Skip to main content

Steier Tips

After nearly a quarter century of helping nonprofits plan, reach and exceed their fundraising goals, we’ve accomplished a lot – and learned a thing or two. Our Steier Tips page features the latest Steier Group fundraising advice from our team of experts, case studies and helpful insight to consider as you plan your next campaign.

Oct 25 2023

Trends in the Church: Bad News or Opportunities? with Matt Vuorela

By podcast, Steier Tips

The Steier Group is proud to present our podcast, Twelve Wicker Baskets with Christopher Beaudet. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app. In the Gospel, Jesus fed 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. After the crowd was satisfied, there were 12 wicker baskets left over. God provides the abundance. In each episode of this podcast, we will explore, with pastoral leaders and development professionals, all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of our parish communities, our Catholic schools and the diocesan church. And not only meets those needs but provides in abundance. The 20th…

Read More
Sep 27 2023

The Impact of a Stewardship Heart with Jamie Crane

By podcast, Steier Tips

The Steier Group is proud to present our podcast, Twelve Wicker Baskets with Christopher Beaudet. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app. In the Gospel, Jesus fed 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. After the crowd was satisfied, there were 12 wicker baskets left over. God provides the abundance. In each episode of this podcast, we will explore, with pastoral leaders and development professionals, all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of our parish communities, our Catholic schools and the diocesan church. And not only meets those needs but provides in abundance. The 19th…

Read More
Sep 15 2023

Lessons from Twelve Wicker Baskets

By Steier Tips, Steier Wire

Launched in February 2022, Twelve Wicker Baskets, the Steier Group’s podcast, broadly explores all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of parishes, Catholic schools, dioceses and beyond. The idea for the podcast arose when firm management began to reflect on 25 years of service and how to engage the depth and breadth of knowledge that has accumulated over many different capital campaigns for Catholic dioceses, churches, schools and organizations. “We wanted to connect the work of the development professional and the pastoral leader with the deep roots of stewardship in the Catholic tradition, and it’s become…

Read More
Sep 08 2023

Creating a comprehensive development plan with moments, movements and missions

By Steier Tips

“Our big fundraiser for the year is _____________.” I hear this a lot when speaking with smaller organizations about their fundraising and development strategy. This response tells me a few things about the organization: They do not have an informed development plan. Because of that, they invest their time in all the wrong places. Their donors are not as engaged as they could be. The organization is nowhere near its fundraising potential. But, it is not all doom and gloom. Here’s what else I hear: Their donor engagement funnel is very top-heavy. In other words, there is a lot of…

Read More
Sep 01 2023

Team Catholic: Dream big, then do the work

By Steier Tips, Steier Wire

Team Catholic. It is a simple idea. Every member of the community working in unity to support the Catholic Church. But, in the Steier Group’s work across North America, we’ve found that’s often not the case. You may recognize some of these issues: A pastor unwilling to participate in a diocesan campaign. A development director focused on the bishop’s annual appeal but not parish offertory. A school principal ignoring the value of its supportive parish. Some of this is human nature. We focus on what’s right in front of us. Seeing the bigger picture isn’t always possible. But working together…

Read More
Aug 30 2023
The Pilgrimage of Philanthropy with Mark Petersen

The Pilgrimage of Philanthropy with Mark Petersen

By podcast, Steier Tips

The Steier Group is proud to present our podcast, Twelve Wicker Baskets with Christopher Beaudet. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app. In the Gospel, Jesus fed 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. After the crowd was satisfied, there were 12 wicker baskets left over. God provides the abundance. In each episode of this podcast, we will explore, with pastoral leaders and development professionals, all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of our parish communities, our Catholic schools and the diocesan church. And not only meets those needs but provides in abundance. The 18th…

Read More
Aug 15 2023

Steier Group promotes Matt Vuorela to CEO

By News, Steier Tips

After five years serving as the firm’s president, the Steier Group has promoted Matt Vuorela to Chief Executive Officer. “This is an acknowledgement of the work that Matt is already doing,” Steier said. “He’s serving the Steier Group in such an important capacity. I think it is only right to acknowledge the tremendous work he is doing in leading the firm.” Steier will continue his duties as the founder of the Steier Group. Now with the new title of Chairman of the Board. “I’m all in for the Steier Group,” Vuorela said. “I’m excited to keep growing the work that…

Read More
Aug 10 2023
Saint Lawrence Distributing the Treasures of the Church by Bernardo Strozzi. Public Domain image

Saint Lawrence

By Steier Tips

After Pope Sixtus II was captured and executed, the prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence turn over the riches of the Catholic Church. Lawrence asked for three days and, in that time, he quickly distributed as much of the church’s wealth to the poor as he could. The prefect was so angry that he had given away the riches that he tortured Lawrence over a gridiron on top of hot coals. Although he is the patron saint of archivists and librarians, this act by Lawrence is a blessed example of Catholic stewardship and philanthropy. Mark Petersen, CEO of Stronger Philanthropy,…

Read More
Jul 28 2023

Successful capital campaign led to bolstered annual fund for Paulist Fathers

By Steier Tips

Are you concerned that a capital campaign will negatively impact your organization’s annual giving program? Contrary to this common belief, the evidence is clear that capital campaigns have a positive effect on overall annual giving. Here are a few reasons why a capital campaign will increase your yearly support: Increased donor engagement. Capital campaigns involve engagement from donors in many ways. Whether it’s participating in a study, serving on a campaign team, making a financial commitment, or attending events and celebrating milestones, this increased engagement builds stronger relationships with donors and benefactors, which leads to increased ongoing support. New donor…

Read More
Jul 26 2023

Pursuing Ventures and Virtue with John Cannon

By podcast, Steier Tips

The Steier Group is proud to present our podcast, Twelve Wicker Baskets with Christopher Beaudet. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app. In the Gospel, Jesus fed 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. After the crowd was satisfied, there were 12 wicker baskets left over. God provides the abundance. In each episode of this podcast, we will explore, with pastoral leaders and development professionals, all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of our parish communities, our Catholic schools and the diocesan church. And not only meets those needs but provides in abundance. The 17th…

Read More

Sign up for Steier Tips

Sign up for our monthly Steier Tips e-newsletter to receive articles and advice on how to improve your development office and run successful capital campaigns.