Do you remember when churches would pass around collection plates for offerings during the Sunday morning sermons? Members would toss up their contributions in a cheque or cash form. Today, churches have taken it up a notch somewhat because of the perils of the devastating COVID-19 but mostly due to the various alternatives made available by technological advancements.
While this doesn’t mean that traditional ways of collecting offerings should be abandoned, because many churchgoers still prefer them, there are various unique fundraising ideas out there that your church can use to engage members, increase giving and reach the fundraising goals while making it fun and meaningful.
#1 Give it Up
Churches and nonprofits worldwide have used this incredibly effective fundraising technique for years. It’s simple; ask the members to give up going out for drinks, weekend movie nights, coffee or food takeouts, and some other modern luxury items, and donate instead. For instance, if a person gives up their daily lattes and texts to donate that amount each day as they walk past their favorite coffee shop, they can raise a substantial amount to save lives by helping those in need. Who needs caffeine when you can get a kick from supporting some amazing causes out there?
#2 Festivities, Festivities
The holiday season is around the corner. It’s a great time to reach out to the local community for fundraising as people are generally in the spirit of giving around this time. Here’s what you can do to engage people of all ages, gender, and backgrounds.
Pumpkin Patch
Find a local pumpkin supplier and arrange a location—it can be a local schoolyard or your churchyard. Recruit volunteers and promote a pumpkin patch event. You can also add pumpkin carving stations, produce stands, and face painting stations to raise additional funds.
Pose with Santa
Create awareness about your fundraising event by encouraging the congregation to put up fliers and share the event on their social media. Get a photographer and someone who’d volunteer to dress up as Santa Claus. Charge parents a few bucks for letting the children interact with Santa. You can also charge for holiday snacks, hot chocolate, and prints of the Santa meet and greet event photos.
Easter Egg Hunt
People of all ages enjoy hunting for eggs filled with goodies. Arrange a large space and some volunteers to hide some treats and eggs in various hiding spots. Invite the members and the wider community to participate and charge them a fixed fee.
#3 Pay-to-Play
Host tournaments and friendly competitions among the congregation and the community members where they can pay-to-play various sports challenges. It’s also an excellent idea to host a 5k marathon for members of the church. You can get a good amount of donation by setting up a nominal fee for each runner.
#4 Parents Night Out
Parents often get too invested in attending to the various needs of their children with little to no time left to spend with each other. Now that the world is learning to adapt to the new normal, help vaccinated parents enjoy solitude or time with each other by planning a fun movie night for members where they can either attend the event as a family or leave their children at the church to help them have a good time. Churches can charge a flat or per hour rate to babysit and make money on tickets, snacks and popcorns, and other childcare services while the parents complete their long due chores or enjoy their time off.
No matter which fundraising idea your church moves forward with, make sure your church property, employees, clergy, members, and volunteers remain protected from all kinds of potential dangers. Integrity Now Insurance Brokers can connect you to reliable church insurance agents to ensure your church remains protected with all the coverage it needs.
As one of the leading church insurance companies, we offer an extensive range of services including, house of worship insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, ministry insurance, commercial auto insurance, church liability insurance, church property insurance, and more to safeguard the ministries in Nevada, Ohio, Arizona, California, Texas, Washington, and Colorado.
Feel free to reach out to us at 877-854-7396 or via email to discuss your concerns and requirements with experienced agents that can help you devise a comprehensive church insurance coverage plan to ensure nothing impedes your church’s growth and progress.
