Parish Strategic Offertory Review Checklist

Increased Offertory Programs

What Is It?

  • A program designed to increase your parish’s weekly offertory.
  • The weekly offertory increase is sustainable over time, increasing the weekly base offertory for the parish

How Does It Work?

  • Parish hires a third party company to contact your parish households through a series of letters encouraging them to increase their offertory gift. Usually over 4 – 6 weeks.
  • The letters are segmented based on each parish family’s giving habits (i.e. regular givers, occasional givers, and non-givers) and receive different letters based on their segment.
  • The third party company is responsible for all parishioner contact, follow-up, and thank you letters.
  • The parish pays an upfront fee usually based on parish size.

Results

  • Many parishes throughout the Archdiocese have successfully used these programs for many years.
  • Parishes have experienced a sustainable increase in offertory – 10% and higher.
  • Many parishes incorporate this program into their annual Stewardship Sunday activity. They seek TIME and TALENT commitments first, then seek an increased TREASURE commitment through an increased offertory program.

Recommended Suppliers

CATHEDRAL CORPORATION

Contact: Jim Messa 

800.698.0299, ext. 233

[email protected]

        OUR SUNDAY VISITOR

        Contact: Joanie Lewis 

        800.348.2886, ext. 2137

        [email protected]

Action Steps

  • Contact suppliers and make appointment to discuss.
  • Evaluate cost and benefit of each program.
  • Select supplier and determine start date.
  • Schedule in coordination with annual Stewardship Sunday TREASURE commitment.

Electronic Offertory Program

Electronic offertory allows convenience and security for parishioners who want to be generous with their gift of treasure.

Benefit for the parish

  • Parishes experience an increase in giving by parishioners using electronic offertory (“good Catholics” attend Mass at home parish only 40 times per year, putting at least 12 weeks of offertory at risk simply because the family is not at your parish.)
  • Gifts are given consistently, creating a steady and predictable cash flow.
  • Special one-time donations and second collections are incorporated into these programs

Benefits for the parishioner

  • More efficient – most financial transactions are handled electronically, instead of through a check
  • Can use credit cards
  • Able to manage all their giving at one time

Risks

  • Each supplier offers a different service. Review each supplier carefully and decide which best meets your needs.
  • The Archdiocese has made every attempt to limit risks through review of business practices, audit reports, insurance programs, and security compliance of the selected suppliers.

Recommended Suppliers

Church Budget

Contact: Renee Roland

1.877.393.3330, ext. 531

Email: [email protected]

Faith Direct

Contact: Leslie Stanion

1.866.507.8757

Email: [email protected]

Ministry Brands (formerly LPI) 

Contact: Joe Harris

650.279.9159

Email: j[email protected]  

Our Sunday Visitor 

Contact: Joanie Lewis

800.348.2886, ext. 2137

Email: [email protected]

Stewardship Technology

Contact: Dave Gambino

800.980.0906, ext. 105

Email: [email protected]

Action Steps:

  • If parish does not currently use, contact suppliers and evaluate program benefits and costs.
  • If parish currently uses one of the suppliers, promote use more frequently through:
    • Pulpit announcements (monthly at a minimum)
    • Reminders in bulletin, website, newsletter (monthly at a minimum)
    • Posters throughout parish facility
  • “Sign-up” drives at parish functions (i.e. Donut Sunday, parish ministry meetings, etc.)
  • Having a laptop computer available to sign-up on the spot after Mass
  • Having a parishioner talk at Mass
  • Making a video on how to sign-up or written instructions to hand-out
  • Use your imagination!
    • List the number of electronic givers in offertory updates in the bulletin and annual stewardship report.
    • If electronic offertory users still receive envelopes, encourage them to check “gave electronically” on the envelope and drop into the offertory basket.
    • If electronic offertory users do not receive envelopes, make re-usable, laminated cards they can drop in the offertory basket. (Ushers replace in pews after Mass)
    • New parishioners’ registration – have new parishioners sign-up for electronic offertory.

Envelope Usage

Contact your envelope supplier to see what custom graphic options are available at no or low cost:

  • Custom parish pictures
  • Custom parish graphics
  • Custom parish copy, taglines, inspirational messages
  • Check dollar categories on envelopes and revise if needed.
  • Ask supplier what best practices other parishes have successfully used.
  • Ask supplier if other types of envelopes can be added to mailing (i.e. include self-addressed “catch all” envelopes).
  • Ask supplier if inspirational letters can be added to mailing.

Children’s Envelopes

Start a Children’s Envelope Program to train future generous givers.

  • Select a person to “champion” this effort. Discuss with PSR and Grade School representatives prior to implementation.
  • Obtain parents’ permission before children receive envelopes.
  • Promote and encourage its use. Prior to implementation, discuss importance of giving to children and parents.
  • Discuss tithing.
  • Give children some say in how the money collected will be used (i.e. let them start a special charity or mission).
  • Do not use money to pay bills!
  • Provide periodic parish updates on amount of money collected and how it was used.

Visitor Envelopes

  • Keep envelopes in pews for parishioners or visitors who forgot or do not have envelopes. Be sure to include a place for the donor to put their contact information.
  • If not available year-round, put visitor envelopes in pews for highly-attended Masses or celebrations (Easter, Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Mission Week, etc.)
  • Let people know they are available during weekly announcements or highly-attended Masses.

Pass Large Baskets at Offertory

  • Replace long-pole baskets used by ushers with baskets to pass around.
  • Seek big baskets to pass from person to person at offertory. People are more likely to fill a big basket because it looks empty.
  • Small baskets fill too quickly.

Schedule a Legacy Planning Seminar

  • Offered by the Roman Catholic Foundation of Eastern Missouri, these seminars give an overview of wills and trusts and planned giving options. Many attendees consider giving their parish a legacy gift.
  • Contact Michael Weisbrod (314.918.2893/ [email protected]) to schedule.
  • Add “Remember to Keep Your Parish in Your Will or Trust” to parish communications (i.e. bulletin, website).
  • Visit the Roman Catholic Foundation’s website at https://rcfstl.org/.