5 Tips to Leverage End-of-Year Giving

You probably know that the last quarter of the year sees nearly 30% of donations come in for churches, with 17% happening in December.

With that in mind, it's important to have a plan to maximize End-of-Year Giving.

Tips to Leverage End-of-Year Giving

1. If you haven't already, remove every option on your generic giving page besides what goes to your general fund. The more choices you give, the more choices people will take and the less will go towards your operating budget.
   
   

2. Be transparent. If church members (or attendees for that matter) want to see more detail about how your finances are managed, spent, or budgeted, invite them to sit down with you so they have an opportunity to review it or ask questions.
   
   You may not have anyone take you up on the offer, but the key is your willingness. Just by offering, you’ll build confidence, regardless of whether anyone accepts.
   
   (Quick Note: My only suggestion is to avoid sharing individual salaries if someone requests a meeting. It's fine to share total salary figures, but if someone asks about specific staff salaries, you might want to be a bit more cautious.).  
   
   

3. Always frame your ask in terms of next steps. Everyone can take a next step!

   • Never Given -----> Steps to First-Time Giver

   • Sporadic Giver ----> Recurring Giver

   • Recurring Giver ----> Above and Beyond 
     
     
4. Constantly tell the story. Tell the story of life change that is happening in your church. Folks want to know what happens with their investment in the local church so show them. Take time in services to share a story of someone's life who has been impacted by the church. And each time, invite others to be able to be a part of that story through supporting the efforts of the church.
   

5. Every time you talk about giving, or generosity, or invite people into serving in this capacity, always remember to thank those who are faithfully serving the church in this way. Givers should feel appreciated and potential givers should see you thanking them often. They certainly don't want to make an effort to be generous without knowing if anyone will ever say thank you.

What other tips do you use to leverage End-of-Year Giving? Reach out! We'd love to connect.