DAN KENNY’S 5 TIPS FOR RAISING FUNDS

Dan’s 5 Fundraising Tips

1 – Work with your potential trainer:
Tap into his or her understanding of the church and who is most likely to want to partner with you (and I’ll add, partner cheerfully and with the right motivation). Not to mention that having his or her emotional and prayerful support during this early stage is invaluable.

2 – Grow a biblical picture of partnership:
Explore the New Testament and especially the way that Paul’s ministry was supported. How does Paul view his partners? Are they just donors or are they something more? Answering these questions may well address any doubt or guilt around asking for money, and it’ll certainly help your partners understand the significance of what they’re doing.

3 – Work on a clear pitch:
To some extent I don’t like the word “pitch” because we’re not selling something; we’re inviting people to be part of the greatest mission in the world. Nonetheless, I want to pitch that invitation clearly, passionately and biblically. That took some work on my part. It wasn’t just something I came up with on the spot!

4 – Explore alternative avenues of support:
If your denomination has some kind of grant/scholarship system, see if there are appropriate grants you could apply for. Almost 20% of my support came through this channel.

5 – Above all, have faith in God!
I’ve seen firsthand that He is committed to opening opportunities for gospel workers to be trained. In one sense, it doesn’t matter if your church can afford your position or not; God is gracious and His people are generous. If we truly believe that to be true, then we’ll persevere in approaching potential partners no matter how bleak the situation appears