How Much Time Do You Spend In Donor Ministry?

The Stewardship Foundation in the United Kingdom recently published a survey showing how much time mission workers spent each month to keep their giving partners informed. Before you glance down to look at their results, what are yours? How much time do you spend each month informing and serving your donors? This includes:

• Writing newsletters

• Personal letters

• Phoning donors

• Setting up fundraising appointments

• Going on fundraising appointments

• Emailing or texting thank you updates

• Facebook thank you's

• Date file hygiene

• Thank you appointments

Be honest!

__ 1-2 hours per month     __ 2-4 hours per month      __4-8 hours per month      __ 1-2 days      __2-4 days     __ over 4 days     __ none!

Here is the Stewardship data of the United Kingdom ministry workers:

Source: education@stewardship.org.uk

Comments? I noted that 10% spent no time investing in their partners! Oops! About half spent from two hours to two days. About 25% spent 1-2 hours every month--that is only .6 of 1.2%! Not enough!

What is the right answer? I don't have a Scripture verse! In the past I quibbled over being specific because I didn't want to be legalistic. But my quibbling didn't help anyone. Now I believe that mission workers should spend 20% of their time in fundraising and donor ministry if they are fully funded--more if they are not. That is about one day per week! I don't see how we can do less and keep the giving partners we have. 

Practically, it is much easier to keep giving partners giving than to find new ones! Spend time investing in them! Who comes to mind that you could phone or text right now!