Handbook of the Orphan Ministry

at the LBS Mwika (HUYAMWI)

paper 7: fundraising

Released 9.5.05 – Author: Rev. Dr. Martin Burkhardt

I. Essential Questions

A. Why do we need local fund raising?

1. Even if we would have much money from overseas, there are still needy people, who are not receiving help

2. Our ministry must not depend on funds from overseas only, because the will die, if the money from overseas is cut down for different reasons

3. To contribute also local money to a ministry is raising the awareness and responsibility for this ministry in our country.

B. What are the main obstacles for local fund raising? (misbelieves)

1. We don’t need to contribute money, because we have enough money from overseas.

2. We can not raise local funds, because there are so many other contributions in our church (michango)

3. We can not raise local funds, because we are a poor church with poor people.

4. It is not necessary to invest consideration, times and money to make appropriate fund raising

5. We need no plan or strategy for fund raising

II. Different options to raise funds

1. Making a call for a special contribution (mchango)

2. Giving a certain part of the congregations budget for the orphans.

3. Setting up a box on the door of the church

4. Collecting material goods on behalf of the orphans (clothes, food etc)

5. Going house to house to collect money for orphans

6. To address rich people of the congregation or related to the congregation to help the orphans

7. To make a fund-raising party (harambee)

8. To ask companies to help orphans, in return the ministry is promoting the company (see promoting of Henkel in our book)

9. To ask local societies like lions-club etc to help the orphans

10. To found a diaconical society where the members are contributing an annual fee of membership

11. To start income generating projects like pigs, cows, chicken etc.

III. Reason why people will give money?

A. Social reasons (more applying to the African context)

1. Because everybody is doing it.

2. Because an important person has done it.

3. Because I want not to be ashamed not doing something, which is considered to be a common thing.

4. I want to have a good name in the society

B. Individual reasons (more applying to the European context)

1. to have merits in heaven (more catholic, than Lutheran)

2. because of love, compassion for the poor

3. I want to do a meaning full thing.

4. I have more money, than I can spend for myself.

5. I am convinced, that this is the right thing to do

IV. Question to plan a fund raising

A. About the money we want to raise

1. How much money do we want to raise?

2. What is the purpose of this money?

3. What is our “project” plan: for example goals, length of the project, follow up etc.

4. Do I need the money only once or regularly?

B. About the people who are going to pay the money (target group)

1. What are the needs of this targetgroup?

2. What might be reasons, because they will give you money?

3. How much money are the able to spent for you?

C. To choose the best method

1. Which is the best social context for the fundraising (public, private, using mass media)

2. Which is the best way to convince people to give money?

3. Which is the best way to meet the financial needs of my project (regular fund raising, single events)