Every parish and church organization struggles to fund the annual operating budget. Rare is the church institution that oversubscribes its budget through voluntary giving. Yet it is voluntary giving that is one of the most effective means of deepening commitments to a parish or church organization. Giving regularly and generously is a habit of the heart that bears much spiritual fruit.

Practically speaking, those who have learned to honor a sacrificial pledge for annual budget support are the leading candidates to give major gifts to a capital campaign and planned gifts in their estate. Parishes and church organizations that do not have an effective annual giving program in place face an uphill battle in any capital campaign.

Stewardship Advocates has designed an annual giving strategy specifically for Orthodox parishes. It is a method that once learned, can be administered each year by the parish leadership with minimal (if any) further professional assistance.

Working with Stewardship Advocates, the strategy consists of a position analysis, a seminar with the parish leadership, the development of a fundraising plan specifically designed for each parish’s unique circumstances, prospect evaluation and review, volunteer training and then the actual implementation of the annual giving program.