BGU has been coaching BGU students and alumni on implementing their own local and global fundraising efforts for over 10 years. It is estimated they have raised at least $2million over what they would have normally expected as a result of that coaching. The core book used in this coaching is “When Money Goes on Mission: Fundraising and Giving in the 21 st Century” by Rob Martin. A U.S. foundation has provided a way for any friends of BGU (anyone reading this newsletter) to get a free digital copy of this book with the link provided at the end of this article.

For too many, raising funds feels like begging. It is transactional. It is awkward. The pathway to healthy fundraising seems like a maze with no map.

Many people have taken seminars on fundraising or grant writing and blame the lack of result on themselves. In reality, fundraising starts with a change of mindset and perspective flowing from biblical teaching. It is accomplished with specific new habits that build relationships of sustained interdependence between givers and receivers. Very few people can implement all that is needed through books and seminars. Instead, it takes ongoing coaching, peer learning, and building local teams to help and support. That is what BGU’s coaching has provided for so many.

Potential givers are also bombarded with emails, letters, phone calls, and social media requests that can rob them of joyful, relational, well-informed giving. When a fundraiser approaches them like a beggar, everyone is uncomfortable. When a fundraiser approaches them with an entitlement attitude, overstated claims, and unclear messages without a listening posture, the joy of a communion between giving and receiving is lost. BGU works with organizations such as Generosity Path and Global Trust Partners to help givers around the world to learn how to navigate these challenges to find joy for themselves and their families.

Rob Martin describes what God is doing in the 21 st Century as creating “giving from everywhere to everywhere.” BGU’s coaching focuses on autochthonous (Google this word!) fundraising which prioritizes creating local giving relationships even in the poorest communities. BGU displays this new era of giving with over 70% of BGU students who do not live in North America, but support their own school journey and give generously back to BGU after graduation.

Students seeking funds for ministering places of severe poverty learn new ways to build on-going relationships centered on trust. Students learn how to create businesses so that some funding comes from the healthy relationship between product/service providers and customers. Givers learn how to navigate to joyful giving in the midst of so many clamoring voices.

If you want to learn more about BGU fundraising coaching, or BGU’s partnerships with the world’s leading resources for global givers, please contact me at brad.smith@bgu.edu.

If you want to join the BGU fundraising coaching, my request is that you download the free digital copy of Rob's book at the link below. After you read the book, send me an email and we can arrange for you to recruit a local team to join ongoing coaching sessions that are involving leaders from 6 continents. Sessions are starting again in early December.

As you seek the next steps in your own journey of relational fundraising or joyful giving, please pray if God is guiding you to provide help to the BGU family at any level before this year’s end to continue its work “to strengthen global leaders who steward resources with and for vulnerable people and places, by means of contextual, Christian-based education innovatively delivered throughout the urban world.”

Would you prayerfully consider giving a year end donation to BGU at https://bgu.edu/giving?

Instructions for a free download of Rob Martin’s book:

When Money Goes on Mission Book: Below is a link to get a free digital copy. You are free to provide this link to anyone you think can be helpful to you or your team. Each book is funded by a grant from the First Fruit Foundation so they want to know who is receiving their granted book, thus that is why they ask you to type in your email: LINK. Type in your name First, Last. What Ministry Organization? BGU How did you hear about this promo code: GIL. Then type in your email.