June 2024 marked the beginning of ISPD's 35th Anniversary! Beginning with this post, and throughout the year, we plan to share some "best wisdom" we have learned and gleaned from working with hundreds of Catholic schools, parishes, and (arch) dioceses from coast to coast. These tips come from the ISPD Toolkit that we use with all of our associates, clients, workshop attendees, and students we teach via the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton.
ISPD Toolkit Tip # 1: Build your advancement--development--stewardship efforts around a Culture of Belonging. Move from a "transactional" modus operandi into a "relational" one. So many Catholic schools and parishes have a "buy/sell" way of thinking. "I am going to sell you a raffle ticket; I am going to sell you the sponsorship to the 18th hole of our golf tournament; I am going to sell you a plant at the plant booth of the fair; I am going to sell you a table at the parish/school gala; I am going to sell you 12 bags of mulch for your spring garden; I am going to sell you tickets for your children to ride the rides at the parish fair . . . ." And the list goes on and on. That is transactional. Should this be discontinued? No! However, Catholic school and parish leaders need always to "pipeline" their constituents to ensure they are not "nickel and diming" them to death.
Now comes the switch to "belonging leads to believing." Relational. Does your Catholic institution have a vision for the future that is compelling -- one that excites you? One where all the messengers share the same message, and numerous people have a voice in suggesting possibilities for the future? Henri Nouwen says it best, "Vision gives us the courage to tell our story when we otherwise may have remained silent." The Annual Fund invites people to invest; the capital campaign invites people to invest; an endowment campaign invites people to invest in the future; major donor portfolios invite people to invest. However, BEFORE we can invite people to invest, we must invite them to belong. "People give to people." There are so many ways to make that happen -- strategic planning efforts, national advisory boards, principal/pastor cabinets, input/listening sessions, cup of coffee meetings, principal coffees, neighborhood gatherings, annual fund chairs, school and parish convocations, plus much more. At ISPD, we call this the 7 Is of Catholic Development: Identify -- Inform -- Invite -- Involve -- Implement -- Invest -- Improve. And, that 6th I (Invest) does not always mean $$$. Many can invest their wisdom, their connections, their talents and skills, and yes, their financial resources. They invest all of this much better when they have a strong sense of belonging.
Transactional vs Relational. Begin or continue to make the switch. The very life of your Catholic school and/or parish depends upon it.
A great cause - supporting a great CAHSS!