Raising Money Stinks... Just Ask KIVA

FUNDRAISING IS TRICKY

Kiva is the Micro Finance Institution that innovatively matches local entrepreneurs with average Joe donors. The idea is simple. Somchai in Thailand is poor. He can't afford the $100 start up capital to get a simple business going. The business he dreams of would lift his family out of poverty. But he can't do it. No capital.

Enter Kiva. They will talk to Somchai. Evaluate and help him develop a simple business plan and verify that it is viable. Then they will post his story online making his story known to individuals from around the world. John in Washington, DC sees Somchai's story. John has an extra $100 he doesn't mind loaning out for 6 months. Kiva arranges for John's $100 to be matched with Somchai's need. They monitor the loan. And (assuming) Somchai pays back the loan, John gets his $100 back at the end of 6 months. Simple. Straightforward. Inspiring.

EXCEPT - that's not the way it works. Kiva has already made the loan before Somchai's photo goes online. The above description of how it works turns out to be more of a marketing technique for Kiva to raise funds. It makes sense. "Make it personal" is one of the mantras of fundraising gospel. Kiva makes it very personal.

There is a huge debate going on right now about Kiva. Is their marketing deceptive? Is it okay to deceive a little in order to accomplish what they accomplish? Their micro finance model is effective. No one disputes that.

FUNDRAISING IN CHURCH

I've been thinking about this recently because November is traditionally Intl Churches' "stewardship" month. And believe it or not, as much as the people in the pews hate it when churches raise funds, pastors hate it more. It's a little bit demoralizing and frankly humiliating to stand in front of people who are your friends and beg them to give generously to the church to support mission when everyone in the house knows that a big part of that "mission" is your salary.

In churches, you can appeal for people to give generously based on the biblical idea that generosity is a fruit of spiritual maturity. The Bible actually says that we can grow spiritually by managing our money in godly ways. "Where your money is your heart WILL BE also." Our hearts follow our money. So if you want your heart to be with God - invest in things God would want you to. Give to your church. Give to the orphanage. Be generous. A church can run it's stewardship campaign like this.

HOWEVER, there are more effective ways. The most effective way to increase the church budget is to personalize giving. Describe a family that people's money goes to help. Put a picture of a kid from one of the ministries the church supports. "Your tithe goes to help THIS KID go to school, Bible camp, eat nutritious meals," whatever... But personalize it.

Stewardship campaigns that appeal to concrete needs in the community are very effective. The only problem is that is NOT why God says to give. God says to give as a spiritual discipline. Give 10% to remind yourself that all you have comes from God. The benefits to the community, pastor's family, Sunday school program, etc... these are real. They are important. But they are not the purpose of giving.

At ICB we are striving to have an honest "Stewardship" season this year. It will not be a hard sell. We will not be deceptive. We will trust God to meet all our needs... God has done so in miraculous ways in the past few years. We will trust that He will continue to do so.