Annual Budget Drive 2011
Annual Budget Drive 2011
FUSN 2011 Annual Budget Drive
From Jud Leonard and Adrian Bishop – 20 May, 2011
Summary of Events
As announced at the beginning of the Annual Budget Drive (ABD), we followed the same methodology as David and Catherine Morocco and Linda Rinearson started in 2009. That is, try to visit as many FUSNites as possible using the Appreciative Inquiry method. Appreciative Inquiry is designed to have conversations about what people like about FUSN. It is especially powerful if this can be summarized in a particular story. It is followed by a request for a pledge to FUSN.
We hosted two receptions in February: one at the Lloyds and another at the Ruttenbergs. Dot Jacobson catered both events. Invitees were large donors, Board of Trustees members, Operations Council members, RE teachers, staff, and committee chairs. These receptions were not particularly well attended.
We held four orientation sessions for people involved with the ABD. The first one was a dinner and orientation for 15 captains held at Jud’s house. The other three sessions were held at FUSN for all of the Visiting Stewards (59). We provided light meals (usually pizza). These were very well attended.
The April 6 service was dedicated to Stewardship.
Four members – Karen Burns, John MacGaffey, Denise Joseph, and Jackie Colby – gave testimonials about the importance of FUSN in their lives during various services. These were all excellent.
The Fellowship Dinner was held on March 12 to kick off the ABD.
Visits were scheduled to end by April 17.
An end-of-budget-drive party has been scheduled at Laurel Farnsworth’s house on Saturday, June 4. All captains, visiting stewards, FUSN staff, and caterer (Dot) were invited.
Current status
We are pleased to report that we have received pledges for $464,147. This is almost exactly what we raised at this time last year and well ahead 2009 ($431,474).
Interestingly, the number of non-zero pledges (279) is well behind both 2010 (292) and 2009 (312).
Bottom line: fewer people have pledged this year but both median and average pledge increased.
Data Points
|
Number of households (either individual or family): |
456 |
|
Number of households assigned a Visiting Steward: |
319 |
|
Number of households visited, with response, to date: |
Approx. 310 |
|
Number of household non-zero pledges to date: |
271 |
|
Amount represented by households who gave in 2010 but have not pledged yet in 2011: |
$29,000 |
|
Average non-zero household pledge to date: |
$1,717 ($1462 in 2010) |
|
Median non-zero household pledge to date: |
$1,000 ($875 in 2010) |
|
Number of households who have matched or raised their pledge from 2010: |
225 out of 319 |
|
Number of households who have lowered their pledge from 2010: |
78 out of 319 ($17,895 less) |
Plans for Completion
Follow-up phone calls and visits to people who had not responded to the Visiting Stewards were started in early May.
Going Forward
Next year’s ABD leadership: Need a technical person and someone who knows the congregation well.
Data quality is an issue; need up-to-date contact information. Ideally track more than one year.
We should add comments field to database to track VS responses (e.g. “I moved to CA.” “I don’t go to FUSN anymore.” “Please don’t call me next year.”) Some active people don’t pledge – why not?
How to identify serious new people vs. visitors? Database has everyone who has signed the guest book. We expend a lot of time and energy tracking down “drop-ins”.
Should there be a minimum pledge for membership (to cover cost of UUA/MBD membership plus newsletter)? What about friends? What about people who just don’t respond?
Huge effort – is this the most efficient use of FUSN manpower? If we follow the five-year plan implemented in 2009, next year’s ABD would involve cottage visits.
