Whether you are building a new church, converting an existing building into the perfect meeting place, or remodeling your current location, your church building project is going to require capital. Sometimes churches are so overwhelmed by the funds they need to come up with that they drag their feet on moving forward and hurt their momentum.
If you are thinking about moving into a building phase, here are some ways to come up with the capital you need.
1. Get a construction loan.
The first approach your church can consider is to borrow the money. Instead of trying to raise the necessary funds all at once, you can get the project done and pay it off over time—especially if the project is going to help generate new income.
The key is to find a lender that has experience with church construction loans. Many banks and credit unions are hesitant to lend money for church construction projects. They are not overly familiar with church finances and shy away from church property as collateral. That is why it is worth it to find someone who understands the space and is invested in your mission.
2. Take advantage of social media.
If your church has a robust social media platform, it can be a simple way to reach people outside your circle of influence to raise funds. By combining your online presence with a crowdfunding platform, you can get the ball rolling.
It is important to note, however, that there is crowdfunding fatigue on social media. There are so many legitimate needs looking for help that this approach probably won’t push you over the line very quickly. Although it’s easy to get a crowdfunding effort started, it takes a lot of work to see that it gets the proper attention to be viable.
One way to make this work is to take advantage of peer-to-peer influence. Almost every member of your congregation has their own platform as well. If congregants begin to champion the opportunities this building project represents, people are more likely to respond. When they hear a personal testimony about the good your church can (or will) do, they are often happy to help.
3. Set up matching grants.
Your church may have connections with businesses or organizations that would be willing to match contributions for a set period of time. This is a superb way for people to give. If they know that their donations will be matched within a specific time frame, they are motivated to give quickly and sacrificially to maximize the impact.
All hands on deck.
There are a lot of fundraising ideas that can help you meet your goals, but they will require everyone’s involvement. If you can get the entire church behind this effort, you might be surprised at how quickly it all comes together—and how close the community becomes in the process.
