CHURCH FUNDRAISING

Think Again: 5 New Ways to Look at Your Youth Group's Budget

By Don Pearson | These tips are adapted from YOUthwork: 99 Practical Ideas for Youthworkers, Parents & Volunteers. | September 2009

1. It's not fund-raising; it's harnessing interest.

A woman in our congregation hired a boy to move some boards from her car to the garage. She paid him the equivalent of $60 an hour and sustained him with donuts, cookies and milk. Why?

People love supporting students who are trying to live for God.

Rather than solicit donations or write letters to relatives, make a list of students available to do part-time work. Find a parent or volunteer good at administration and have them dispatch kids by geographic location. You might be surprised to find that many people look for any excuse possible to hire students and give them money when asked to take a personal interest in the students' lives.

2. Think in "dollars per student."

As you communicate a budget to your board or accountability partners, shift the focus from money to people - especially when you're asking for an increase. Whenever I'm preparing budget spreadsheets, I always include dollar-per-student rations. This will help you think efficiently (how to gain the most student influence per dollar in your checkbook): "It cost us $xx per student last year to bring them through our discipleship program. With the growth our group has experienced this year and the improvements we've made, we're now looking at an overall savings of $xx per student this coming year." The more thinking you do in terms of dollars per student, the more opportunities you'll uncover to improve your program.

Also, remember that the budget is a guide. It is meant to communicate the priorities and direction of your program, not the untouchable arrangement of numbers in a list. Whether you're talking to the elders or addressing the congregation, focus on the meaning behind the money. Talk in terms of your goals and the gains you're making in achieving them. You may not see more dollars in your account, but you'll elevate the discussion and keep everyone focused on students rather than costs.

3. Resources are in your church - go find them.

Stand in the back of your sanctuary next Sunday and look at all the people. Not as a crowd, but as uniquely gifted individuals. Those people have what your group needs. Let's say you'd rather dig ditches than scrounge around looking for good deals for your group. I'll bet there's someone in your church who would be thrilled to play such a part in your youth ministry. Ask around and pray for God's direction. He gifts all kinds of people with priceless abilities; and when the end result means blessing and encouraging the lives of your youth, there's no telling what they might come up with. So remember, there's gold hidden in those pews (or chairs), and it's not just in people's wallets.

4. Equip your students to own the needs of the ministry.

Imagine two young Boy Scouts sitting at behind a table while their scoutmaster comes forward asking you for donations. If the scoutmaster asks for money, it's easy to turn him down. But could you turn down two boys looking up at you with that fragile, pleading look? Are you kidding? There's no way you want to crush those impressionable young spirits.