Giving Statement Success


It's that time of year to send out your annual Contribution Statements!

Whether it's your first or twenty-first time to this dance Winking Face  
we've included everything you need to simplify statements AND thank your donors.

BEFORE YoU SEnD YOUR Statement, Make a statement!

 quote-left   How to send a Giving Statement is important. What you say is importanter. quote-right 


Your ministry matters. And without the many volunteers and donors who partner with you, 
your ministry may not be nearly as effective - or even possible. 

 
Your year-end giving statement is a great opportunity to keep the momentum going. 

Here's a few Pro-Tips plus an example template to help! 

  • MAKE YOUR DONORS FEEL LIKE THE HERO!

    Paul spends the over half of Philippians 4 pulling out all the stops to let the church know how much their gifts meant. Paraphrased... ‘I have more than enough…I’m amply supplied...your gifts are a fragrant offering that please God!” No boilerplate "thanks for your donation" here!


    Follow Paul’s lead to go above and beyond. Here’s an example…


    We've been thrilled to receive your generous gifts this year! Your donations have helped us accomplish [goal] and we continue to work towards [mission or purpose statement]. You are making a difference and we're extremely grateful for you!


    Pro-Tip: Notice the 'you' statements above - keeping the donor in the spotlight.


  • SHARE MINISTRY IMPACT & RESULTS

    Impact inspires. The number #1 thing a donor wants to know (*in any generation) is the difference their giving made.


    Heartfelt ministry moments or just simple numbers help people connect emotionally, and you can never share about ministry success enough!


    In 1-2 sentences, share a single story about how your ministry helped an individual or the community. Alternatively, list three simple ministry engagement results that align with your mission.


    Need ideas? See this creative graphic from Heartland Church to share ministry results or check out this generosity report from Greenhouse Church. 


    Pro-Tip: Create a webpage that shares a larger picture of your ministry impact & vision. Link to it from your annual statement.


  • KEEP THE MESSAGE SIMPLE ... LEST "TLDR"

    How many of you have received long, text-only missionary updates or church newslettes? What happens? TLDR (Too-Long, Didn't Read).


    Your donors are as busy as you are - so keep your message brief. Again, your focus here is celebrating your donors and helping them understand their value. In general, limit communication to 3 - 4 short paragraphs at most!


    Pro-Tip: Nothing catches an eye better than a good image. A simple photo from a ministry event, an image of volunteers hard at work, or even a simple bold large “THANK YOU” in text grabs attention and helps your donors feel valued.


  • "PS" IS YOUR MEGAPHONE

    Eye motion studies* tell us that the post script (or PS) is the top-read item in written communication (second only to the recipients name).


    We suggest using your PS to remind donors of digital giving options - especially recurring giving. Among many other benefits, recurring giving allows you to plan in advance ministry and your donors to prioritize giving as part of their worship. As I like to say it, 'setting up a recurring gift allows you to choose in advance to give your first to God.' 


    Here's some example wording you could use. 


    Setting up a recurring gift helps us plan in advance for ministry. If you're interested, simply click this link and follow the prompts to set the frequency & amount. 


    Pro-Tip: Make it simple for donors to create recurring gifts by displaying recurring options first. Learn How!

    * Prof. Siefried Vogele - medium.com