Fundraising begins with ‘starting the conversation’

By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org

LENEXA – When the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development offered its second symposium on Jan. 17 at Holy Trinity Parish here, participants were given a crash course on the art of fundraising.

The topic of the lunch presentation was: “Cultivating Major Gifts,” and speaker John Flynn made it clear that “asking for a gift is the easiest thing we do.”

The real effort of fundraising, according to Flynn, is the time spent with major benefactors before the ask “sitting one-on-one with people and having a conversation.”

Flynn, vice president of philanthropy for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), knows what he’s talking about.

Since he joined that organization in 2009, FOCUS has more than tripled the number of missionaries and campuses it serves.

Under his leadership, FOCUS reached a $250 million comprehensive goal for its “Run So As To Win” campaign.

Flynn explained the process of cultivating and soliciting supporters in seven easy steps — and participants were definitely taking notes.

“John was fantastic,” said Bill Maloney, executive director of stewardship and development for the archdiocese. “I thought he gave a great practical overview of the nuts and bolts of major gift cultivation and solicitation.

“But he also gave a great testimony on how to do that in our Catholic environment.”

Indeed, Flynn encouraged participants to see the place philanthropy plays in salvation history.

Alluding to the parable of the rich young man (Mt 19:16–30), Flynn said, “We have a great opportunity as development people to help people of great faith, influence and affluence in terms of bringing them closer to Christ.”

Flynn talked about straddling the fine line between being aggressive and being assertive when soliciting donors. He gave participants solid guidance with his “golden questions” to ask benefactors while cultivating a major gift.