Today, we tackle the BIG question: Where do you find donors?

So many Catholic apostolates (and aspiring ones) want to have a sustainable funding source.

But donors don't just appear.

I didn't just bump into donors each time I ran a campaign. Neither will you.

However! Even though donors don't appear with the snap of your fingers, here's what you can do to make the search a lot easier:

https://catholicfundraiser.net/where-to-find-donors/

Have you ever been unsure how to ask someone for a donation?

In the first two weeks of the year, this has been the number one question people have asked me.

"What do I say?"

Today, I'm sharing with you my three best tips on how to ask for donations. You will likely be surprised by what I recommend. You may even completely disregard my advice!

Oh well... let's see if you agree or not: http://bit.ly/3ahWKJC

We are in a new year and a new decade.

I took a moment to look back at my notes from all the fundraising campaigns I've run these past ten years.

I was wondering - what campaigns have worked the best? What strategies were the most effective? What did I start doing differently to make last year and decade my biggest and best?

When I blew the dust off that notebook, I found some buried treasure that I wanted to share with you.

Here are my three recommendations for what I think you should be doing in 2020 with your fundraising:

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When you're writing an Advent, Christmas, or end-of-year appeal letter, the first thing you'll think about is how to ask for a donation properly.

In other words, how would you lead up to the donation, and what words would you use?

That's why I like turning to the saints for guidance.

Today, that's Saint Paul, the Apostle.

You could write your appeal however you want. Or, you could get a better response by learning how Saint Paul captivated his audience - in particular, the Galatians.

That's what this week's article is all about: http://bit.ly/2rUOxcS

I think the measuring bar for Catholics who want to fundraise is linking your campaigns with the wisdom of the saints. I think that is why my fundraising campaigns have thrived all these years. It's because I always use the saints and Church teaching as the foundation.

Today, let me share with you how divine providence connects with fundraising. 

Catholics who fundraise often say, "I trust in divine providence when it comes to finding donations."

What does that REALLY mean?

I've put some serious thought into the question, and St. Claude de la Colombiere gave me the answer. He wrote a fantastic document titled, Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence. 

What Saint Claude says and how it connects with fundraising may surprise you. Check it  out:

So after organizing a successful fundraising campaign this week, I am feeling very blessed. I am amazed at the generosity of people for the incredible work that Catholic apostolates do.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Can I raise funds?” - The answer is YES; you can.

But fundraising takes more than just asking.

Take, for example, the highly acclaimed spiritual guide, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.

Here are three takeaways that I learned from this book that made a massive difference for me:

1 - Make your fundraising Christ-focused

2 - Be patient (meaning... don't complain)

3 - Govern your mission, rather than money governing it

Check it out: http://bit.ly/2JjMhBQ

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Get your free e-book on how to fundraiser here: http://catholicfundraiser.net/

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Get your Purchase Alms: http://bit.ly/almsbook

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Brice Sokolowski is not your typical fundraiser. After enjoying a successful career in technology consulting in various cities (Dallas, San Francisco, Paris, Abu Dhabi, and London) around the world, he left it to help my Catholic diocese in London, England with a fundraising campaign. The campaign went on to raise over $50 million, the largest sum ever raised for the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom.

Learning from professional fundraisers, I figured out the basics and then left the diocese to focus on what I love doing most:

To help build Catholic charities, parishes, religious orders, and lay aposolates that change the culture and bring people to Our Blessed Lord.

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Here's a curveball for you: Are a vow of poverty and fundraising compatible?

You have likely struggled to answer this question, wondering how the two can possibly coexist. You may have even had people complain to you that you should NOT be fundraising but take a 'vow of poverty.'

Whether you have taken a vow of poverty as a religious or strive to follow this Christian practice, the reality is you may have to fundraise to pay for the necessary costs of your work.

Therefore, how do you connect the vow of poverty with fundraising?

Enter Fr Alphonsus Rodriguez, a Jesuit priest from the 16th century and a renowned spiritual writer. He explains - in practical terms - how you and I can balance a vow of poverty and fundraising.

These ideas come from his masterpiece, The Practice of Christian & Religious Perfection.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/31qB6x4

I am positive you know who Pope (and Saint) Leo the Great is. One of the greatest and most influential popes in Church history, he fought off the heresies of Pelagianism and Manichaeism in the 5th century. He also led Rome's defense against Attila the Hun's barbarian invasion on Italy.

But did you also know that he liked fundraising?

But pause for a second...

He didn't like fundraising the way you are probably thinking. Pope Leo was not interested in running fundraising campaigns so that Catholic causes like yours can get donations.

Like every saint, he saw the BIGGER picture.

So before you launch your next fundraising campaign, I strongly recommend you learn WHY Pope Leo was such a fan of fundraising.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/2li7AL4

I'm always in search of ideas from the saints on how to fundraise. This past Tuesday, we celebrated the memorial of Saint Bellarmine - Doctor of the Church.

I read a great biography on his life and discovered three incredibly helpful ideas on how to fundraise --- so I wanted to share them with you.

This week's article is all about what to do when wealthy people don't donate and how to steward people's donations (even if the pope gives you a gift!)

Check it out: http://bit.ly/32T0Zqv

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Get your free e-book on how to fundraiser here: http://catholicfundraiser.net/

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Get your Purchase Alms: http://bit.ly/almsbook

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It might sound a little oversimplistic, but I have a simple solution to almost every fundraising problem.

And what I’ve noticed is that many of the most successful Catholic non-profits have this same solution to all their problems.

Are you ready for it?

Learn what the saints and popes did. Today, I want to turn your attention to Saint John Paul II. He wrote a fantastic Apostolic Exhortation titled, CHRISTIFIDELES LAICI. In this document, Pope John Paul II provides three powerful ideas for how to improve your fundraising.

See for yourself: http://bit.ly/32LKQDx