Petrus Development | Teaching Catholic Fundraising

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Happy All Saints' Day! 🌟 🎉 😇 May the lives of the Saints inspire us daily to pursue a path of holiness. All you Holy Saints, pray for us! #AllSaintsDay #Holiness #Catholic #Solemnity #prayforus

Not to mention the always-full inbox... 🎃 Happy Halloween🎃 #petrusdevelopment #halloween #nonprofitfundraising #development

Feeling like there’s never enough time in the day? Development officers wear a lot of hats, but not every task needs to land on your plate. To stay focused on the high-value work—like building relationships with major donors—you can outsource certain tasks to software, volunteers, or part-time helpers. Here are some of the top tasks we recommend handing off: ➡️ Data entry and donor record updates Hiring a part-time assistant to do this work 5-10 hours a week is well worth the cost if it frees you up to get out and meet donors with that time. ➡️ Sending basic thank-you notes and acknowledgments Automate thank-you emails or let volunteers send out handwritten notes. You’ll ensure gratitude gets out the door without taking up your whole day. Don’t hand off all of these though - stewardship is still a critical piece of a fundraiser’s job. ➡️ Event logistics and coordination Assign the details—RSVP tracking, seating arrangements, etc.—to a volunteer or part-time assistant, so you can focus on donor engagement. ➡️ Basic donor research An assistant or volunteer can gather basic info on potential donors, leaving you to dig deeper into the high-priority leads. ➡️ Mailing appeal letters and campaigns This is perfect for volunteers or assistants—let them handle the printing, stuffing, and mailing of appeal letters, while you focus on cultivating relationships. Outsourcing these tasks allows you to focus your energy on what matters most: building meaningful relationships and securing the big gifts that drive your mission forward.  --- What tasks do you delegate so you can focus on high-value work? Let’s share ideas below! 👇

Is your appeal letter getting crickets? 🦗 Don’t worry, we’ve been there. Small tweaks can make all the difference. Here are three of our favorite ways to improve appeal letter response rates: ➡️ Make it personal    People don’t respond to generic letters—they respond to *connection*. Instead of sending out a mass, one-size-fits-all letter, tailor your appeals to different segments of your donor list. Reference their past involvement, thank them for specific gifts, and show them the unique impact they’ve made. Think about it this way: Would you be more likely to respond to a letter that says “Dear Friend” or one that mentions the time you helped support a new youth ministry at your parish? Personalization = engagement. ➡️ Tell a story that moves hearts Statistics and project outlines are great, but nothing sticks like a story. Share a powerful narrative that puts a face to your mission. Whether it's a student from your Catholic school who received a life-changing scholarship or a parish community that rallied around a family in need, a good story taps into the emotions and values that resonate with your donors. People are much more likely to give when they see how their support impacts lives in real, tangible ways. ➡️ Create a clear and compelling ask This one sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often appeal letters beat around the bush. Don’t assume donors will automatically know how much you need or where the money will go—spell it out. 💡Make it clear, simple, and focused on impact. Instead of “We appreciate any support you can give,” try something like, “A gift of $100 will provide Catholic textbooks for one student this year.” Donors want to know their gift is making a difference, so show them exactly how. ➡️ Bonus tip: Always include a follow-up! A second letter, phone call, or even an email can give a gentle nudge to those who might have missed the first appeal. Persistence, with grace, pays off. --- What’s your go-to strategy for increasing appeal letter response rates? Let’s swap ideas in the comments below! 👇

It’s the final countdown! ⏰ The last weeks of the calendar year can make or break your fundraising goals.   Here are three high-impact activities we focus on to maximize results before the year ends: ➡️ Year-end appeal letters A well-crafted appeal letter is still one of the best ways to engage supporters. Personalize it, share stories of the impact their gifts have had on your ministry, and remind them that a gift before December 31 is tax-deductible. Tailor different versions for groups like alumni, parents, and past donors to show them how their support makes a real difference. ➡️ Giving Tuesday initiatives Don’t underestimate the power of Giving Tuesday! It’s the perfect time to galvanize your community around a specific goal—whether it’s raising funds for scholarships, new technology, or a special project. Be sure to create a sense of urgency, use matching gifts if possible, and promote it across email and social media channels. ➡️ Personal outreach to major donors While mass appeals are important, the biggest year-end wins often come from personal outreach to major donors. Take the time to meet with key supporters face-to-face, thank them for their generosity, and share a clear vision for what their next major gift could accomplish. These conversations can turn a loyal supporter into a transformational donor. --- The final push is your chance to make a lasting impact on your nonprofit’s fundraising goals! What strategies are you focusing on as the year wraps up? Let’s share ideas in the comments! 👇 #petrusdevelopment #nonprofitfundraising #development #fundraising #faithbasedfundraising #catholicfundraising #yearendpush #appeals #majordonors #givingtuesday

The P.S. is the MOST READ part of any appeal letter. Make sure to include one that summarizes your ask on every appeal. #petrusdevelopment #appealletters #nonprofitfundraising #development

Education-based nonprofits: great with major donors, but missing opportunities with recurring donors. These are two takeaways that stood out to us in the 2024 Education Nonprofit Benchmark Report by Virtuous Among the many interesting findings in this report: 💡Education nonprofits do really well with major donors. On average, 56% of an education organization’s donors are giving $10,000 or more. Across all sectors in the nonprofit world, the average is just 36.9%. The takeaways from this: 💸If you are a Catholic school or university take heart! There are many high-level donors out there who want to support organizations like yours. 💸But beware - putting all of your attention on major giving at the expense of lower-level gifts can lead to unpredictability in revenue. Which leads us to interesting finding #2: 💡Education-based nonprofits, on average, get just 5.04% of their revenue from recurring gifts. This compares to an average across all nonprofit sectors of 13.81% Those smaller monthly donations add up! Plus, the predictable revenue they provide makes it much easier to budget for ongoing costs like staffing. Make it a point of emphasis to ask for recurring monthly donations from your supporters more often. 👇The full report from Virtuous is linked in the comments below, and is well worth a few minutes of your time. What stands out to you?

😬 We are excited to be at both locations this year for SEEK 2025! SEEK is an annual conference presented by FOCUS Catholic. Every year, thousands gather together for a week of encounter, community, and transformation centered on Christ. We hope to see you in 📍 Salt Lake City or 📍 Washington D.C. this January! #SEEK25 To Register or Learn More ➡ https://seek.focus.org/