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The Giver and the Gift: Principles of Kingdom Fundraising
A Relational Approach to Fundraising
For many people, fundraising has become a dirty word. Conjuring images of guilt-inducing gimmickry, the predominant model saps the joy from both the donor and the receiver. But what if fundraising has the potential to be good for the giver, not just the recipient? What if it's about love and service, not just "What's in it for me?"
These are the questions that Peter Greer, president and CEO of Hope International, and David Weekley, one of America's most influential philanthropists, answer in The Giver and the Gift . Based upon their own relationship and experiences, The Giver and the Gift outlines a Kingdom perspective on fundraising. Instead of guilt, there is gratitude. Instead of obligation, joy.
It's time to dismantle certain shaky beliefs and practices, energizing a new generation of generosity.
"How does fundraising become a Kingdom partnership, instead of just the transfer of funds? As a person who has spent years in the middle of these partnerships, I found the book fresh, clear, and extremely helpful." -- Denny Rydberg , president of Young Life
For many people, fundraising has become a dirty word. Conjuring images of guilt-inducing gimmickry, the predominant model saps the joy from both the donor and the receiver. But what if fundraising has the potential to be good for the giver, not just the recipient? What if it's about love and service, not just "What's in it for me?"
These are the questions that Peter Greer, president and CEO of Hope International, and David Weekley, one of America's most influential philanthropists, answer in The Giver and the Gift . Based upon their own relationship and experiences, The Giver and the Gift outlines a Kingdom perspective on fundraising. Instead of guilt, there is gratitude. Instead of obligation, joy.
It's time to dismantle certain shaky beliefs and practices, energizing a new generation of generosity.
"How does fundraising become a Kingdom partnership, instead of just the transfer of funds? As a person who has spent years in the middle of these partnerships, I found the book fresh, clear, and extremely helpful." -- Denny Rydberg , president of Young Life
- GenresBusinessNonfictionFaith
112 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2015
38 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Peter Greer
23 books27 followersPeter Greer is an author, speaker, and president and CEO of HOPE International, a global faith-based economic development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Peter received a B.S. in international business from Messiah University and an MPP in political and economic development from Harvard's Kennedy School.
As an advocate for the Church’s role in missions and alleviating extreme poverty, Peter has co-authored over 14 books, including The Gift of Disillusionment, Mission Drift (selected as a 2015 Book Award Winner from Christianity Today), Rooting for Rivals (selected as a 2019 Leadership Resource of the Year in Outreach magazine), The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good (selected as one of the top 40 books on poverty by WORLD magazine) and Created to Flourish. More important than his role at HOPE is his role as husband to Laurel and dad to Keith, Liliana, Myles, and London. While his sports loyalties remain in New England, Peter and his family live in Lancaster, PA.
Blog: peterkgreer.com. Twitter: @peterkgreer. Facebook: @PeterKGreer
As an advocate for the Church’s role in missions and alleviating extreme poverty, Peter has co-authored over 14 books, including The Gift of Disillusionment, Mission Drift (selected as a 2015 Book Award Winner from Christianity Today), Rooting for Rivals (selected as a 2019 Leadership Resource of the Year in Outreach magazine), The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good (selected as one of the top 40 books on poverty by WORLD magazine) and Created to Flourish. More important than his role at HOPE is his role as husband to Laurel and dad to Keith, Liliana, Myles, and London. While his sports loyalties remain in New England, Peter and his family live in Lancaster, PA.
Blog: peterkgreer.com. Twitter: @peterkgreer. Facebook: @PeterKGreer
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 2, 2025
David Weekley is the Bob Goff of nonprofit philanthropy! Short, digestible chapters with so many good nuggets to use as talking points! Walked through this book w my boss as I’m learning the world of development and am leaving feeling more knowledgeable and equipped for fundraising conversations.
June 20, 2023
Review title: Informative and concise book from the perspective a fundraiser and a donor
This is an excellent and rather short book with principles and observations in the first section of the book from the perspective of Peter Greer, a fundraiser for HOPE International, and in the second half of the book from David Weekley, a wealthy donor to HOPE International as well as a long time friend of Peter’s. The book is divided into 20 very short chapters preceded by a Forward and an Introduction, and followed by a Conclusion, Acknowledgments, Appendix, Notes, and About the Authors. For this review, I decided to include a summary quote or statement from each section or chapter.
The Forward by Fred Smith sets the stage for the conversation about donors and ministry leaders and the importance of a healthy relationship rather than one of power, control, or manipulation. The Introduction compares two forms of fundraising and this book will focus both on the giver and the receiver and the importance of the relationship between them.
Part 1, The Gift
Right away, Peter Greer, a professional ministry fundraiser, explains his shift in understanding fundraising. Initially, he viewed it as a poor orphan begging for a handout but through a couple of divine encounters, he shifted to see it as a Kingdom partnership where together both parties can accomplish something together that neither could do alone.
Chapter 1: Christ-Centered, Not Me-Centered
“At its core, fundraising is spiritual. Doing it well means listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance.” p26
Chapter 2: Listen First, Speak Second
“Raising the bar means refusing to see fundraising as a transaction, but rather as a relationship. And deepening relationships means spending far more time listening than speaking.” p30
Chapter 3: Generous, Not Greedy
“When we model Christ’s generosity, it has a tendency to spread. Generous fundraisers often spark generous donors who inspire generous staff around the world.” p33
Chapter 4: Clarity, Not Ambiguity
“Having clear plans and goals provided an important level of organizational accountability, as well as a seriousness about our partnership with supporters.” p36 “It’s not enough to tell a donor where their money will go; you also have to come back and tell them where it went.” p37
Chapter 5: Real, Not Rose-Colored
Always be truthful and trustworthy.
Chapter 6: Patient, Not Overambitious
“Unsolicited proposals are often unwelcome proposals, similar to a door-to-door salesman interrupting the family dinner.” p43
Chapter 7: Confident, Not Arrogant
“For the best of both the donors and the organization, funding needs to be in line with the full mission.” p47
Chapter 8: Long-Term, Not Short-Lived
“At its heart, a partnership isn’t just about the money—it’s also about the relationship.” p49
Chapter 9: Grateful, Not Entitled
“Good work begins with gratitude in both the one making the gift and the one receiving it.” p53
Chapter 10: Represents, Not Uses
People, including cold children, had to wait two days for onsite blankets to be given to them because the NGOs wanted publicity when they were distributed. The people in need should be served but instead were being used.
Part 2, The Giver
“When I act on that responsibility and give freely of my time, talent, and resources, I feel an awesome joy.” p63
Chapter 11: Stewardship, Not Ownership
“When we use our gifts to serve God and others for the Kingdom, we release our claim on what we have received and invite the Holy Spirit to work through us.” p67
Chapter 12: Heads, Not Just Hearts
“Don’t let relationships or appeal to emotions cloud your judgment. Take the time to carefully investigate how to give in a way that stewards God’s resources well.” p69
Chapter 13: Mission Minded, Not Manipulative
Donors can influence an organization’s direction and effectiveness which has the potential to be good or bad for both the organization and the donor.
Chapter 14: Partnership, Not Dependency
“It is damaging to give a handout rather than a “hand-up”, we shouldn’t throw money at non-profits without helping them to perform more effectively.” p76
Chapter 15: Transformational Giving, Not Just Informed Philanthropy
“Recruiting folks with the proper expertise can make an enormous difference.” p80 Giving can transform both the recipients and the donors.
Chapter 16: Spirit-Led, Not Overly Structured
“As important as it is to give with your brain engaged, it’s equally important to be willing to sacrifice your standard processes if the Holy Spirit leads.” p83
Chapter 17: Anonymous or Named?
“The real question is not, Should I give anonymously? The question is, How will I gain the most glory for God?” p86
Chapter 18: The Kids or the Kingdom?
“The question is usually not whether to give the kids anything or not, as most of us do want to leave a legacy of some sort to our children. The issue is how much to leave to the kids and how and when to have it impact their lives.” p89
Chapter 19: For Forever or For Now?
Waiting to give until after death prevents us from being directly involved in investing today in causes we care about deeply.
Chapter 20: Together, Not Alone
“Giving in community always seems to result in a greater impact and in better decisions.” p96
Conclusion
“We’re all giving and we’re all receiving, collectively doing something far greater than any one person could do alone.” p98
Appendix 1, David Weekley Family Foundation’s International Giving Summary
This appendix is about the David Weekley Family Foundation and includes its mission, focus, what they like, what concerns them, how they partner, and the traits of the strongest partners.
I highly recommend this book for ministry leaders, people who need to raise money, and people who know they should give of their resources and are looking for wisdom to give wisely. I also think it would be a good book for families with older children (teens and young adults) to discuss their family’s model for philanthropy and their legacy plan.
This is an excellent and rather short book with principles and observations in the first section of the book from the perspective of Peter Greer, a fundraiser for HOPE International, and in the second half of the book from David Weekley, a wealthy donor to HOPE International as well as a long time friend of Peter’s. The book is divided into 20 very short chapters preceded by a Forward and an Introduction, and followed by a Conclusion, Acknowledgments, Appendix, Notes, and About the Authors. For this review, I decided to include a summary quote or statement from each section or chapter.
The Forward by Fred Smith sets the stage for the conversation about donors and ministry leaders and the importance of a healthy relationship rather than one of power, control, or manipulation. The Introduction compares two forms of fundraising and this book will focus both on the giver and the receiver and the importance of the relationship between them.
Part 1, The Gift
Right away, Peter Greer, a professional ministry fundraiser, explains his shift in understanding fundraising. Initially, he viewed it as a poor orphan begging for a handout but through a couple of divine encounters, he shifted to see it as a Kingdom partnership where together both parties can accomplish something together that neither could do alone.
Chapter 1: Christ-Centered, Not Me-Centered
“At its core, fundraising is spiritual. Doing it well means listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance.” p26
Chapter 2: Listen First, Speak Second
“Raising the bar means refusing to see fundraising as a transaction, but rather as a relationship. And deepening relationships means spending far more time listening than speaking.” p30
Chapter 3: Generous, Not Greedy
“When we model Christ’s generosity, it has a tendency to spread. Generous fundraisers often spark generous donors who inspire generous staff around the world.” p33
Chapter 4: Clarity, Not Ambiguity
“Having clear plans and goals provided an important level of organizational accountability, as well as a seriousness about our partnership with supporters.” p36 “It’s not enough to tell a donor where their money will go; you also have to come back and tell them where it went.” p37
Chapter 5: Real, Not Rose-Colored
Always be truthful and trustworthy.
Chapter 6: Patient, Not Overambitious
“Unsolicited proposals are often unwelcome proposals, similar to a door-to-door salesman interrupting the family dinner.” p43
Chapter 7: Confident, Not Arrogant
“For the best of both the donors and the organization, funding needs to be in line with the full mission.” p47
Chapter 8: Long-Term, Not Short-Lived
“At its heart, a partnership isn’t just about the money—it’s also about the relationship.” p49
Chapter 9: Grateful, Not Entitled
“Good work begins with gratitude in both the one making the gift and the one receiving it.” p53
Chapter 10: Represents, Not Uses
People, including cold children, had to wait two days for onsite blankets to be given to them because the NGOs wanted publicity when they were distributed. The people in need should be served but instead were being used.
Part 2, The Giver
“When I act on that responsibility and give freely of my time, talent, and resources, I feel an awesome joy.” p63
Chapter 11: Stewardship, Not Ownership
“When we use our gifts to serve God and others for the Kingdom, we release our claim on what we have received and invite the Holy Spirit to work through us.” p67
Chapter 12: Heads, Not Just Hearts
“Don’t let relationships or appeal to emotions cloud your judgment. Take the time to carefully investigate how to give in a way that stewards God’s resources well.” p69
Chapter 13: Mission Minded, Not Manipulative
Donors can influence an organization’s direction and effectiveness which has the potential to be good or bad for both the organization and the donor.
Chapter 14: Partnership, Not Dependency
“It is damaging to give a handout rather than a “hand-up”, we shouldn’t throw money at non-profits without helping them to perform more effectively.” p76
Chapter 15: Transformational Giving, Not Just Informed Philanthropy
“Recruiting folks with the proper expertise can make an enormous difference.” p80 Giving can transform both the recipients and the donors.
Chapter 16: Spirit-Led, Not Overly Structured
“As important as it is to give with your brain engaged, it’s equally important to be willing to sacrifice your standard processes if the Holy Spirit leads.” p83
Chapter 17: Anonymous or Named?
“The real question is not, Should I give anonymously? The question is, How will I gain the most glory for God?” p86
Chapter 18: The Kids or the Kingdom?
“The question is usually not whether to give the kids anything or not, as most of us do want to leave a legacy of some sort to our children. The issue is how much to leave to the kids and how and when to have it impact their lives.” p89
Chapter 19: For Forever or For Now?
Waiting to give until after death prevents us from being directly involved in investing today in causes we care about deeply.
Chapter 20: Together, Not Alone
“Giving in community always seems to result in a greater impact and in better decisions.” p96
Conclusion
“We’re all giving and we’re all receiving, collectively doing something far greater than any one person could do alone.” p98
Appendix 1, David Weekley Family Foundation’s International Giving Summary
This appendix is about the David Weekley Family Foundation and includes its mission, focus, what they like, what concerns them, how they partner, and the traits of the strongest partners.
I highly recommend this book for ministry leaders, people who need to raise money, and people who know they should give of their resources and are looking for wisdom to give wisely. I also think it would be a good book for families with older children (teens and young adults) to discuss their family’s model for philanthropy and their legacy plan.
May 29, 2020
I would encourage any Christian working in fundraising or development to read this book. As many other reviewer‘s right, some of these concepts are not revolutionary. But, we could all be reminded of them from time to time. Fundraising truly can be kingdom work when framed in the right way and execute it as a ministry to the donors.
April 21, 2018
This book landed in my mailbox yesterday and I completed it today, “The Giver and the Gift: Principles of Kingdom Fundraising” by Peter Greer and David Weekly. This book is small in size but mighty in impact. The thesis of the book is that most fundraising is a one way street. An organization approaches a donor with their hand out and hopes for dollars to be placed in that hand. Greer and Weekly argue that that focus is incomplete. Instead they argue for “kingdom fundraising.” In other words, fundraising is a two-way street involving both the giver of the gift and the receiving organization.
When the receiving organization recognizes that the giver will receive as much blessing in giving as the organization gets by receiving, a transformation takes place. Instead of closing a sale, the fundraiser simply seeks out givers who would be disappointed if the need was met before they had an opportunity to give. Additionally, the organization recognizes the need to develop long-term, loving (and real) relationships with those generous donors. The organization cares more about the giver than the gift!
One of the unique aspects of this book is that it is co-written by the president of a non-profit and a large donor to non-profits. Understanding the prospective of the giver and the receiver is extremely helpful. Mr. Weekly provides helpful guidelines for donors to use before committing God’s resources to an organization.
I would highly recommend this book if you are involved in fundraising or in a non-profit leadership role. Also, if you have the gift of giving or if you simply understand that everything you have and everything you are is a gift from God, you can profit from reading this book. Happy reading!
When the receiving organization recognizes that the giver will receive as much blessing in giving as the organization gets by receiving, a transformation takes place. Instead of closing a sale, the fundraiser simply seeks out givers who would be disappointed if the need was met before they had an opportunity to give. Additionally, the organization recognizes the need to develop long-term, loving (and real) relationships with those generous donors. The organization cares more about the giver than the gift!
One of the unique aspects of this book is that it is co-written by the president of a non-profit and a large donor to non-profits. Understanding the prospective of the giver and the receiver is extremely helpful. Mr. Weekly provides helpful guidelines for donors to use before committing God’s resources to an organization.
I would highly recommend this book if you are involved in fundraising or in a non-profit leadership role. Also, if you have the gift of giving or if you simply understand that everything you have and everything you are is a gift from God, you can profit from reading this book. Happy reading!
February 22, 2019
This book is a quick read (not as quick when you have an infant babe) broken down into small, easily digestible chapters. I appreciate the author’s approach to Kingdom fundraising, which may or may not vary from good fundraising principles but add a depth when offering an opportunity to give in light of eternity. I like that there is an emphasis on reciprocal relationships (as opposed to one-way “you give to me” that I see permeating some missionary asks) and transformation rather than transactions. Overall nothing earth-shattering to me, but then again, I’ve read more fundraising literature than average.
June 14, 2024
The Giver and the Gift Principles of Kingdom Fundraising by Peter Greer and David Weekly This little book is packed with valuable insights. Each chapter is actionable, whether you are raising money or donating. I enjoyed the relatable stories Peter and David shared as they made the chapters even more poignant and memorable. The book also encourages kingdom-based giving to avoid “When Helping Hurts” scenarios. The Giver and the Gift is a great guide that I’m sure I’ll be referencing and returning to from now on.
October 31, 2023
In a book club with a friend and we went through this. It’s all about generosity with the first half written by a guy in a nonprofit (like me) with the back half written by a guy who has made more money than he ever imagined (not like me… yet), and wanted to steward it well. Great perspective if you fall into either category!
Also the chapters are like 3 pages long, so the ideal book club book for me haha.
Also the chapters are like 3 pages long, so the ideal book club book for me haha.
November 28, 2019
I loved this book because it was written from two different perspectives on giving. From a person running a non profit asking for donations and a person that gives generously to support non profit organizations. I hope this book inspires and helps those that give and those that receive those gifts.
September 6, 2021
This was a unique and healthy perspective on how to have the two parties involved in the financial stewardship of nonprofits co-labor for the vision and mission of an organization and not simply complete a transaction.
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March 19, 2020“We’re all giving and we’re all receiving, collectively doing something far greater than any one person could do alone.”
April 30, 2020
A quick read to be reminded of the Kingdom principles of fundraising! Really encouraging and gave me a ton of confidence for the season ahead!
December 31, 2020
A good book about the philanthropic partnership between donor and recipient.
January 6, 2021
This tiny book packs a big punch. Brief, powerful, and helpful, I recommend it for all fundraising professionals and all charitable givers, so pretty much everyone.
December 20, 2021
Short and simple.
While not revolutionary in concept, this slim book does offer great reminders and principles for anyone who is fundraising for a business, non-profit, church or school.
While not revolutionary in concept, this slim book does offer great reminders and principles for anyone who is fundraising for a business, non-profit, church or school.
March 28, 2023
Quick read for any Christian fundraiser- I was a big fan!
May 8, 2025
Read for work - Short and sweet but practical! Will definitely use as a reference moving forward in my role.
December 7, 2025
Good to read both sides of giving and consider different perspectives.
December 13, 2015
A great new resource on giving and philanthropy.
January 11, 2016
It's not literature. But, for anyone interested in the topic of kingdom-based fundraising, it is a brief and concise introduction.
September 13, 2016
The book is a good general education for working with donors with a Kingdom perspective. Focuses on the relationship between gift and giver which is critical to any sustainability.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews