A church fundraising is considered a challenge at the best of times; more so in these agnostic times. If a church is serving a small community in a not very well-off neighborhood then the fundraising becomes that much more of a challenge. In these times of poor church attendances and falling church collections, well-planned and properly carried out fundraisers are the best bet for a church looking to sustain itself.

The basic fundraising ideas remain the same whether the fundraiser is for a Presbyterian, Catholic, or Protestant church. The key is that the objective of the fundraising should appeal to the prospective donor. You can tailor the fundraiser to appeal to the followers of a particular denomination or you can make it more secular and egalitarian to attract more people and raise the chances of getting funds.

A church fundraising can function on two different levels – by approaching individuals and by targeting corporates and organizations. Schools and youth clubs are excellent organizations to approach not only for funds but also for help in organizing church fundraisers.

Schools can easily provide you with space and amenities to hold a fundraiser; youth clubs particularly those with a religious affiliation such as YMCA, can pitch in with the manpower.

The scale of the fundraising will depend upon what you plan to do with the money. Is it for ongoing expenses or a one-time project such as renovation. Of course, the timing is important. The best time to hold your regular fundraiser is after the Sunday morning church. Plan it properly and let the parish know; exhort people to make it to the fundraiser. Also do your best to make it worth the while of people who come for the fundraiser. Make the atmosphere cheery, you don’t have to serve drinks for that. Bibles, candles, cakes, cookies are all-time favorites for church fundraisers. Spring and summer are the best seasons to hold a church fundraiser. If you plan to hold ticket events such as a stage show or even a fundraising dinner, then you need to sell the tickets in advance to raise cash for the event.

If you plan on a big fundraiser then try and organize it close to a festival, such as Easter. You’re sure to end up with impressive collection figures from the sale of Easter eggs alone. If a church can manage and maintain a website, then it should definitely do so to let people know of church activities and make it easy for them to donate online for fundraising causes.