There's something I've been noticing lately as I've been talking with more missionaries and ministry leaders through my coaching sessions.
It's a pattern that seems incredibly common, and I think it may be one of the reasons so many ministries end up struggling financially, even after they've successfully raised their support.
We tend to treat fundraising like an on-and-off switch.
You have a financial goal to reach. Maybe you're preparing to head overseas and need to raise your monthly support. Maybe your ministry has a big project coming up, or you're entering your annual fundraising season.
So you switch fundraising ON.
You're reaching out to potential donors, scheduling meetings, sharing your ministry, and asking people to partner with you.
Eventually, you reach your goal. Praise God! You feel that incredible relief of knowing you have the funding you need.
And then you switch fundraising OFF.
Now you can put all your attention into the ministry God has called you to do.
But here's what I've been noticing: That on-and-off approach to fundraising can create some pretty serious problems down the road.
Why Do We Treat Ministry Fundraising Like a Season?
For many missionaries, this is simply how fundraising has always been done.
Sending organizations often have designated seasons for itineration. You spend a certain amount of time raising support, reach your goal, and then head back to the field.
And I understand why that structure exists! You have a lot of responsibilities in ministry, and fundraising takes time.
But I think we sometimes misunderstand what fundraising actually includes.
When I talk about fundraising, I'm talking about more than meeting with potential donors and asking for financial support.
I'm also talking about nurturing the relationships you've already built with your supporters.
Think about it. You invite someone to partner with your ministry because you're giving them an opportunity to be part of what God is doing. They get excited about the mission, and they say yes!
But your responsibility to that donor doesn't end when they start giving.
Your donors need to know that their partnership matters.
They need to see the impact they're making through their generosity. And unless they're personally visiting your ministry and seeing everything happening on the ground, the only way they're going to experience that impact is through your communication.
When you stop communicating consistently, donors lose that connection.
Over time, they may begin to wonder whether their support is actually making a difference.
And that can become a problem when something changes.
What Happens When You Stop Prioritizing Donor Relationships?
I want to share a few real experiences that have stood out to me recently.
These are situations I've encountered through conversations with missionaries and ministry leaders, along with one experience from my own life as a donor.
I think they'll help you understand why consistent fundraising matters so much.
1. When Your Ministry Circumstances Suddenly Change
I recently spoke with a missionary who had served overseas with her family for many years.
Then some unexpected circumstances, including health challenges, required them to return to the United States.
They were still serving as missionaries, but their location and assignment had changed.
And that's when they started losing financial support.
A significant portion of their donor base consisted of churches. Some of those supporters had originally partnered with them because they were serving overseas, and their return to the States changed how those churches viewed the partnership.
During our conversation, this missionary also admitted that she hadn't been very consistent about connecting with donors.
Writing newsletters had been a struggle, and maintaining those relationships hadn't always been a priority.
She also really disliked itinerating, so she had been avoiding fundraising.
Now they're in a situation where their support has dropped significantly, and they need to do something different.
Here's what I want you to consider.
You can't always prevent donors from ending their support when your circumstances change. Some churches have specific missions priorities, and that's understandable.
But how connected are your donors to your ministry right now?
If something significant changed tomorrow, would your supporters understand the work you're doing and why it matters?
Would they feel connected enough to your ministry to consider continuing their partnership?
Those relationships become especially important during unexpected transitions.
And that brings me to something I experienced personally.
I've Been on the Donor Side of This, Too
Years ago, my husband and I supported a missionary couple serving overseas.
We were newly married, and we committed to giving monthly.
But here's the thing: I honestly don't remember hearing much from them.
I couldn't tell you exactly what their ministry involved. I don't remember hearing stories about the people they were serving or feeling particularly connected to the impact of our giving.
We continued supporting them anyway.
Eventually, they contacted us to explain that they were returning to the United States and would no longer be serving overseas. They still needed some financial support during that transition.
But for me, that became the natural point to stop giving.
Looking back, I think things might have felt different if we'd had a stronger relationship with them.
If we'd been hearing stories about what God was doing through their ministry, if we'd understood the difference our giving was making, and if we'd felt connected to their work, I think that decision would have been much harder.
That's why I want you to put yourself in your donors' shoes.
They've made a commitment to support your ministry. How are you helping them experience the joy of being part of it?
2. When a Financial Deficit Keeps Growing
Another ministry leader I spoke with recently was facing a very different situation.
Her ministry had been losing financial support over time. They'd lost some significant donors and grant funding, and eventually those losses had accumulated into a $70,000 deficit.
That's a huge amount of money to need urgently!
During our conversation, we talked about the possibility of launching a specific fundraising campaign to help cover that deficit.
But there was another question we needed to consider.
What happens after they raise the $70,000?
Because even if they successfully raise every dollar they need right now, they could find themselves in the same situation again if their ongoing support doesn't improve.
They still need to be developing relationships with donors. They still need to be inviting new people into the ministry and helping current supporters stay connected to the work.
A successful fundraising campaign can help meet an immediate financial need, and that's wonderful.
But the relationships that support your ministry over time need ongoing attention.
And I think that's where the on-and-off fundraising mentality can become dangerous.
You focus all your energy on reaching the current goal. Once you reach it, fundraising gets pushed aside until another financial need comes along.
Meanwhile, your donor base may be shrinking without you realizing how serious the situation is becoming.
Your Donors Need More Than an Occasional Newsletter
I know how busy ministry can be.
You have people to serve and responsibilities that require your attention. And when things get especially busy, communicating with donors can feel like one more thing on an already overwhelming to-do list.
But I want to challenge you to think differently about those relationships.
Your donors are part of what God is doing through your ministry.
When they give, they're participating in the lives being changed and the work being accomplished.
And most of them will never get to experience that work firsthand.
Your communication is what connects them to the impact they're making.
That's why I don't think sending an occasional newsletter once a quarter is enough to build the kind of connection I'm talking about.
Think about the people on your email list who haven't started giving yet, too.
They're interested enough in your ministry to follow along. How are you helping them understand what God is doing and the opportunity they have to be part of it?
You have something incredibly valuable to share with these people.
But you need to communicate it consistently.
How to Stop Switching Your Fundraising On and Off
I'm not suggesting you need to spend every day asking people for money.
I'm encouraging you to make donor relationships an ongoing priority, regardless of whether you're actively raising money for a specific goal.
Start by looking at how you're currently connecting with your supporters.
When was the last time you shared a meaningful story about what God is doing through your ministry? When was the last time you personally reached out to a donor or intentionally connected with someone who might be interested in supporting your work?
Think beyond your regular newsletter, too.
Maybe there's an opportunity to send a personal message, share a short story, or have a conversation with someone who's been following your ministry.
And don't forget about potential donors.
Just because you've reached your current support goal doesn't mean you should stop building relationships with people who might want to partner with you in the future.
Consistent fundraising is about continuing to invite people into the mission and helping those who have already said yes experience the difference they're making.
Is Your Fundraising Currently Switched On or Off?
I want you to really think about that question.
Maybe you're fully funded right now, and everything seems to be going well. That's wonderful!
But are you continuing to nurture your donor relationships?
Are you consistently helping supporters see the impact of their generosity?
Are you developing connections with people who might become future ministry partners?
Because if you're waiting until there's an urgent financial need to start paying attention to fundraising again, you may find yourself trying to rebuild relationships that have been neglected for a long time.
And I would love for you to avoid that situation.
Your ministry matters. The work God has called you to do matters. And the people who financially partner with you are an important part of that work.
Just because you've reached your fundraising goal doesn't mean your fundraising work is finished.
Need Help Connecting With Your Donors?
Maybe you're realizing that you need to be more consistent about communicating with donors, but you're struggling to know what to say.
You want people to feel connected to your ministry, but you're unsure how to share stories that actually capture their attention or how to invite them to support your work without feeling awkward.
That's exactly what I help ministry leaders do through one-on-one coaching.
We'll work on clarifying your fundraising message using storytelling frameworks that help donors understand the difference they can make through your ministry.
My goal is to help you communicate with more confidence so your donors can connect with the incredible work God is doing.
Book a one-on-one fundraising coaching session and let's work on your message together.
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