Ministry Partner Development Training
We all need help to "sharpen the saw," and getting solid, Biblically based training in partnership development and support raising skills is essential.
There are a number of organizations and ministries that offer training to enable people to raise support for their ministries. Each training program offers its own approach.
Here are some of those that we are aware of and can recommend:
- Category: Training
VIA Generosity (formerly Support Raising Solutions) offers a number of excellent books, an active and helpful blog, and a "Support Raising Boot Camp" seminar.
Their goal is to help staff develop a Biblically healthy perspective on fund raising and partnership development, to develop a workable plan to become fully funded, and to develop a strong, vibrant support team who will stay with you as long as you are in the ministry.
- Category: Training
Stewardship Ambassadors combines online training sessions, one-on-one coaching in shaping your case for support and personal presentations, with practical tools and a proven road-map to reaching your goal of being fully funded.
The training applies a discipleship model in helping ministry partners grow in their awareness of their kingdom stewardship, rather than a modified "sales" model designed to "close the deal." Ministry workers are training in a "soft-ask" approach in personal presentations that honors the role of the Holy Spirit in leading partners in making Spirit-guided stewardship decisions.
- Category: Training
Tailored Fund Raising offers an online, on-demands course that covers the fundamentals of ministry support raising.
They use an excellent outline to help structure the course as follows:
- Mindset: Biblical foundations of support raising and attitudes
- Message: Crafting your "why" and mission and vision statements in a compelling way, and preparing for varying contexts to help you tell your story
- Map: Developing a workable plan to get from where you are to where you want to be (fully funded)
- Meeting: Preparing for meeting with potential (and existing) ministry partners one-on-one (or perhaps two-on-two)
The course costs $ 99 and combines video teaching, reading assignments, and an excellent 58 page workbook (pdf)
- Category: Training
Jeff McLinden and Barry McLeish have spent three decades working with ministries in the areas of marketing, communications and fundraising. They have trained hundreds of missionaries how to quickly and successfully raise the funding and partner teams needed to be fully supported.
McLeish and McLinden created an online resource and training center for support raising at Raising-Support.com. This subscription member-based site provides a comprehensive video-based training course for those who need help -- 24/7 from anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection.
The cost is a very reasonable $ 37 for a 12 month subscription to all of their content.
They also offer a $ 97 per month organizational subscription that makes all of the course and supplemental materials available to all staff in an organization.
- Category: Training
The Fully Funded Academy helps missionaries, ministry leaders, campus ministers, and church planters grow your donor base, raise financial support, and get fully funded.
- Category: Training
Kingdom Come Ministries offers a new approach to training people to raise their support through live video conferencing. The training occurs live, online, for 2 hours a day for 10 days (over 2 weeks).
Their goal is to help ministry workers reach and maintain full funding in a healthy, sustainable way.
Following the 2 week training period, ongoing coaching support (30 minutes per week until fully funded) provides the additional support that aids the progress toward full funding.
- Category: Training
Rob Parker is the Director of Ministry Partner Development for the International House of Prayer in Kansas City.
He has prepared an online, self-paced course for those who want to raise support in a way that honors the Lord.
Also part of the course is an extensive written manual.
- Category: Training
The Unmuzzled Ox is a ministry of coach Aaron Gonyou. He combines online training, ongoing coaching, and an extensive online resource library to help Kingdom workers develop health partner relationships for the Gospel.
In addition to his training resources (many free, others available on a minimal monthly subscription), he has an active Facebook community
- Category: Training
Relational Fund Raising offers a free online course and many helpful resources for those developing their partner teams.
Initially designed for YWAM, it is offered free of charge on a self-paced basis to all who have interest.
