Ep. 62 | Struggling to Fundraise? How a Clear Marketing Plan Can Get Your Ministry Fully Funded
Struggling to Write Your Newsletters so Supporters Engage?
You’ve seen God do amazing things- but if your emails are vague or unclear, your supporters won’t feel connected.
This free guide will show you how to:
Write subject lines that get your emails opened
Follow a simple story-driven format for every update
Engage donors with clear, Christ-centered storytelling
If you’re in ministry, chances are there’s one part of your role that feels harder than the rest.
Fundraising.
You might love the ministry itself. You love serving people. You love the mission God has placed on your heart.
But asking for financial support?
That part can feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes it feels awkward.
Sometimes it feels unclear.
Sometimes it just feels like you’re not good at it.
And if you’ve ever thought something like:
“If it wasn’t for the fundraising part, I’d actually feel really good about my role.”
You’re not alone.
But the real issue usually isn’t that you’re bad at fundraising.
The real issue is that most ministries don’t have a clear plan.
And when there’s no plan, everything feels harder.
Let me explain.
Why Fundraising Feels So Stressful
Years ago I was pushed into a film shoot without any planning.
It was a sunset shoot — which means we had maybe 30 minutes of usable light. And there were multiple shots we needed to capture.
But there was no shot list.
No schedule.
No order of what to film first.
Everything fell apart.
People were frustrated.
We missed the footage we needed.
Everyone felt flustered.
And it confirmed something I’ve seen over and over again.
When you have a clear plan, everything runs smoother.
The same is true with fundraising.
Without a clear plan, you’re just hoping something works.
You send emails.
You talk to donors.
You share updates.
But it can feel like you’re throwing things out there and hoping something sticks.
What you actually need is a simple messaging plan.
Here are the three parts.
Step 1: Start With One Clear Donor
Most ministries try to talk to everyone.
But clear messaging always starts with one specific person.
Every major company understands this.
They know exactly who they’re talking to.
Not their entire email list.
Not everyone who follows them.
One ideal customer.
Ministry fundraising works the same way.
You need to clearly identify your ideal donor.
Think about things like:
Age
Life stage
Family
Income
What they care about
What burdens their heart
Your ideal donor already cares about the need your ministry meets.
You don’t have to convince them to care.
You just have to show them where they can participate.
Step 2: Speak to Their Deeper Need
This is the part that sometimes feels uncomfortable for ministry leaders.
Because you might think:
“My job is to meet the needs of the people we serve… not the needs of the donor.”
But here’s something important.
Your donor also has a need.
Not a financial need.
A deeper one.
Your ideal donor wants to:
Be part of what God is doing
Have eternal impact
Know their life is contributing to something meaningful
When they partner with your ministry, they’re not just giving money.
They’re stepping into the story God is writing.
And that’s powerful.
In a beautiful way, both sides are meeting each other’s needs.
The people you serve receive help.
And your donors get to participate in something eternal.
That’s the real heart of fundraising.
Step 3: Make the Path Obvious
Finally, your messaging has to clearly show donors what to do next.
This is where many ministries lose momentum.
People might feel inspired.
They might care.
But if the next step isn’t obvious, they stop.
Your role is to guide them.
Think of it like placing stones across a creek so someone can walk across.
You’re simply saying:
Here’s the next step.
Then the next one.
Then the next one.
For example:
Visit this page
Start giving monthly
Join this specific project
Partner with us at this level
Clear steps reduce friction.
And when donors know exactly how to participate, they’re much more likely to follow through.
Bringing It All Together
If fundraising has felt awkward or overwhelming, it’s often because this structure is missing.
A clear fundraising message includes:
One clear donor
Their deeper need
A clear path to participate
When those three things are in place, fundraising becomes much more natural.
It stops feeling like asking for money.
And starts feeling like inviting someone into the work God is doing.
If fundraising has been feeling heavy, awkward, or stuck — I’m hosting a free one-hour training called Fundraise with Confidence.
Inside the workshop, I’ll show you:
• Why fundraising feels icky (and where that belief actually comes from)
• How to reframe asking for support so it feels honest and sincere
• How to start the asking for money conversation so you hook your donors
You’ll walk away clearer.
Lighter.
And more confident about inviting people to give.
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