Posted by Aaron Jeschke on December 4, 2009
Are you a Christian Sports team or organization looking for a product that will help you raise money quickly and easily? Many sports teams have a difficult time raising the money they need because it is usually pretty difficult to communicate the mission and purpose of a sports team to those who are not directly involved. It’s imperative for Christian sports teams to have quality church fundraising products that donors actually want to buy otherwise you might have a pretty difficult time raising money.
The Game Saver Card is the perfect product for Christian Sports fundraising. The Game Saver Card works like the Samaritan Card, but offers sports-themed discounts to golf, automobile, dining, and recreational venues. Save up to 50% at more than 1,700 golf courses nationwide, plus savings on golf instruction, gear, apparel and more. Also save at restaurants, on automobile expenses like oil changes, plus recreation including theme parks and tickets to professional sporting events! The best part is that the Game Saver Card is designed specifically for Christian Sports groups and is amazingly simple to sell! Have any friends that play golf? Who wouldn’t want up to 50% at over 1,700 golf courses nationwide?
It you are having trouble raising money for your Christian sports group than I would highly recommend the Game Saver Card. Its the card that sports fans want to buy! Raising money for your Christian Sports team has never been easier!
Posted by Fundraising Pro on June 15, 2009
Christian-based fundraisers are not always limited to churches; in fact, there’s a whole world of Christian organizations out there, from mission groups to elementary schools. Often, these groups are not-for-profit and privately funded, so like daycares, they often need extra funding to keep going. Many church-based organizations, like youth groups or universities, ask for donations on a regular basis from their members to cover the activities and ongoing costs.
However, when items such as rent, employee salaries (if the group is a school or other business-based organization), and travel expenses come up, they need more than what they get from tuition costs and their diocese. That’s when a fundraiser happens – and it can be a challenge for organizations to drum up enough interest in the non-Christian community to actually make the money that they need.
When you host a Christian-based fundraiser and you want to attract the general public, don’t be too heavy-handed with religious platitudes. You will lose your fundraising potential before you even begin. Instead, tell people what the end result will be – you’ll have a youth group for teenagers to attend one night a week; you’ll be able to send a certain number of people overseas to help build houses; or your school will be able to fund some extra-curricular activities for its students.
If you host an attractive fundraiser, you may get people who like to travel, or who want to see a performance or sample a certain type of food food, or even those who just want to expand their intellectual horizons. Play your cards right and you may get these people coming back for future fundraisers, and may even be able to help you with your next one, if they have knowledge of the area.
Christian-based fundraisers don’t have to stay in the Christian community, or only deal with members of churches. When they appeal to everyone, like the Samaritan Card, you will find that non-religious people may actually be interested in your cause.
Posted by Fundraising Pro on June 12, 2009
Schools may be out for summer and church activities may slow down as families go away on vacation. But this a vital time for school fundraising groups and Christian fundraising groups to plan their key fundraisers for fall.
Never has there been a better time to sell the Samaritan Card as your group’s major fundraising activity. Newly released data for 2008 reveals that charitable giving by Americans fell by 2 percent last year.
The Giving USA Foundation, which has conducted the survey since 1956, expressed relief that 2008’s decrease was not steeper, considering that many Americans lost more than 2 percent of their wealth during the year.
However, the report highlights the challenging circumstances facing America’s nonprofits, many of which have been forced to lay off staff and cut programs because of declining revenue.
Particularly hard hit were social services charities which suffered a 12 percent drop in donations at a time when most of them were experiencing increased demand for their services.
The last similar overall drop in giving was n 1987, the year of the Black Monday stock market collapse.
Although experts agree that this past year’s drop could have been worse, it still means that nonprofits will have to do more with less.
The Samaritan Card, a wallet-sized discount shopping card, offers people a way to be charitable in difficult times and a way for organizations to easily raise the money they need for their causes.
Posted by Fundraising Pro on June 8, 2009
Christian non-profit groups and charities planning to start a business or keep one afloat are confronting daunting economic challenges. Experts in the field offer the following fundraising tips:
Don’t panic. The fundamentals of business don’t change, even in a downturn. To be successful, businesses still have to lure and keep customers, provide good service and keep prices competitive.
Watch the numbers. Keeping an eye on costs and cash flow takes on increased importance in a tough economy. Nonprofits that typically run their financial reports every couple of months should move to a monthly or even weekly schedule.
Planning is important. More charities are creating a range of contingency plans for their businesses now. It is important to outline courses of action for different levels of increases or decreases in revenue.
Be realistic. Many nonprofit groups are reeling from drops in their philanthropic support, but organizations in financial crisis should not start a business simply because it seems an easy way to make money. It could drain resources and create a worse situation.
Look ahead to the economic recovery. The downturn provides a valuable opportunity to plan and lay the groundwork for a new business to start in the near future.
Mission is key. To make smart choices in response to the economic crisis, nonprofit organizations need to remember why they started their businesses in the first place.
Sell the Samaritan Card. This wallet-sized discount card makes it easy to generate revenue. There’s little overhead and it offers your community a way to donate during difficult financial times – the card pays for itself after only several purchases.
Posted by Fundraising Pro on June 3, 2009
Christian fundraising and school fundraising groups can take heart. President Obama and his wife Michelle, last year donated 6.5 percent of their income to charity, according to figures the White House recently released.
Vice President Biden and his wife, Jill, donated less than 1 percent of their income to charitable causes, reported the Chronicle of Philanthropy in a summary of the White House data.
The figures come from the release of tax returns filed by the President and Vice President. The Obamas reported giving a total of $172,050 to charitable organizations. Their adjusted gross income last year was nearly $2.66 million.
The Obamas donated to 37 organizations. Their largest contributions were $25,000 to CARE and $25,00 to the United Negro College Fund.
The Bidens took a charitable deduction of $1,885. Their adjusted gross income last year was $269,256.
However, the Vice President’s office said that the Bidens also donated to their church, and that they contributed to their favorite charity causes “with their time, as well as their checkbooks.”
The tax return filed by the Bidens shows they made cash gifts of $1,335 to organizations whose names they did not disclose and $550 in clothing to Goodwill Industries.
Clearly, the President and Vice President are setting a good example for all Americans with their donations to charities and nonprofits. Now if only someone would approach them about purchasing a Samaritan Card, we’re certain they’d be happy to add the purchase price to their list of donations. Donors love the Samaritan Card, a wallet-sized discount card, because after only a few uses, it’s all ready paid for itself.
Posted by Fundraising Pro on June 1, 2009
As revenues fall for many non-profit businesses, their leaders are taking steps to limit losses, hold on to customers, and try to ride out the financial storm. Christian fundraising groups and school fundraising committees are not immune from having to come up with new fundraising ideas.
But the news isn’t all bad. Some business run by Christian fundraising groups and other nonprofit groups, like thrift stores, have actually been boosted by the recession, and a growing number of groups are turning their attention to newer industries, such as recycling and clean energy, that they think will grow in the near future A survey of 848 charities released last week found that 54 percent now run businesses. Of the groups that did not already run a business, 57 percent said they were think thinking about starting another one.
Some charities find that with a well-thought-out plan, now can actually be a good time to build or carefully expand a business, as many basic costs, such as rent or employees, are lower than they would be in a booming economy.
For some charities with more than one business, growth in one can cushion the organization against losses in another – and even in fundraising.
To attract more business and increase the funds that can go towards their mission and achieving their goals, many nonprofits are selling the Samaritan Card. This discount shopping card not only pays for itself after the first few uses, but organizations do not have to burden volunteers with the complications of storing and distributing bulky items such as tubs of cookie dough and rolls of wrapping paper. The wallet-size Samaritan Card is a great way to support great causes.
