We sometimes hear of a “stewardship parish.” Perhaps your church sees itself that way. Yet there is no one definition of a stewardship parish. You’ll find many descriptions. But the central theme is the belief that everything we have – whether time, talent or treasure – is a gift from God, and we are called to give back to God a portion of our gifts in gratitude. We give because we are grateful for what we have been given. Understanding this, embracing the joy of stewardship, is what creates in us a “need” to give. We give not first and…
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The easy out when COVID-19 hit would have been for Holy Trinity Parish to delay its capital campaign until the pandemic had passed. With that approach, the Catholic community in Eldorado Hills, California, would still be waiting to relaunch its campaign. Instead, the parish continued with its effort to reduce historic debt with a temporary redirect to shore up its offertory during the initial wave of the pandemic, said Jeremy Youngers, parish life director. “Our parish responded in amazing ways,” he said. “Our approach was intentional in every step. It came down to our pastor communicating the message.” Holy Trinity, months earlier,…
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How can churches celebrate Holy Week while being physically distant? That was the main topic of the Steier Group's Stewardship, Development and Fundraising Live Forum on March 31. During the current COVID-19 crisis, the Steier Group will be hosting these live forums to discuss issues pertinent to our partners during this critical time. We've also created a Holy Week from Home Resource Guide that can be shared with parishioners to enrich their celebration at home. If you have topics or questions you would like to see discussed during a live forum, please contact Sean McMahon at smcmahon@steiergroup.com. View the Holy…
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For nonprofits, social media presents a major opportunity. Nonprofits can share their stories, interact with supporters and donors, and have an impact on the daily life of their communities. As of 2019, Pew Research Center found that 72 percent of American adults are on social media. Facebook was most popular with 69 percent of adults using it. From that group, 74 percent said they use Facebook daily. Looking at those statistics, it should come as no surprise that social media can have an impact on the fundraising of a nonprofit. CatholicSocial.Media, a Steier Group partner, found that churches that post daily on Facebook…
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The holiday season is the perfect time to reflect on the past year. Your organization was likely blessed in countless ways over the last 12 months and you should recognize and acknowledge those blessings. It is especially important this time of year to maintain donor relationships by showing your appreciation. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume donors know how their gift impacted your organization. It’s easy to fall into the trap of losing touch with your donors as the months and years pass from their initial gift, but it is important to continue, and ultimately strengthen,…
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Every day, 100 workers descend on the campus of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church for construction of a larger, permanent church and a new school gym for the growing parish in Wichita, Kansas. The Rev. Dan Spexarth, pastor, said parishioners drive through the parking lot at “1 mile per hour” just so they can get a closer look at the projects taking shape. “It’s very exciting,’’ Spexarth said. The parish’s Out of Love for God campaign is funding the projects. The dynamic parish in northwest Wichita partnered with the Steier Group on that successful effort in 2018, raising more…
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For the Diocese of Wichita, stewardship is not a goal; it’s a way of life. This diocese strives to be a community that gives generously, sacrificially and proportionally while sharing responsibility for the mission of the Church. There’s a reason they are known nationally for dedication to stewardship. When the diocese hired the Steier Group, deepening the practice of stewardship was as high a priority as raising funds to renovate the cathedral, invest in seminarian education and grow Catholic education endowments. The successful campaign raised $26 million on an $11 million goal. Most important to Mike Wescott, Wichita’s Director of…
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It’s easy to think of a capital campaign in negative terms. It may seem like yet another request for money, a herculean effort to tax our already busy calendars, or — because it isn’t a regular part of our giving — simply an add-on expense. But these perspectives miss the mark when we consider a capital campaign as another expression of Christian stewardship. As King David exclaimed, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Sam 24:24). Scripture is replete with the call to offer God that which is dear to us.…
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