We have many names for the fundraising programs that support our parish work. One thing they all share is that they cost money to implement and maintain. There are the variable costs of printing, postage and general office expenses. And, there are the fees for outside direction!

Many parishes are turning to self-run programs or ignoring renewal to save money. I can understand this. When I started with parishes in 1981, an "average" planned giving program could cost less than $5000 in professional fees and the parish would often recover this in the first quarter of increased giving.

Today, that same program can cost at least $15000 and the days of massive increases of giving in settled parishes are long gone. Both because of changed economic circumstances and because it is a rare parish that has not experienced regular, three year programs over two to four decades with a declining percentage increase as parishioners increasingly accept their responsibility.

Do we give up? Of course not! There are increasing calls on the parish: both within, as we serve the people of God, and outside, as we respond to the needs of humanity within our shores and overseas.

Can we reduce the external fees and increase the cost effectiveness of our planned giving programs? I believe that we can.

The Church of my youth has changed over the years, but, the need to proclaim and live the Faith remains. There are new challenges; with fewer priests and religious available to parishes, an effective 'subsidy' to parish finances is no longer there and we must pay lay people, at market rates, to maintain the services which parishioners now expect as of right.

Thus, the parish budget, today and into the future, will include the usual, inescapable costs of actual support, operation and maintenance of parish assets and should contain a goal of Christian giving beyond the parish bounds, but, must also now make provision for the employment and support of lay professionals to direct and promote activities such as faith education, community ministry, social work and others.

Today, more than ever, regular promotion of parishioner planned giving is essential.

We are currently now releasing a guided program for parish stewardship which can be used by the experienced parishioner to direct their own program supplemented with professional advice through Keith Martin & Associates.

Our aim is to provide professional counsel at reasonable cost.

Contact me for more information.