“There is nothing new under the sun”

Trendspottingin the world of asking, giving,

and stewardship

David SaintChairman

Action Planning

Trend Analysis is the practice of collecting information and attempting to spot a pattern, or trend, in the information.

Ah well, better try something else, then.

A timeline of sorts520 BC Haggai chides the people for spending on their fine houses rather than

the temple.40 AD? Ananias and Sapphira withhold proceeds of sale of field55 AD Paul’s appeal letter to the Corinthians for famine relief n Palestine161 AD A rich man of Gytheion paid for oils for the baths on condition this was

acknowledged on pillars set up around the town373 AD Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, requests tax exemption for a home for the

poor1174 Bishop Stephen sends out 2 appeal letters for rebuilding Orleans in France1386 – 1391 Capital appeal for Milan Cathedral1534 Church of England established1536 Beggars Act prohibits unsystematic philanthropy, but also exhorted all

preachers to encourage their people to give alms1601 Charitable Uses Act1628 Henry Smith Charity founded1712 Society for Propagation of Christian Knowledge formed1718 Unlicenced street collectors in Chislehurst prosecuted.

Trustee gaoled!

1921 First Poppy Day Appeal1945 Christian Aid founded1958 Garfield Weston Foundation founded1968 Tearfund founded1971 UK decimalisation1975 First UK Community Foundation (Swindon)1976 David Saint joins the Spastics Society as a Regional Fundraiser1982 World Vision UK launched1983 Institute of Fundraising formed1984 NSPCC Centenary Appeal £14m1984 Band Aid – Bob Geldof & Midge Ure1985 Faith in the City report1985 Comic Relief founded1985 First Christian Resources Exhibition, Sandown Park1986 Amstrad PC launched1987 Church Urban Fund founded1987 Payroll giving launched 1989 MS Office released (for Macs)

1990 Data projector introduced1990 Gift Aid introduced1990 Mac Classic1990 Amstrad’s fax, phone, answering machine1990 First website launched1990 Action Planning founded1993 Email becomes available1994 Premier Christian Radio launched1994 The Spastics Society renamed Scope1994 National Lottery formed1996 Christians Against Poverty founded1997 FICO (Fundraisers in Christian Organisations) formed1999 NSPCC Full Stop Campaign £250m2000 First Trussell Trust Foodbank2005 John Preston appointed National Stewardship and Resources Officer2007 Church Urban Fund was originally intended to close now2007 iPhone launched2008 First text donation made

The rest is history!

There is information…….useless information…

….and statistics

(Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.Ecclesiastes 12:12)

UK Giving Study 2013 (CAF)

• Just over half of people give, relatively consistent since 2005, with an average gift of £30 (mean)

• Women are more likely to give than men (60% cf. 52% respectively)

• Women aged 45-64 years are most likely to give (66%), and typically donate the largest amounts

• Cash has consistently been the most common donation method. The use of direct debit has increased from 26% in 2005/06 to 31% in 2012/13.

• The level of online donations has increased by 5% (4% in 2008/09 cf. 9% in 2012/13)

• Medical research is consistently the most supported cause

• Those over 65 years are much more likely to support ‘religious’ causes than those aged 16-24 years (20% cf. 7%), whilst younger people are more likely to support ‘children’s causes’ than those in the oldest age band (16-24 yrs, 28% cf. over 65yrs,17%)

So now you know.What are you going to do about it?!

Let’s share:What trends or developments strike you as

significant for the future of stewardship, giving, and asking?

June 2014 Fundraising magazineTobin Aldrich, Global Director of Fundraising, Sightsavers – Seven Great Myths of Fundraising:

• Cheap is good, free is better• You can’t fundraise without awareness• New shiny stuff has changed everything• It’s easier for them• It’s the economy stupid• It will never work here

Four dimensions to fundraising:

1. Who is giving? – the donor2. How they are asked? – the process3. Why they are giving? - The cause4. How do they give? – the mechanism

The most significant factors are who is giving, and why.BUTThe dimensions that get most of the attention are the process

and the mechanism.

1 Who is giving?Do we notice?What do we know about them?

My congregation is becoming more Christ-like ... the same yesterday, today and for ever.

“So, the question is, how to get that 20% to press on to greater achievement?”

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=9SEM9VpnRbHnAM&tbnid=PGHcwP4iTLJTMM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.kluth.org/graphs.htm&ei=EJ66U9znMKq3sASjsYHIBg&bvm=bv.70138588,d.ZGU&psig=AFQjCNEsC-owPbnmelLA4LtSidnmwzhiSQ&ust=1404825426814285

2 How are they asked?

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

3 Why are they giving?....as a result of teaching?

“If God loves a cheerful giver, why are yousupposed to give ‘til it hurts?”

….motivated by a vision?

“Our vision is to be a first-century church with air conditioning, ample lighting, and a state-of-the-art sound system.”

….made to feel guilty?

…..tax benefits?

“About my loaves and fishes.... Could I get a receipt for tax purposes?”

4 How do they give?

“....and to speed up the collection plate process, donations can now be made

by texting ‘CHURCH’ to 837346.”

Command those who are rich in this present world...to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6: 17-19

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=3to3rb8jA31UKM&tbnid=_MSjJ549AunCNM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://izquotes.com/quote/281518&ei=V6a6U4qpFeqO7Qbe34D4CQ&bvm=bv.70138588,d.ZGU&psig=AFQjCNE2IxC28VO4BbhmJ35e24NMm3E-Kw&ust=1404827548306241

What conclusions do I drawfrom 38 years of not spotting trends?

• Most charities do well or badly because of how they are led, not because of macro-economics.

• The pace of technological change increases exponentially. Which church will be the first to utilise Google Glass?

• The charity ‘industry’ is maturing. But what are the consequences of that?

• Who gives, and why, probably hasn’t changed for centuries, and will probably never change.

• OK, so how people give may be changing. But let’s not get dazzled by the technology.

• Focus on who is giving, and why.

• Ask for the money!

Commercials(time to put the kettle on)

Fundraisers in Christian Organisations

www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk

Also a LinkedIn group

Fundraising Consultancy:

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Management Consultancy:

Strategic/business planning,

Governance

Facilitation – awaydays etc

Outcomes measurement, impact

assessment

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Research and Bidwriting

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positioning

Raising awareness and

understanding

Digital Consultancy

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IT Consultancy…..

Services available from Action Planning

www.actionplanning.co.uk

What conclusions do I drawfrom 38 years of not spotting trends?

• Most charities do well or badly because of how they are led, not because of macro-economics.

• The pace of technological change increases exponentially. Which church will be the first to utilise Google Glass?

• The charity ‘industry’ is maturing. But what are the consequences of that?

• Who gives, and why, probably hasn’t changed for centuries, and will probably never change.

• OK, so how people give may be changing. But let’s not get dazzled by the technology.

• Focus on who is giving, and why.

• Ask for the money!