News & Stories

February 17, 2015 News

Creative Ways to Thank Your Donors

Show them the difference their gift makes, and they'll stick with you through thick and thin. Here are some of the ways our clients are ensuring 2015 success while the year is still young.

Show Impact:
Shrine Mont Camps in the Diocese of Virginia gave donors a look at the lives they've changed with camper selfies, one for each congregation supporting their capital campaign. A slide show of the photos was shown during diocesan convention with a voiceover of the campaign prayer. Individual donors received a button to wear during convention, a small token that also encouraged new gifts. Campaign Co-chair Barbara McMurry says, "People kept asking me, "What can I do to get a button?"

Give Access
The Diocese of El Camino Real held two parties to celebrate the opening of their new offices in Salinas. The first was a liturgical blessing, attended by diocesan leaders and clergy. A month later, the diocese threw open the doors to the entire community with an Open House featuring a band, food, ribbon-cutting and visits from local dignitaries. Relocating to the center of the diocese was a strategic goal aimed at making diocesan headquarters more accessible. Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves points out that both gatherings "showed people that this is their home. It's a place that not only serves the diocese but is a witness to the community at large."

Serve Cake
When St. Aidan's in Hartford, Wisconsin, blew past their campaign goal, they were mortgage free and poised to make a difference in their community. But first they paused for a slice of cake. "When we completed our capital campaign and blessed all the volunteers, we had over thirty people, at least a third of the congregation, who had stepped forward to help in some way,"says Pastor Anna. "This was a public way to thank them for their financial gifts as well as the gift of their time."

Tell a Story
Trinity Church in Bloomington, Indiana, thanks new members of their parish Legacy Society at an annual celebration with a copy of the Book of Common Prayer inscribed by the Rector. But the best part of the gathering is when new members tell their own story of gratitude for Trinity and express their hopes for its future. It's a circle of appreciation that all the members enjoy.

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