plan an annual appeal which each year will provide an average of $30,000 - $150,000 for your Christian school. You will find that after the first year, raising annual funds gets easier because donors “get in the habit of giving” to your school.

Why Start an Annual Fund Now? WHY NOT? Every Christian school has potential donors who would be most happy to give, if only they knew your situation. The Annual Fund provides these donors the opportunity to support Christian education.

How is the Annual Fund Used? The Annual Fund can be used for budget support or special programs, scholarships, salaries, facilities upgrades or needed equipment. Your school sets the goal which may change from year by year.

Who Does All the Work? You will be happy to know that the Administrator is NOT in charge. Instead, the Administrator recruits a Development Team that is given a job description and trained at the Annual Fund Seminar.

When I first became acquainted with Mr. Rogalski, I knew that developing an Annual Fund campaign at Unity was something that we needed to do. However, it was always a “back-burner” project for me. I always had something more urgent that required my attention. Or so I thought. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I was obvious that God wanted to bless our school by having Mr. Rogalski work with us. Looking back, it’s even more obvious now.

One of the first steps was to determine our Annual Fund goal for the first year. We needed $50,000 to balance our budget, and my hope was we would reach that goal by the following June. Praise the Lord! Contributions to our school thorough the first three months were in excess of $75,000! The success of our AF is directly attributed to relationship with Bob.

I highly recommend Mr. Rogalski to any school where the leadership is willing to step out in faith and receive God’s abundant blessing.

Paul Miller, Principal Unity Lutheran School East, St. Louis, IL

Compare GraceWorks' two annual fund programs here. Or, request free: "Ten Tips to Increase Your School's Annual Fund."

Annual Funds in the Overall Budget of a Christian School

The funding of our Christian Schools has changed, is changing and will continue to change. Locating the right pathways through the financial maze can be successful but it will take an attitude change and a spirit of trying new funding methods.

Selling products or holding a major fund raising project (auctions, etc.) does produce needed income. However, other streams of income are still necessary to produce annual income and future financial security. Your school is like many others who are searching for new successful streams of income.

Schools which have effective fund-development program have planned the work and worked the plan. Success occurs when planning is paired with a focused, long-term effort.

How can the over-burdened Principal assume one more major responsibility? This program should be implemented through a team effort. The Principal’s main task is locating an Annual Fund chair and assembling a development team to attend the workshop.

The annual fund is a highly coordinated effort by the school to plan an appeal to supply significant income on a yearly basis. It can produce 5% - 10% of the operating budget. This is a major amount of income that can happen once the school is trained. This income will continue year after year once the program starts.

The entire effort starts with a workshop, "The AMAZing Annual Fund." GraceWorks comes to you, to deliver a two-day seminar in your school or other training venue in your community.

The seminar trains a core leadership team to implement the program. A case statement, telling the story of the school and how the school is worthy of support is finalized. Plans are developed to communicate with potential donors through special mailings and newsletters.

In addition, the annual fund efforts includes direct mail with a follow-up phonathon. Cultivating major donors to become involved in the effort is very important. Special appreciation activities are implemented Finally, GraceWorks helps you develop a good record keeping system - an essential foundation for continuing an AF for many years.

Compare GraceWorks' two annual fund programs here. Or, request free: "Ten Tips to Increase Your School's Annual Fund."

A Closer Look at GraceWorks' Annual Fund Process

Your job is not only to ask people for money, but to ask the right prospect for the right gift by the right solicitor at the right time and in the right way.

All schools have potential supporters who have only to hear of your mission and they will support it. It’s very simple find those who believe in you and you ask them for financial support.

However, what is the best way to ask? The Annual Fund training includes:

• Development -- Defining Development, Development. . . . Not Fundraising, Total Development Program: Capital Campaign, Planned Giving and Annual Giving, 13 Steps to Success, Development Checklist

• Annual Fund -- What Is An Annual Fund? How Is the Annual Fund Used? Who Supports the Annual Fund? How Do You Generate Annual Fund Gifts? How Do You Ask? Strategy Decisions, Setting the Goal, Table of Gifts, Gift Clubs, Matching Gifts, Memorials, Annual Fund Checklist

• Leadership -- Annual Fund Chairperson, Spiritual Leader, Secretarial, Cultivation, Major Gifts, Phonathon, Recognition, Volunteers, Calendar of Events, Development Team Checklist

• Case Statement -- Reasons for a Case Statement, The 5 Parts of the Case Statement, The 4 “Don'ts” of the Case Statement, Case Statement Checklist

• Direct Mail Appeal -- What Is Direct Mail?, Segments of the Mail Appeal: Mailer, Cover Letter, Brochure, Reply Card and Return Envelope, Direct Mail Checklist

• Donors -- Whom Do You Ask? Donor Target Circle, Prospective Donor's Checklist

• Phonathon -- Whom Do You Call? Who Does the Calling? Location, Date and Time, Material Needed, The Night of the Phonathon, Phonathon Checklist

• Major Gift Prospects -- Prospects, Finding Them! Cultivation of Prospects, Process of Obtaining Gifts, Donor Life Cycle, Major Gift Checklist

• Asking -- One-on-One Asking, Dealing with Fear, How to Ask, Asking for the Lead Gift, Tips on Asking, Asking Checklist

• Recognition -- Showing Appreciation through: Correspondence, Gifts, Special Events and Annual Reports, Tips on Expressing Recognition, Recognition Checklist

• Record Keeping – Prospect/Donor Reference Card, Donor's Permanent Record Card, Phonathon Call Record Form, Computers, Record Keeping Checklist

Compare GraceWorks' two annual fund programs here. Or, request free: "Ten Tips to Increase Your School's Annual Fund."