Ministry leaders possess the compassion, creativity, and knowledge about community needs that grant funders appreciate. Yet ministry groups are often less experienced than other types of nonprofit organizations in discerning which funding to seek, understanding how to build relationships with funders, and putting together proposals. This book offers a pathway to strengthening new and existing ministries. Joy Skjegstad is an experienced grant-proposal writer who has successfully raised money for a variety of nonprofits over the past 20 years, including a number of ministry organizations. She shows how fundraising can be an integral part of ministry--forcing us into deeper conversation with God, expanding our relationships with others, and building both our faith and our discipline. Providing detailed guidance on the practical aspects of seeking grants from foundation and corporate funders, Skjegstad describes approaches for researching potential funders, developing a case statement, putting together an effective grant proposal, and following up with grant makers. She explains the types of grants available and how to determine which are a good fit with your ministry. For faith-based ministries, faith is the groundwork for fundraising--the most important thing to consider while developing fundraising values and strategies. Skjegstad helps faith communities identify their own cultural beliefs, follow spiritual disciplines, and cultivate generous hearts as they work toward integrating their faith and their fundraising.

A large and growing number of congregations are setting up church-based nonprofit organizations in order to operate community development or educational programs. Once formed, the nonprofit structure allows for new opportunities for accessing additional funding and drawing new collaborative partners and volunteers into the ministry. Joy Skjegstad outlines the step-by-step procedures for setting up a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization connected to a congregation using simple, easy-to-understand terminology and plenty of examples from churches that have already taken on this task. Whether a congregation is setting up new program or has an established nonprofit that needs to be restructured or redefined, congregations will find helpful guidance in this practical, experience-based book.