Assuming that the Annual Fund is effective at maintaining a growing pool of regular donors, your next step is to cultivate these friends to a point of knowing when to ask for a major gift, for what amount, and to which project.  So how do you do this?

This one requires that you actually go see your top-end donors in person.  I have used a technique of meeting with these donors for the purpose of thanking them, and learning how they got involved with the ministry.  When you schedule the visit, you are coming “to bring the results of your financial support, and learn more about how you got connected with our program”.

Your initial visits should focus on learning about their interests, family life, and work experiences.  Additionally, you want to know them as people.  What they care about and why. 

Once you’ve done this, it’s time to begin planning individual cultivation strategies for each prospect.  As development professionals, cultivation simply means planning the steps we will take in educating and involving these supporters in a way that will draw them closer to a program that they care about very deeply.  That is why it is critical that your relationship building process be focused on the donor – and what they care about.

Now before we get too far into how to do it, let’s talk about what you are really after.  For the Christian Development Officer, your primary responsibility is to offer these donors an opportunity to share in the work that God is doing in your ministry – at a deeper level.  The issue is that only God can motivate, but you can shepherd the process.  Your job is to bring the donor to a point where they have enough information to evaluate their “investment” in light of their passions.

So, going in, you need a set of “minimum expectations” that you hope to fill for each visit.  This would be something like; __ invite to the next President’s Dinner; or, __ a tour of the facilities; or __ to learn how they got connected with the (children’s) program.  This information should lead to activities or actions that get them involved more than they currently are.

Next, you need to keep track of that information.  Particularly the data about their interests and areas of giving.  You should create a donor profile form, the data from which gets entered into the donor’s record.  This will allow you to search for donors who have similar interests in a particular area of the ministry so that you can call on them when that program has a need or opportunity. 

Assuming you have done all that, the next step is to invite these “friends” to see what is going on in the program area they told you about when you first met with them.  Your role is that of “reporter”, bringing them the news and current events of “their” ministry.

Finally, you are at a point where you would ask them to consider helping you accomplish something big.  Something innovative.  This is where it can seem difficult, but if handled prayerfully, it looks something like this:

“Bob and Jane, since we first met two years ago, I have enjoyed listening to your heart about our (children’s) ministry.  You have shared your concerns about (how these kids need our services) and hopefully, you have seen how God has blessed (the ministry) with the ability to solve this problem.  Your care and concern for this issue have been a great encouragement to us at (the ministry).  As we look to the future and the need to (grow/ serve more people), I wonder if you would consider making a significant gift to this program in order to (help 50 more children . . . )?

The next person to speak should be the donor.  God will either lay on their heart the desire to give or He won’t.  Your job is to listen to what He tells you – through their response.

If they have questions and need more information, God may be asking you to make your case clearer.  Go get the information for them.

If they say “No” without giving any reasons, you can be assured that they aren’t going to change their mind before you get out their home.  Thank them for the chance to share the ministry with them, and ask for permission to keep them informed about the program.

You can also be assured that God probably isn’t done working on this issue – either through them, or on you.  Go back to your office and evaluate your presentation of the Case for Support.  Would you have given if you had been in their shoes?  If not, you can benefit from some polishing of the “enthusiasm factor” for what God is doing through your ministry.

Simply put, this “Process of Faith” idea of allowing God to be the motivator in the discussion takes away the need to feel let-down or rejected with someone doesn’t make the gift we asked for. 

Now, pick up that phone and make a new friend.  Only God knows what will come of it.