It’s All About the Vision

When it comes to raising funds, the one thing you need to know is that it’s all about the vision! Nothing else is as important as helping people see what you see, the vision God gave you for your church. How much you will raise depends to a great degree on your vision. Your vision should be…

Clear – Does it make sense? Can a member tell another person what the vision of the church is in less than three minutes? Not only must the vision of the church be clear but the vision of the project or why you are raising funds needs to be clear as well. The clearer the vision the more likely donors will give to support it.

Concise – Too many vision statements are way too long. The attention span of most people is very limited especially when it comes to communication from their church. So, work hard to boil down what the “ask” is about in a way that makes sense but can also be read quickly. The more concise your vision the more likely donors will even read it!

Compelling – Does your vision touch my heart and thus cause me to want to give to support that vision? If you cannot make your message compelling don’t expect donors to support it. The more compelling the vision the more money will be given.

Do you know how to craft a vision statement that accomplishes all of the above? A good vision statement that is well thought out and well written is the base upon which the rest of the campaign is built. No matter how many teams you have or how many people working on your campaign, if the vision is not right the funds will not follow. So, take care that your vision is well crafted.

One final word of advice, be careful about what you communicate and when. Most campaigns that fail do so far in advance of the start of the actual pledging cycle. It starts with a poorly crafted vision statement. Poorly communicating how the vision will unfold also hinders results.

Too often church leaders over-promise and then under-deliver. Make sure your vision is a realistic faith venture not a leap into the dark. There is a fine line between faith and folly. Overpromising in your vision statement will lead you to problems later on.

Communicating too much information too soon can often lead to a derailed project. Projects are fluid and change almost on a dime. You must make sure you have all your ducks lined up properly. Failing to do so will make raising funds that much more difficult.

Make sure your vision is clear, concise, and most of all compelling!