Growing Givers' Hearts : Treating Fundraising as Ministry

by Thomas H. Jeavons, Rebekah Burch Basinger

Here for the first time is a truly spiritual way of looking atfundraising as an opportunity to nurture current and prospectivedonors and facilitate their growth in faith. Growing Givers' Heartsexplores how development staff, executives, and board members fromacross the theological spectrum can make faith-buildingopportunities for donors their first priority; act on theirconfidence in God's abundance; draw from their theologicaltradition in their approach to fundraising; involve a vitalcross-section of staff in planning; and cultivate spirituallymature leadership.

With this innovative approach, Growing Givers' Hearts empowersreaders to work in spiritually grounded, deeply creative, andprofessionally satisfying ways. Fundraisers in any Christianorganization will find extraordinary insights in this importantguide.

Genres: Money, Nonfiction, Theology

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 17, 2000

About the author

Thomas was a leader of nonprofit and religious organizations and a scholar of philanthropic and nonprofit studies. He worked for the Religious Society of Friends as well as several universities. He retired from IUPUI as the director of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA). Thomas served on many nonprofit boards but cherished his work as a trustee for the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund.

Reviews

[Joshua Milligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great guide to the thought processes and motivations behind any fundraising. While geared towards non-profit ministries and Christian organizations, this book is useful for anyone in the marketing realm of business.

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very difficult for me to read. I had a difficult time engaging and really caringe... BUT, it presented a thorough and inspiring view of how Christian fundraising can be used as an opportunity to develop givers spiritually. There are six main points that it gives, things like planning, making sure the theological underpinings are secure, selecting leadership that affirms that theology, and a few other things. There are quite a few references given, but for the most part, the information is communicated anecdotaly. As such, it would be difficult to reconstruct proofs for any given point, but you can see that it is sound, scriptural advice and so the proofs are not always necessary. Definitely worth reading for anyone involved in fundraising or Church finance.

[Dave Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid treatment of the vocation/calling of fundraising. The authors begin with the reality that God is a God of grace and abundance. They continue by looking at fundraising practices by matching them up against the calling of a Christian. Good read for any Christian who is involved with raising funds in any way.

[Jack Kooyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very worthwhile and useful book for Christians engaged in the "ministry" of donor development. I appreciated the perspective of donor development as ministry and not manipulation or just for the sake of eventually "closing the deal."