BullardJournal

It Could Take Up to Nine Months!

What? To have a baby? Yes, but that is not what I am talking about.

It could take up to nine months from now until your congregation is ready to engage in a capital campaign to raise funds to construct new buildings, or to do major renovation or retrofitting to current buildings.

Why?

Because it is necessary for your congregation to be extremely clear and certain about its vision for a new facility and how lives will be impacted and enhanced because you have the new building. Often this may require, [1] re-envisioning the future life and ministry of the congregation, [2] reassessing the strength and focus of various programs, ministries, and activities of your congregation, its community context, its finances, its staffing structure, and its facilities and their implication for the congregational vision, [3] designing the framework for the future programs, ministries, and activities of your congregation that projects 10 to 12 years into the future, and [5] determining the financial, staff, and facilities resources that will be needed to provide these programs, ministries, and activities.

Your congregation will need a virtual picture of its passion for future ministry, and a real picture/drawing of the building that will facilitate this future ministry.

Starting nine months before you need to raise funds is not too early. So, it is important to think ahead and start your actions now.

Particularly during a time of economic uncertainty like we are now experiencing, it is important that the picture of the future be crystal clear.

Posted by email from George Bullard's Posterous

Capital Campaigns By an Organization Seeking to Transform the Church for Vital Ministry?

At first it may seem a little out of character for a non-profit religious organization focused on increasing the vitality of leaders, congregations, denominations, and parachurch organizations to have a capital fundraising component to its work. But, by looking deeper into the reasons why some clear rationale can be discovered.

The Columbia Partnership at www.thecolumbiapartnership.org, for whom I am a Ministry Partner and the Strategic Coordinator [translated Executive Director] has launched a new service, using experienced leadership, to provide capital campaigns for congregations and other religious non-profit organizations needing to raise financial resources.

Is Your Church Considering a Capital Campaign?

The Columbia Partnership, the primary ministry organization with whom I am connected, is now offering capital stewardship/fundraising campaigns for congregations, denominations, and other religious organizations. This week I hosted a couple of webinars presented by our Capital Campaign Coordinator, Bill Howard. Here is the PowerPoint presentation Bill used. Right-click and save this file to your computer. [It may take about two minutes to download because of the advanced graphics in the presentation.]

Check out this presentation on "Is Your Church Considering a Capital Campaign?

Download: Capital Campaign PowerPoint

If you have questions about capital campaigns, send a message to client.care@thecolumbiapartnership.org or call 803.622.0923.