The end of August is upon us, which means it is officially Fundraising Season.

A lot of people have given me excuses about why they are not planning, organizing, and launching a campaign in September. If you paused fundraising this summer, the time is NOW to get back on the saddle.

But don't take my word for it.

Check out what Saint Bernard of Clairvaux says about making excuses for why there are no funds in your accounts.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/321Txct

The world has changed a lot since Saint Anthony of Padua was preaching in the 13th century. Back then, you did not have the internet, email, video, audio… and asking for donations looked utterly different.

But there is something that hasn't changed in 800 years, and that is keeping our appeals aligned with Scripture.

Saint Anthony of Padua wrote one of my favorite guides on how to connect fundraising with Scripture.

His book, 'The Moral Concordances,' offer you and me the perfect compass for navigating a campaign.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/2Zy3ltX

You likely read a lot of books and articles about what the Church teaches, but have you ever read this vital document?

The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church

Published in 2004 by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the request of John Paul II,  this document presents a "complete overview of the fundamental framework of the doctrinal corpus of Catholic social teaching." 

I have scrubbed the document from cover to cover, and I found some helpful suggestions for... you guessed it! ... Catholic Fundraisers.

With so much going on this summer, I thought these insights from the Pontifical Council will help you.

For more information on this article and how to fundraise, check out: http://bit.ly/2Z12lya

Today is the Memorial of Saint Benedict, and I was reviewing earlier this week Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical, Saved in Hope.

How does this connect with raising funds?

When we fundraise, we often use the word hope. "I hope this campaign works." "I hope they say yes." "I hope to find donors."

On the surface, these phrases may seem reasonable to you. But there is an important takeaway when it comes to hope.

Pope Benedict tells us that hope, if not understood properly, can do more harm than good. This fact is especially true with fundraising, and he shares why.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/30x9k1R

This week, I spent time learning about the life of Saint Joseph.

I came across an encyclical written by Pope Leo XIII about Joseph titled, QUAMQUAM PLURIES.

If my Latin is correct, this means, "However often," right?

I couldn't help spotting the connections between Saint Joseph's life and the life of a fundraiser. At first glance, this may sound impossible; however, I think you will agree with my findings.

Check out this week's fundraising 'thought-piece': http://bit.ly/2LEpMJM

Last week, I offered a group of Catholics the opportunity to “ask-me-anything”…

Someone (whom I had never met) asked if I would fundraise for them and earn a commission from the proceeds. You can probably guess my answer.

What most people miss is that fundraising isn’t just about donations and grants.

There’s something much more important.

And if you want to find donors to support your mission, then I suggest you learn from Abraham. He learned to build the Kingdom of God, and Abraham starting with NOTHING. A daunting task, yes, but he did it.

Check out this week’s lesson: http://bit.ly/2MVVX9w

You have likely heard of Saint Bernardine of Siena, a 15th century Franciscan. Pope Pius II called him a second Paul.

This past week, I read through the Life of Saint Bernardine and discovered he had a strange approach to fundraising.

As any Saint would do, he challenged my perspective and made me rethink my views on how to ask.

Here is what I learned for him.

For more information, check out:

http://bit.ly/2Mx4xvh

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

There are many things to consider when fundraising. Sometimes I’ll spend hours, even days, fine-tuning a letter to prospects or brainstorming ideas for campaigns.

That stuff is important.

But there’s a fine line between allowing yourself to get lost in the details versus moving your Catholic mission forward.

Enter Saint Augustine of Hippo.

He had LOADS of responsibilities, some included fundraising. He knew that it had to get done, but he also knew not to overthink it.

Today, I recommend you learn three ways Saint Augustine managed his fundraising which come from St. Possidius's biography, Life of Saint Augustine.

Check it the additional resources here: http://bit.ly/2MiNmxD

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

Good fundraising isn't about shouting from the rooftops about why people should donate to your cause.

It starts with focusing on what matters most, keeping your eyes open, and inspiring your community to become more holy.

Take, for example, Saint John Vianney. He began his priestly ministry with a rundown parish, empty pews, and very few financial resources.

You could say he started with nothing...

This week's article is all about how Saint John Vianney started - especially with fundraising - so you can change more lives and make an even greater impact. Check it out...

http://bit.ly/2YAFIQy

It seems like every couple of weeks someone claims that saints did not have to fundraise.

The funny thing is, saints (especially the apostles) were very influential people, and as a result, could personally benefit from their situation - especially when it comes to money - but they didn't.

This is what Saint Robert Bellarmine - Doctor of the Church - teaches in his spiritual masterpiece, the Eternal Happiness of the Saints.

Saint Bellarmine explains how fundraising (the Catholic way) can actually build the Kingdom of God and inspire others to be holy, and that’s what this week’s article is all about: