Important Questions Donors Might Want To Ask

A month ago I was meeting with the leader of a ministry which was new to me. They have been in existence for nearly a decade but I really didn’t know much about them but I agreed to take a meeting to find out more. I’ve been asked for many years how Susan and I decide which ministries we should financially support and those we don’t. There’s no science or formula I’ve ever read that Christians can apply to know for certain. However, here are a few important questions I try to ask in our first meeting and their answers often determine if we ought to have a second, or third meeting.

1. Tell me about yourself. How did you come to faith? (Here’s what I’m looking for. Do they really lean into that question and get personal about their love for Jesus as well as sharing their ups and downs spiritually. I’m looking for some fire in their belly for God, a history of following Jesus and for personal transparency.)

   
   

2. How did you come to work for this ministry and what did you do before? (I want to get a feel for whether this is just a job for this person, or a passion.)

   
   

3. Please help me understand the problem this ministry identified that no one else was solving, or solving well. (I want to get a better feel for why they think this ministry’s approach is accomplishing what others have failed to do.)

   
   

4. Has the ministry had any failures, or setbacks? (I tend to trust people who can admit failures and learn from them.)

   
   

5. If you had a significant gift how would it be used? In other words, what additional ministry would be accomplished? (In all fairness they just might need ongoing support to keep doing whatever they have been doing. If Susan and I believe in their mission and the people we tend to make long term commitments to undesignated expenses rather than give to projects.)

   
   

6. Tell me about your board of directors. How often do they meet and what are their qualifications? ( It’s been my experience that most board members are chosen for either their affluence or influence. In other words they either have money, or can help the ministry raise money via their credibility in the Christian community. I’m looking for whether they have some board members whose primary qualifications are their spirituality and personal involvement in that ministry beyond board meetings.)

   
   

7. What’s your annual budget? (I’m trying to get a feel if our gift would actually make a difference. For example if this is a realativly new ministry with a budget of maybe $200,000, a gift of maybe $5,000-$10,000 might make a huge difference. However if their budget is 50 million, a gift of that size while helpful, is not critical for their growth.)

Does this ministry meet the criteria in our Family Stewardship Statement?

I urge everyone who takes biblical stewardship seriously to pray about and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on the kinds of ministries he wants you to support. This also includes those he might not want you to support. Then put those ideas and guidelines in writing. In next weeks blog I’ll get into this topic deeper and provide you with a template you might consider using to write your own. Having these guidelines will accomplish a number of things; It will narrow your focus to a few significant kinds of ministries which will allow you become a far better informed donor. Secondly, it will save you from having to meet with all kinds of ministries to hear their story and need if they don’t meet the criteria you believe the Lord wants you to be engaged in.