Pledge Season Has Begun
November brings not only the start of the winter holidays, but also the annual First Friends Meeting pledge drive. Money can be an awkward topic, especially in a place of worship, so this message addresses why First Friends solicits funds and how the pledge campaign unfolds.
Reason for Pledges
While First Friends is a place for seeking and sharing God’s love, it also functions somewhat as a business, with an annual budget and diligent tracking of expenses versus income. Real-dollar expenses include paying utilities, compensating staff, stocking restroom supplies and much more. Income derives almost entirely from the donations of members and attenders.
Pledges are integral to the financial health of the Meeting. To clarify, a pledge is a statement of intent indicating how much a person or family plans to donate to a charitable organization – not a binding contract, promise or commitment. Pledging to First Friends simply means giving your best estimate of what you plan to donate in the new year. Your pledge, combined with the pledges of others, gives the Meeting a reasonable expectation of what to anticipate in donations.
Pledge Drive Process
There are two parts to the pledge campaign – verbal messaging at Meeting for Worship, and written communications via letter and email. Verbal messaging takes place in November during announcements at Meeting for Worship, with members of the Finance and Development Committee offering brief comments about the pledge drive. An announcement also is taped for one of the virtual Meetings for Worship.
The written part of the campaign begins with a letter mailed in November to members and attendees to invite support of the Meeting by making a pledge. Later in the month, a follow-up email is distributed, presenting detailed information in electronic format. Then in December, a letter is mailed to those who previously pledged for the current year, with a summary of pledge progress to date. Bolstering the pledge drive are messages in Friend-to-Friend and in the bulletin at Meeting for Worship.
Current-Year Needs
Because the pledge campaign for the upcoming year takes place at the end of the current year, there can be an overlap of financial needs in the event of a current-year deficit. Such is the case this year. For this reason, our pledge drive for 2024 includes an invitation to make an additional donation for 2023 to close out the year in the black. As with all Meeting solicitations, this messaging is not intended as pressure, but as an opportunity to be supportive.
Coming in 2024
In the new year, the Finance and Development Committee and Trustees will be posting a short series of messages in Friend-to-Friend and on the First Friends website as part of a “Financial Education Project.” Topics to be covered include: differences between dedicated funds and the general budget; how to engage in the annual budget review/approval process; and the distinct financial role of Trustees.
Finally, we hope to expand the Financial Education Project into a visioning of what First Friends Meeting can achieve if funds are available. What are our aspirations, both short-term and well into the future? We look forward to exploring possibilities, and your input is greatly valued. Please email questions or comments to office@indyfriends.org.