Raising Support
to work with Covenant Youth of Alaska
Congratulations on joining the CYAK team! We are so glad you have chosen to serve with us in Alaska. Now that you have accepted your call to ministry with Covenant Youth of Alaska, fundraising is the next step in the process of coming on staff.
Logistics of the Fundraising Process:
The first step is to determine a support base goal. You will determine a total amount of funds to raise with the assistance of your fundraising coach. You will need to have 100% of your funding goal pledged before you can report to your role unless cleared with your fundraising coach and CYAK Director for necessary circumstances.
A helpful way to look at fundraising is this: you will be raising funds for Covenant Youth of Alaska, so that CYAK can then pay you for your work. A donor can donate to CYAK, and designate that the gift is for you, either by check or through our Online Giving System with Covenant Giving. All gifts are tax deductible, and donors will receive the necessary tax information at the end of the year.
Checks:
Because a donor is giving to CYAK and not you personally, it is important that any checks are made payable to “Covenant Youth of Alaska.” For tax purposes, please inform donors not to write your name anywhere on the check, but designate the gift toward your ministry by attaching a sticky note or separate piece of paper with the words “Suggested Designation–(Your Name).” This is very important for IRS regulations.
Checks can be mailed to:
Covenant Youth of Alaska
PO Box 203356
Anchorage, AK 99520
Online Giving:
Donors can conveniently give online, which is simple to get to via our website. Instruct donors to go to www.cyak.org and click the big red “Donate Now” button in the right-hand corner. These gifts are easy to set up, and can be set up as a one-time, monthly, quarterly, or yearly giving via credit card or echeck. There is a fee associated with this gift (2-3% usually), but the consistency and convenience that it gives our donors makes that worth it to us.
Donor Stewardship:
Donors are a blessing: please exercise stewardship by thanking them and keeping them informed throughout the duration of your ministry. It is your responsibility to inform your donors on the details of giving. It is also your responsibility to remind your donors to follow through in giving what they have pledged. It is a good idea for you to send out personalized thank you letters for initial gifts, as well as various thank you notes throughout the year.
It is important to keep your donors and supporting churches updated on the details of your ministry role and goings-on, prayer needs, and financial needs. We ask our staff to update their donors though a newsletter format regularly - at least 6 times per year, although monthly is better.
Salary:
As aforementioned, your fundraising coach will help you determine an amount you will need to raise to cover your salary (See the Support Raising Planning Sheet on Page 10). Once you arrive (or whenever you come on payroll), the way that your salary is distributed is as follows: Twice a month (generally speaking, the 31st and the 15th of the month, unless those dates fall on a weekend or holiday in which case they will come a few days before) you will receive your salary amount from the bookkeeper either by a mailed check or direct deposit. Please reference the Compensation section of the CYAK Staff Manual for a more detailed explanation.
Ministry Expenses:
You will need to raise additional funds for ministry costs—such as travel, vehicle costs, registration fees, etc. For example: You will need to raise funds to help you cover the costs of getting to a CYAK retreat or event. The cost of the flight and registration will be reimbursed with these designated ministry funds. As another example, when you first move to Alaska, you might spend $500 -$1500 in travel expenses (shipping, plane tickets, gas, moving trucks, etc.) to get here. Please reference the Reimbursement Guidelines section of the CYAK Staff Manual for a detailed list of what ministry expenses can and should be reimbursed through your raised funds. As you are fundraising, you will raise money with this in mind. You will come up with an estimated amount for these funds with your fundraising coach.
If you are credentialed in the Evangelical Covenant Church, you may also need to raise funds to cover your participation in the Covenant Pension Plan, insurance through Bethany Benefit Service, and/or licensing fees through the Covenant. Your fundraising coach will discuss these options with you.
Raising Supporters:
Now that the logistical aspects of raising funds have been covered, we can look at how to go about fundraising. Initially, fundraising can be uncomfortably daunting. The idea of asking people for money goes against what our culture has taught us, and so for many of us, it is a hard concept to grasp. However, be encouraged that the Lord has called you to work with CYAK, and so he will provide to that end!
Also – you will not be going at this ill equipped or on your own. Your fundraising coach will thoroughly and prayerfully walk you through the entire process and train you in effective fundraising tactics.
Know that fundraising can be a mentally and emotionally taxing experience and that is normal. Know too that it is a humbling and learning experience, and honestly teaches us to be dependent on God’s provision! Having said that, there are ways to go about fundraising that can make it go a little more smoothly. A few things to consider:
First Steps:
There are three key areas to focus your initial fundraising efforts:
Letters:
Often a helpful first step to fundraising, after being trained, is to send out a letter to everyone you have a relationship with and want to encourage to support CYAK’s ministry, and your role within it. Letters are great for exposure—to get the word out so you can begin asking. The following elements might be helpful to include in your letter:
It is a good idea to limit the length of your letter to one page (one-sided). This is not to say that people will not read it if it is longer, but a well-written support letter can be done in one page, and generally speaking shorter letters tend to have better feedback/response.
Consider adding a picture of yourself, or some color in order to make the letter more appealing. Leave space to write in the names of the people you are sending the letter to, as well as a space to sign your name at the bottom. Though this can be time-consuming, it may be well worth the extra effort. Make up an extra insert that can serve as a personalized note from you. If there is a personal message, people will be much more likely to respond.
If you have people you know you will be meeting with in person, you might want to add a sentence at the end of the letter explaining that you will be contacting them in the future to discuss the ministry further. Only include this if you will contact them—follow through with what you say you will do!
Consider including a CYAK brochure with the letter as well. This way, you will not feel like you need to explain the entire ministry in your letter. Because of the color printing, this will add to your costs, but in some situations where you know there will not be another opportunity to explain CYAK mission in person, it might be a good piece to include.
Don’t limit whom you send your letter to based on whether or not you think they will be able to give. If you ask anyone who has ever raised funds for their ministry, they will tell you that there have been people who have given who they would never have guessed would have the means to do so. Sometimes, the people we least expect to give end up being our most generous supporters!
Once you have a draft of your letter completed, send it to your fundraising coach to look over before sending it out to your donors.
One-on-one asks:
The second area that you need to focus on for fundraising is one-on-one meetings with people. Your fundraising coach will thoroughly train you in this process.
One-on-one asks would apply to anyone who you will have the opportunity to meet in person with (ie everyone in your geographic location). For many people, face-to-face meetings and asks are the most nerve-racking of all. However, they can be the most rewarding, and statistically are more effective and fruitful. When you meet with people in person, you are able to share more about the ministry, and they will be able to see your excitement as well.
First, call your potential donors to set up appointments to meet. When you get them on the phone, ask them if they have heard that you are moving to Alaska to work with Covenant Youth of Alaska. If they have, then you can move right on. If not, give them a brief explanation of what you are going to be doing with CYAK. Let them know that you are raising support for your ministry, and that you would like to be able to meet with them to tell them more about CYAK. (It is very important in your phone conversation/initial contact to make sure they know you are raising funds, so that they will be prepared to answer when you ask them to support you. It is not a fun situation for anyone when the person you are meeting with thinks that you are just getting together to “catch up”. Not only is it much harder to ask for support, but it can be awkward and uncomfortable when you do.)
During these talks it is important to follow similar steps as you did with your letter. You will want to explain the ministry of CYAK and how it is working to meet the needs of Native youth in Alaska. You will then want to explain your role within the ministry (explaining how you are filling a need). Be sure to keep them involved by asking them questions, or relating to their experiences somehow so you are not the only one talking. Visual aids are always a good idea. Having brochures, pictures, etc. will be very beneficial. After your explanation of the ministry, you will need to explain your financial need, and make the ask.
When you make “the ask”, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, be sure to mention various amounts. For example, you may say: “Would you consider supporting me by pledging $75 or $50 a month?” Once you ask, the key is to wait. There will be silence, and it will probably be awkward at times, but wait for them to speak first. It will be tempting to say, “But I know that is a lot, even if you just give a specialized gift of $50, that would be great.” But don’t talk if you can help it. If people do not or cannot support you in that way, they will say so. Remember: when asked why people do not give, a large majority says it is because they were never asked.
Once someone agrees to support you, make sure you thank them and either have them fill out a pledge card at that time, or let them know that you will contact them in a couple of weeks to follow up and get their information. It is best to make that process clear up front, so you don’t have to feel awkward about contacting them later on about a gift they pledged.
If someone says they cannot support you financially, be very understanding, and ask if it would be ok for you to add them to your newsletter list so that you can at least keep them up to date with what you are doing in Alaska. Many times if people can not, or do not want to give at this time, they will give later on once they are in a better place financially and/or see your commitment with the organization.
Without a doubt, each situation is going to be different, so it is important to be aware and adjust different aspects of your conversation accordingly.
Church visits:
Another area to seek support for your ministry with Covenant Youth of Alaska is through church support. The first place to start is your home church. Contact the pastor and ask him or her if there is a time you could meet with them to discuss being supported by the church. For some churches, this might mean that you will speak with the elders or the missions committee. For other churches, it might mean that you meet with the pastor, and then talk in church. Sometimes, even if a church as a whole cannot support you (out of the church budget), they are more than willing to allow you to talk in front of the congregation for 10 minutes on a Sunday morning, and then have a table set up in the foyer for members of the congregation to support you individually. Either way, it is important to start building those church relationships.
Once you have contacted your home church, consider contacting other churches that you are affiliated with, whether that be your grandparents church, the church you went to when you were in school, etc. Feel free to contact non-covenant churches as well. Though it has strong ties to the Covenant church, CYAK is currently supported by several non-Covenant Churches, and has a mission that many different churches would support.
The next step is to contact churches in your area, even if you have no personal connection to them. When you get to this step, contact the CYAK office, and have them send you a list of all of the churches that are currently supporting staff members or the CYAK mission fund so you do not overlap. We must be careful not to take funds from other staff members, as some churches will reduce what they give to those they are currently supporting if they plan to take you on as well.
Once you have some dates set up for church visits, feel free to contact the CYAK office if you need some materials/resources for your presentation. We have several promotional DVDs, as well as pictures that we can get to you to help you create a display. Just let us know!
Other Resources:
These are books specifically related to support raising that may be helpful for you:
As you begin your fundraising process, it is also important for you to be reading about Alaska Native culture:
Hopefully these tips will help you get started with the fundraising process! Remember that fundraising is part of the ministry. When you feel discouraged, know that there is a team of people praying for and supporting you up here in Alaska!
Logistics of the Fundraising Process:
The first step is to determine a support base goal. You will determine a total amount of funds to raise with the assistance of your fundraising coach. You will need to have 100% of your funding goal pledged before you can report to your role unless cleared with your fundraising coach and CYAK Director for necessary circumstances.
A helpful way to look at fundraising is this: you will be raising funds for Covenant Youth of Alaska, so that CYAK can then pay you for your work. A donor can donate to CYAK, and designate that the gift is for you, either by check or through our Online Giving System with Covenant Giving. All gifts are tax deductible, and donors will receive the necessary tax information at the end of the year.
Checks:
Because a donor is giving to CYAK and not you personally, it is important that any checks are made payable to “Covenant Youth of Alaska.” For tax purposes, please inform donors not to write your name anywhere on the check, but designate the gift toward your ministry by attaching a sticky note or separate piece of paper with the words “Suggested Designation–(Your Name).” This is very important for IRS regulations.
Checks can be mailed to:
Covenant Youth of Alaska
PO Box 203356
Anchorage, AK 99520
Online Giving:
Donors can conveniently give online, which is simple to get to via our website. Instruct donors to go to www.cyak.org and click the big red “Donate Now” button in the right-hand corner. These gifts are easy to set up, and can be set up as a one-time, monthly, quarterly, or yearly giving via credit card or echeck. There is a fee associated with this gift (2-3% usually), but the consistency and convenience that it gives our donors makes that worth it to us.
Donor Stewardship:
Donors are a blessing: please exercise stewardship by thanking them and keeping them informed throughout the duration of your ministry. It is your responsibility to inform your donors on the details of giving. It is also your responsibility to remind your donors to follow through in giving what they have pledged. It is a good idea for you to send out personalized thank you letters for initial gifts, as well as various thank you notes throughout the year.
It is important to keep your donors and supporting churches updated on the details of your ministry role and goings-on, prayer needs, and financial needs. We ask our staff to update their donors though a newsletter format regularly - at least 6 times per year, although monthly is better.
Salary:
As aforementioned, your fundraising coach will help you determine an amount you will need to raise to cover your salary (See the Support Raising Planning Sheet on Page 10). Once you arrive (or whenever you come on payroll), the way that your salary is distributed is as follows: Twice a month (generally speaking, the 31st and the 15th of the month, unless those dates fall on a weekend or holiday in which case they will come a few days before) you will receive your salary amount from the bookkeeper either by a mailed check or direct deposit. Please reference the Compensation section of the CYAK Staff Manual for a more detailed explanation.
Ministry Expenses:
You will need to raise additional funds for ministry costs—such as travel, vehicle costs, registration fees, etc. For example: You will need to raise funds to help you cover the costs of getting to a CYAK retreat or event. The cost of the flight and registration will be reimbursed with these designated ministry funds. As another example, when you first move to Alaska, you might spend $500 -$1500 in travel expenses (shipping, plane tickets, gas, moving trucks, etc.) to get here. Please reference the Reimbursement Guidelines section of the CYAK Staff Manual for a detailed list of what ministry expenses can and should be reimbursed through your raised funds. As you are fundraising, you will raise money with this in mind. You will come up with an estimated amount for these funds with your fundraising coach.
If you are credentialed in the Evangelical Covenant Church, you may also need to raise funds to cover your participation in the Covenant Pension Plan, insurance through Bethany Benefit Service, and/or licensing fees through the Covenant. Your fundraising coach will discuss these options with you.
Raising Supporters:
Now that the logistical aspects of raising funds have been covered, we can look at how to go about fundraising. Initially, fundraising can be uncomfortably daunting. The idea of asking people for money goes against what our culture has taught us, and so for many of us, it is a hard concept to grasp. However, be encouraged that the Lord has called you to work with CYAK, and so he will provide to that end!
Also – you will not be going at this ill equipped or on your own. Your fundraising coach will thoroughly and prayerfully walk you through the entire process and train you in effective fundraising tactics.
Know that fundraising can be a mentally and emotionally taxing experience and that is normal. Know too that it is a humbling and learning experience, and honestly teaches us to be dependent on God’s provision! Having said that, there are ways to go about fundraising that can make it go a little more smoothly. A few things to consider:
- Make sure you know about CYAK. Clearly, there are a lot of things that are hard to know before serving here, but having a good grasp of CYAK’s mission and what the organization does will help you to be able to talk about it with much more ease. Take time to study up on these things. We will provide you with brochures and visuals for this, as well as direct you to reading material.
- Make sure the need is presented. People are much more likely to give if they understand the need that the ministry is working to meet, as well as the need that the ministry itself has. Explain the needs of the youth of Alaska, and then also the need that the ministry has that you will fill as a staff person. Each person’s role within CYAK is different, so you will have to cater it toward your specific position.
- Designate time specifically for fundraising. It is easy (especially when we have busy schedules) to simply work on it a bit here and a bit there. While this cannot always be avoided, it is best to also try and set aside time to sit down and work on fundraising only. This could include brainstorming different people to send letters to, thinking of various churches to speak in, becoming more familiar with CYAK’s ministry, or even designating time to pray for the process.
- Try to think of fundraising in a positive light! It is so easy to think of fundraising as a drag. But really, it is part of the ministry that God has called us to! When we remember the reason why we are fundraising, it makes it much easier to find the motivation to do so. Additionally, people can read our attitudes. So, if someone sees the excitement you have about working with CYAK, they will be much more interested in your ministry, and therefore, more likely to partner with you financially.
- Don’t limit your fundraising efforts to only people in the church. Although CYAK is a Christian ministry, there are many non-Christians who are interested in supporting an organization whose mission is to work to improve the lives of people in general. Additionally, when people are not members of a church, it is not uncommon for them to be looking for a place to give. So think about it as you providing an opportunity for them to give to a good cause.
- Be sure to continue praying throughout the process! It is so easy to get caught up in the whole fundraising aspect of your ministry that you forget the importance of prayer throughout the journey.
First Steps:
There are three key areas to focus your initial fundraising efforts:
- Letters
- One-on-one asks
- Church visits
Letters:
Often a helpful first step to fundraising, after being trained, is to send out a letter to everyone you have a relationship with and want to encourage to support CYAK’s ministry, and your role within it. Letters are great for exposure—to get the word out so you can begin asking. The following elements might be helpful to include in your letter:
- A personalized introduction
- A brief explanation of your call to serve in Alaska
- The need in Alaska
- The way CYAK was formed to meet that need
- An explanation of how you fit in to the picture, and
- An explanation that you are raising support.
It is a good idea to limit the length of your letter to one page (one-sided). This is not to say that people will not read it if it is longer, but a well-written support letter can be done in one page, and generally speaking shorter letters tend to have better feedback/response.
Consider adding a picture of yourself, or some color in order to make the letter more appealing. Leave space to write in the names of the people you are sending the letter to, as well as a space to sign your name at the bottom. Though this can be time-consuming, it may be well worth the extra effort. Make up an extra insert that can serve as a personalized note from you. If there is a personal message, people will be much more likely to respond.
If you have people you know you will be meeting with in person, you might want to add a sentence at the end of the letter explaining that you will be contacting them in the future to discuss the ministry further. Only include this if you will contact them—follow through with what you say you will do!
Consider including a CYAK brochure with the letter as well. This way, you will not feel like you need to explain the entire ministry in your letter. Because of the color printing, this will add to your costs, but in some situations where you know there will not be another opportunity to explain CYAK mission in person, it might be a good piece to include.
Don’t limit whom you send your letter to based on whether or not you think they will be able to give. If you ask anyone who has ever raised funds for their ministry, they will tell you that there have been people who have given who they would never have guessed would have the means to do so. Sometimes, the people we least expect to give end up being our most generous supporters!
Once you have a draft of your letter completed, send it to your fundraising coach to look over before sending it out to your donors.
One-on-one asks:
The second area that you need to focus on for fundraising is one-on-one meetings with people. Your fundraising coach will thoroughly train you in this process.
One-on-one asks would apply to anyone who you will have the opportunity to meet in person with (ie everyone in your geographic location). For many people, face-to-face meetings and asks are the most nerve-racking of all. However, they can be the most rewarding, and statistically are more effective and fruitful. When you meet with people in person, you are able to share more about the ministry, and they will be able to see your excitement as well.
First, call your potential donors to set up appointments to meet. When you get them on the phone, ask them if they have heard that you are moving to Alaska to work with Covenant Youth of Alaska. If they have, then you can move right on. If not, give them a brief explanation of what you are going to be doing with CYAK. Let them know that you are raising support for your ministry, and that you would like to be able to meet with them to tell them more about CYAK. (It is very important in your phone conversation/initial contact to make sure they know you are raising funds, so that they will be prepared to answer when you ask them to support you. It is not a fun situation for anyone when the person you are meeting with thinks that you are just getting together to “catch up”. Not only is it much harder to ask for support, but it can be awkward and uncomfortable when you do.)
During these talks it is important to follow similar steps as you did with your letter. You will want to explain the ministry of CYAK and how it is working to meet the needs of Native youth in Alaska. You will then want to explain your role within the ministry (explaining how you are filling a need). Be sure to keep them involved by asking them questions, or relating to their experiences somehow so you are not the only one talking. Visual aids are always a good idea. Having brochures, pictures, etc. will be very beneficial. After your explanation of the ministry, you will need to explain your financial need, and make the ask.
When you make “the ask”, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, be sure to mention various amounts. For example, you may say: “Would you consider supporting me by pledging $75 or $50 a month?” Once you ask, the key is to wait. There will be silence, and it will probably be awkward at times, but wait for them to speak first. It will be tempting to say, “But I know that is a lot, even if you just give a specialized gift of $50, that would be great.” But don’t talk if you can help it. If people do not or cannot support you in that way, they will say so. Remember: when asked why people do not give, a large majority says it is because they were never asked.
Once someone agrees to support you, make sure you thank them and either have them fill out a pledge card at that time, or let them know that you will contact them in a couple of weeks to follow up and get their information. It is best to make that process clear up front, so you don’t have to feel awkward about contacting them later on about a gift they pledged.
If someone says they cannot support you financially, be very understanding, and ask if it would be ok for you to add them to your newsletter list so that you can at least keep them up to date with what you are doing in Alaska. Many times if people can not, or do not want to give at this time, they will give later on once they are in a better place financially and/or see your commitment with the organization.
Without a doubt, each situation is going to be different, so it is important to be aware and adjust different aspects of your conversation accordingly.
Church visits:
Another area to seek support for your ministry with Covenant Youth of Alaska is through church support. The first place to start is your home church. Contact the pastor and ask him or her if there is a time you could meet with them to discuss being supported by the church. For some churches, this might mean that you will speak with the elders or the missions committee. For other churches, it might mean that you meet with the pastor, and then talk in church. Sometimes, even if a church as a whole cannot support you (out of the church budget), they are more than willing to allow you to talk in front of the congregation for 10 minutes on a Sunday morning, and then have a table set up in the foyer for members of the congregation to support you individually. Either way, it is important to start building those church relationships.
Once you have contacted your home church, consider contacting other churches that you are affiliated with, whether that be your grandparents church, the church you went to when you were in school, etc. Feel free to contact non-covenant churches as well. Though it has strong ties to the Covenant church, CYAK is currently supported by several non-Covenant Churches, and has a mission that many different churches would support.
The next step is to contact churches in your area, even if you have no personal connection to them. When you get to this step, contact the CYAK office, and have them send you a list of all of the churches that are currently supporting staff members or the CYAK mission fund so you do not overlap. We must be careful not to take funds from other staff members, as some churches will reduce what they give to those they are currently supporting if they plan to take you on as well.
Once you have some dates set up for church visits, feel free to contact the CYAK office if you need some materials/resources for your presentation. We have several promotional DVDs, as well as pictures that we can get to you to help you create a display. Just let us know!
Other Resources:
These are books specifically related to support raising that may be helpful for you:
- Getting Sent: A Relational Approach to Support Raising by Pete Sommer
- The God Ask: A Fresh, Biblical Approach to Personal Support Raising by Steve Shadrach
- The Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri Nouwen
- Support Raising Training Summary by John Hege
As you begin your fundraising process, it is also important for you to be reading about Alaska Native culture:
- Foreign to Familiar: A Guide to Understanding Hot and Cold Climate Cultures by Sarah Lanier
- Yuuyaraq: The Way of the Human Being by Harold Napoleon
- Jesus & the Eskimo: How the Man of the Sky Brought Light to My People by Fred Savok
Hopefully these tips will help you get started with the fundraising process! Remember that fundraising is part of the ministry. When you feel discouraged, know that there is a team of people praying for and supporting you up here in Alaska!