What Campaign Projects Raise the Most (and Least) Amount of Money?

Every church situation is unique, but some projects are definitely easier to raise money for than others.  Here is the rough order that I’ve observed in over 120 church capital campaigns.  But remember, never launch a campaign for a project just because it’s relatively easy to raise money for.  Only launch a campaign for something that your church really needs.   Your members will not stretch for something that you don’t need.

In general, simplicity is better than complexity.  A single project raises the most money.  The more projects a campaign includes the harder it is to raise money.  Multiple projects also make it easier for members to find something to object to.

  1. Construction of a new church sanctuary on new property
     
  2. Construction of a new church sanctuary on current property
     
  3. Preservation / Renovation of a beloved sanctuary
     
  4. Other Construction Projects
    1. Family Life Center
    2. Youth Rooms / Wing
    3. Christian Education Wing
       
  5. Preservation/Renovation of Church Buildings
    1. A Leaky Roof (the more rain coming through the ceiling the better)
    2. Accessibility Projects (elevators, ramps, etc.)
    3. Kitchen
    4. Bathrooms
       
  6. Specified Ministry/Mission Campaigns  (this category has the greatest variation.  Such campaigns can be very popular or very blah)
     
  7. Debt Campaigns
     
  8. Pipe Organ Campaigns (unless there is an appreciative pipe organ constituency with the money to fund it)
     
  9. Endowment Campaigns  (to fund endowments that typically generate a 4-5% return for the church annual budget)
    1. Raising money to seed an endowment
    2. Raising money to grow an endowment
    3. Raising money to pay back a loan that the church too out from its own endowment to fund a capital project  (The longer it’s been since healthy payments have been made toward such loans the harder it is to pay such debts off.)
       
  10. Campaign for unspecified ministries and missions (concrete raises money.)
     
  11. Reserve for Major Maintenance  (One of the easiest things to raise money for is a leaky roof.  The absolute hardest thing to raise money for is a reserve fund for a potential leaky roof. )

Jeff Newlin's Assumptions & Convictions About Giving and Fundraising

1. A capital campaign offers an extraordinary stewardship education and spiritual renewal opportunity.  Just as people often learn more in a weekend retreat, where they can intensely focus on a subject, than in a year-long class that meets only once a week, church members can learn more about giving in a two-month long capital campaign than they can learn in a decade of sporadic sermons on giving.

2. Churches can raise more money in a spiritual way than in a worldly way. But even if the spiritual approach wasn’t the best financial approach, the church would be obligated to raise money spiritually, since its ultimate purpose is to raise up people in the faith, not raise money. 

3. There is a direct connection between people’s hearts and their wallets.

4. We are doing Christians a great favor to invite them to contribute meaningfully to the church’s work in general, and a church’s capital campaign in particular. 

5. Inviting people to give a meaningful amount of money to the Lord’s work invites them to grow in faith and commitment

6. It’s impossible to raise a large amount of money over and above what people are already giving to a church with leftover pocket change.  We must ask people to make a sacrifice, “to give up something important for something more important.”

7. The amount that we give doesn’t matter to the Lord.  What matters is that we give a sacrifice that is meaningful to us.  “Not equal gifts, equal sacrifice.”

8. No person values a gift given out of guilt, pressure, and manipulation.  Nor does God.  True giving springs freely from the heart as a gift of love, not as payment of a tax.  Therefore, no one can tell us what we ought to give.  Rather, we are invited to determine for ourselves through prayer what we may give:  “Dear Lord, What would you do through me to accomplish your vision for our church?  Help me discern a sacrifice for our campaign that is meaningful and joyful.”

9. The primary characteristic of the three great capital campaigns in the Bible is joy.  “God loves a cheerful giver.”  Abundant joy should be the chief criterion for determining the success of a church’s capital campaign.  It’s also one of the best indicators to help individuals determine what to give to a capital campaign.  

10. Church leaders should not be afraid to share the total cost of what they believe God is calling the church to do.  This is the church’s “need.” But they shouldn’t identify this cost/need as the “goal” of the campaign.  The campaign’s goal needs to be primarily spiritual. The goal of the campaign is to raise as much of a church’s need as possible through a process of prayer and sacrifice.

What Campaign Projects Raise the Most (and Least) Amount of Money?

Every church situation is unique, but some projects are definitely easier to raise money for than others.  Here is the rough order that I’ve observed in over 120 church capital campaigns.  But remember, never launch a campaign for a project just because it’s relatively easy to raise money for.  Only launch a campaign for something that your church really needs.   Your members will not stretch for something that you don’t need.

In general, simplicity is better than complexity.  A single project raises the most money.  The more projects a campaign includes the harder it is to raise money.  Multiple projects also make it easier for members to find something to object to.

1. Construction of a new church sanctuary on new property

2. Construction of a new church sanctuary on current property

3. Preservation / Renovation of a beloved sanctuary

4. Other Construction Projects
       - Family Life Center
       - Youth Rooms / Wing
       - Christian Education Wing

5. Preservation/Renovation of Church Buildings
       - A Leaky Roof (the more rain coming through the ceiling the better)
       - Accessibility Projects (elevators, ramps, etc.)
       - Kitchen
       - Bathrooms

6. Specified Ministry/Mission Campaigns(this category has the greatest variation.  Such campaigns can be very popular or very blah)

7. Debt Campaigns

8. Pipe Organ Campaigns (unless there is an appreciative pipe organ constituency with the money to fund it)

9. Endowment Campaigns(to fund endowments that typically generate a 4-5% return for the church annual budget)
       - Raising money to seed an endowment
       - Raising money to grow an endowment
       - Raising money to pay back a loan that the church too out from its own endowment to fund          a capital project(The longer it’s been since healthy payments have been made toward such          loans the harder it is to pay such debts off.)

10. Campaign for unspecified ministries and missions (concrete raises money.)

11. Reserve for Major Maintenance(One of the easiest things to raise money for is a leaky roof.  The absolute hardest thing to raise money for is a reserve fund for a potential leaky roof. )