The Archdiocese of Cincinnati!

Archdiocese of Cincinnati
. . . . .leading the way

The Cunneen Company wishes to congratulate Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati, Michael Vanderburgh, Director of Stewardship, Brian Doyle, Associate Director of Stewardship, and members of the Pastor’s Advisory Council for boldly deciding to launch an Archdiocesan-wide Parish Stewardship Initiative in the Fall of 2010.

Beginning in September of 2010, the first of 218 parish stewardship initiatives will commence. The goals of the effort are to deepen parishioner understanding of Stewardship of Treasure. Parishioners will be encouraged to increase their regular giving, to use offertory envelopes, to consider electronic giving, and to be intentional, reflective and prayerful in their support of their parish. All 175,000 families will have access to a three-year subscription of Stewardship in Motion a newsletter which explores all aspects of parish stewardship-Time, Talent, and Treasure.

Leading the way among Catholic Dioceses across the United States, parishes in the Archdiocese will benefit from parish initiatives, which will be funded by the Archdiocese. Each program will be customized to meet specific parish needs, parish timetables, and will reflect the conversation that individual parishes and pastors have already had with their parishioners about Stewardship.

Cunneen welcomes the Archdiocese to its family of clients and applauds its bold leadership. We look forward to our Fall 2010 launch!

Happy New Year

SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT 2009
. . . . .BUT BORING IT WAS NOT!

Tasked with running our company in the midst of the greatest recession in seventy years, my brother and I have found the experience has left us with conflicting emotions. Over the past fourteen months, we’ve experienced great disappointment as well as extraordinary stress and pressure. This has been tempered, however, with many instances of our entire team pulling together in a spirit of collective sacrifice to help each other, to assist our clients, and to help the firm endure the hard times. As a company, we have never worked harder, better, more efficiently and dare I say, joyfully then we have over these past months. Hardship and sacrifice have brought out the best in us all.

As I proudly write this letter, I can’t help but think that every one of our client pastors could say the exact same things about their staff, about their volunteers, and about their parishioners. We have witnessed tens of thousands of families digging a bit deeper each weekend to help support their parish in these difficult times; the work of the church has never seemed more important! We have stood in awe as thousands of pledge cards from capital campaigns all across the country arrived in our office; each completed card giving witness to the importance of Church, Faith, Sacrifice and Hope.

We have witnessed the courage of pastors and lay leaders as they boldly made the difficult decisions that were necessary to keep their parishes operating and to maintain the services that their parishioners needed more than ever. We have seen those parishioners respond. Throughout one hundred fifty-seven appeals this fall and approximately three hundred over the course of the year, in dozens of dioceses, in almost thirty states; we have not seen a single instance where the faithful didn’t respond abundantly. It has been humbling.

Looking back, this has been the most difficult year in my professional life; it has also been the most rewarding. I have never felt more proud of the work that our firm does, of our staff, and of the clients we serve. What we do is important because what you do is essential. This year has been humbling and empowering; difficult, yet, wonderful. I look to the future with a renewed spirit of optimism and a deeper belief in the work that we do.

Thank you for permitting Cunneen to assist your parishes, your dioceses and the people who you serve. Your work is important; it is essential! It remains a privilege to serve our Church.

My favorite case letter of the season.

This letter inspired by the words of our client-the pastor at Saint Francis-but credit for the writing belongs to Harry Colin of the Cunneen team.

Saint Francis of Assisi Parish is blessed in so many ways! We are an active, vibrant parish that accepts with great eagerness Christ's call to evangelization. We center our worship on the Eucharistic Liturgy and from this wellspring all of our ministries flow. It is sometimes instructive for all of us to review just how far and in what directions our outreach extends, so permit me to briefly review just some of the highlights of our parish life and to discuss some exciting plans for our future.

Our celebrations of the liturgy are infused with energy, passion and prayerfulness. Our music ministry is superb and in the words of Saint Augustine, “ one who sings prays twice.” To strengthen this integral component of our parish life we want to appoint a Worship Ministry Coordinator to make our celebrations even more powerful and consistent.

We educate children from Pre-K age all the way through the elementary, middles school and high school years. This process is critical to our future and requires adequate resources to insure our children are properly catechized to go forth into a challenging world. Our RCIA and adult education programs also are important to us.

Effective and Gospel- inspired social action is an important ministry for us here also. Among the most prominent programs are Americares, the Christmas toy collection, our food drive and our ongoing care and outreach to our sick. We also sponsor a number of social gatherings that are important to sustain and buildupon our fellowship here at Saint Francis.

Communication that is far-reaching and effective is required to link all of our people and ministries together. We want to revive the parish newsletter and strengthen our presence on the website to further this aim.

We have now reached an important, exciting yet critical point in our parish life. We must take the opportunity presented to us now to insure these ministries survive and prosper. All of these ministries require resources to operate. Our parish offertory collection is the lifeblood that nourishes the heart from which our actions draw their inspiration. That is why I am asking each one of you to prayerfully consider making a modest increase in your weekly giving.

The members of the parish finance committee and I understand these are challenging times. Such times, however, require more from our parish ministries, not less and a strengthened collection is the only way for this to occur. By making every effort to be a regular and consistent user of your envelopes, and by making the commitment to nudge your weekly gift upward a bit, we can survive and flourish in our parish life.

Please pray over this important request I have presented you and respond as best you can. We are good stewards of what you have given us and we ask that you in turn practice good stewardship with your blessings. As Sacred Scripture tells us, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16) Whatever your decision, I ask for your prayers and assure you of mine on your behalf.

This parish has recorded a 25% increase in weekly giving-the message worked!

Now THIS was a good question.

At a morning meeting with Monsignor Greico of Weston, CT we were discussing the "case for support" for his parish's upcoming offertory enchancement appeal. We covered the usual topics of budget vs. income, rising expenses, a slight dip in offertory due to the recession, the desire to expand ministries.

I thought we were doing pretty well-Monsignor didnt seem quite satisfied. As the discussion continued Monsignor became quiet, leaned back in his chair and seemed to settle into deep reflection. After a few moments he asked me this question:

"John, with all that is going on today, where do my people go to get hope?"

And there you have it...

Do you have to? YES! Blogging, Facebook, Twitter and you…

I had hoped never to have to write this article but alas the time has come.

It is time for Catholic parishes to move beyond bulletins and websites as the sole methods for communicating with their parishioners. Yes! This article is about embracing blogging, Facebook and dare I say Twitter.

As a society we are experiencing a major and rapid change in how we seek, acquire and ultimately consume information. We are migrating away from traditional sources such as the home delivered newspaper, the news magazine and the evening news. We are visiting websites of our choosing from our computers or our smart phones. We are simultaneously narrowing our focus to specific types of news or specific viewpoints while at the same time using technology to keep us informed on a remarkably broad range of subjects.

Want to know if a severe thunderstorm is approaching your area? No problem sign up for a weather alert and your phone will notify you with a warning. Are you interested in up to date scores of your favorite team? Instant notification is about ten keystrokes away. Ever wonder what happened to that funny kid who you bunked with in summer camp? She is on Facebook-waiting for you to “friend her”.

Modern technology has changed much about how people interact with each other and connect with their community. There is much to be concerned about; there is no question that “new” comes with a fair amount of “not quite as good as it was”.

Embracing the new technology, however, can also be extraordinarily powerful. It can bring people together; it can dramatically expand the ease and speed in how you communicate with your parishioners, area Catholics, or supporters. Effective use of this technology also provides a forum for disseminating real content, for having real conversations, for tackling important topics.

Blog sites, Facebook and even twitter are all tools that Catholic Dioceses as well as parishes need to be investigating. A quick search on the term “Catholic Parish” on the Facebook website yields dozens of parishes who have built their own “groups” to promote the parish, to connect members of their youth programs, to discuss their faith. Some parishes have several hundred members in their groups that they can communicate within seconds, several hundred members who are learning about their parish, their youth group, parish activities or important elements of their faith.

An investigation of the www.Blogspot.com blog hosting company provides dozens of examples of blogs being maintained by Catholic pastors where important topics related to our faith are being discussed. There are blogs from business managers, youth ministers and energetic lay people. Discussions are happening, people are sharing, and people are connecting!

Most of these sites are free and have tools which allow for privacy, access and content control.

As for Twitter it is worth looking at if only to get a preview of where things may be heading. Essentially it is a real time, running dialog, of very short messages from an individual to a community of people who have elected to be kept informed of the individual’s activities.

The big message of this article is blogs, Facebook and even Twitter are important tools that individuals, leaders, businesses, nonprofit organizations and churches are using to communicate, to build community and to connect people with common interests and ideas to each other.

Sounds familiar, sounds relevant, sounds important!

John

(note: article to appear in an upcoming Cunneen Company newsletter, I am well aware that anyone reading this knows about blogs!)

For the Dan Brown fans out there - I present:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/opinion/19douthat.html?_r=1&em

The author of this fantastic little article is a graduate of my High School-Hamden Hall in Hamden, CT. Ross was a few years behind me. I wish I could say I knew him well (I am sure many folks knew him better now that he is a world famous columnist).

Ross Douthat replaces Bill Kristol as the "conservative" voice in the New York Times.

Fantastic article about the controversial yet absurdly popular author Dan Brown.

Well done Ross-and to think we had the same English teachers!

Now more than ever!

If not now WHEN? When has it been more important for our churches, schools, community based non-profits, social service organizations, and health care organizations, to ask for and to receive money to fulfill their essential missions?

If not now when?

When have we faced more of a challenge to our confidence, to our financial well being, to our sense of what is right, to our belief that we can improve tomorrow by the work we do today?

The Cunneen Company, my firm, works in hundreds of Catholic communities in every corner of the country. We also assist schools, social service organizations and health care agencies, nursing homes and community action groups. In every organization in every part of the country the work of our clients is necessary, it is important, it is essential. It is needed NOW MORE THAN EVER!

If you are using your valuable time to read this blog you do so for one reason-you care about your organization. You care about the people you serve, the faithful that fill your pews, the everyday folks that utilize your services or send their children to your schools.

If you are reading this blog, you, like me,spend time not only worrying about the future but more importantly planning, organizing and taking action to meet that future head on-to accept every challenge and to insure that your organization can fulfill its mission and serve its people.

Leadership, boldness, unwavering belief in the importance of your mission, confidence that your supporters will not let you down (they wont) is needed NOW MORE THAN EVER.

If you are not asking your supporters for gifts, if you are not moving forward with your annual appeal, offertory enhancement program, and essential maintenance projects you are missing an opportunity. An opportunity to experience the great joy of witnessing a community come together, in the most difficult of times, to support the most essential of causes-your organization.

Now More Than Ever!

Tips 7-8-9 ! For fundraising in 2009!

7.) Stick with what works. If your annual appeal always seems to work, even though its a tad tired or not that much fun-stick with it! If that big spring event has always been your best fundraiser, don't cancel, don't try and reinvent it, run it again only this time be a bit more efficient and more focused. With limited resources and donors who are feeling a bit under siege, now is the time to keep focused on the basics and on the fundamentals.

8.) Consider greater use of online resources. Increased communication, increased donor stewardship, learn more about your donors, make sure you are telling your donors as much about you as possible. There are many free or close to free ways of communicating with your donors-consider starting a blog, using twitter, setting up a facebook profile for your organization, utilize an online newsletter service such as constantcontact.com. There are many very affordable ways of dramatically increasing the touch points between your parish or non profit and your supporters.

9.) Cut expenses strategically. Every organization has expenses that can be trimmed. But you must resist the urge to overdo it or to cut in areas which might ultimately jeopardize your income. Now is NOT the time to cut your major gifts officer, to dial back from three to two annual appeal mailings or to cut back on your communication, outreach and stewardship efforts. It does take money to make money. Cutting the wrong expenses could actually accelerate the pace of financial pressures your organization is facing.

Tips 4-5-6! For fundraising in 2009!

4.) Ask! If you are like most churches or non-profits you have real and compelling needs. You are still fulfilling your mission, still serving your community and therefor still require funding. Do not let fear of asking paralyze you. If you believe in your mission, if fulfilling your mission requires funding, if your funding comes from donors, then you MUST ask!

5.) Trust your donors. Your donors give to you for a reason. They believe in your mission, they were positively impacted by you in the past, they have strong faith, or any of a dozen additional reasons. Most donors give because they WANT to, out of a sense of gratitude, responsibility, personal fulfillment-it makes them happy, gives them satisfaction. These are good people giving to you for good reasons, in difficult times they are the people you should trust, they are the people you should turn to for advice and support. Trust your donors-they trust you and they wont let you down.

6.) Communicate, communicate, communicate. Good leaders understand that in difficult times effective communication is an essential element of outstanding leadership. Your employees, donors, volunteers,and board members need to know, demand to know,exactly what is happening with your organization.

Now is the time to celebrate your successes twice as loudly and three times as often. Now is the time to articulate your challenges in a blunt, honest and direct manner. Now is the time to remind those that care about organization exactly what your goals are, exactly why your organization exists and why its not important but ESSENTIAL! Say more, say it louder, say it more frequently, say it honestly and directly. Silence shows fear and indecision-communicating shows a determined resolve to lead!

Tips 1-2-3! For fundraising in 2009

1.) Know your numbers. How many donors regularly support your organization. What is the average gift? Who are the ten largest givers and what do they give? How are your numbers tracking weekly/monthly this year vs. last year?

2.) Focus your case. Now is not the time for pie in the sky type thinking. It is great, important and liberating to dream but your donors are a bit tired and scared at the moment-do the dreaming privately right now. Save the twenty year/twenty million dollar plan for another day. Now is the time to focus your case on your core mission, core needs, and core one, three, six and twelve month goals.

3.) Build relationships. Take your top donors to lunch and share your thoughts, plans and concerns. Host a small dinner, cocktail hour or coffee with your key volunteers, key donors or leadership team to discuss the economy, funding challenges and your goals. Always be reaching out to the people who can and who want to assist you. You will enjoy the fellowship, you will derive comfort from their enthusiasm and maybe even raise a few dollars.

A Christmas Bulletin Announcement

WELCOME HOME!

We know that the Christmas season provides us with the pleasure of seeing in person many folks who do not regularly join us for Mass. It's so good to see you! We hope you find the Liturgy inspirational and that you experience the profound joy that comes from the contemplation of the coming of Our Lord and His presence in the Holy Eucharist. Let's take the advice of Saint Paul of the Cross who said, “Celebrate the feast of Christmas every day, even every moment in the interior of your spirit, remaining like a bay in the bosom of the Heavenly Father, where you will be reborn each moment in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ.”

You are important to us. The heart and soul of Christian stewardship is the belief that God is the source of all of our blessings, talents and possessions. We are simply His stewards. Why not share your talents with us? This is your parish and we are strongest when we all participate. As we know from Sacred Scripture, “We have gifts that differ according to the grace given us.” (Rom 12:6) Think about taking this opportunity to share your talents with your fellow parishioners. You have much to offer – and we are eager to have your help.

Another integral component of Christian stewardship is sharing your treasure. Remember, it isn't money that is the root of all evil; it is the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil! (I Tim 6:10) We are called not to equal giving, but to equal sacrifice. May we humbly suggest you step forward now to help YOUR parish flourish. A great way to accomplish that is by selecting the Electronic Giving option the parish offers. By doing so your gift will arrive regularly on a schedule you determine and your good intentions will not be derailed by travel, attending another parish's Mass or by work -related obligations. Signing up is simple! Take it from those who do so, regular giving is a fruitful and gratifying use of your resources and as we know, we cannot out give Our Lord. He will repay us abundantly.

Written by: Harry Colin, Vice President of Consulting-The Cunneen Company

Thank you Father Schrader and Beth Lucia of Cunneen!

To Any Pastoral Leader Pondering a Fiscal Campaign:

This past Spring when our Facilities Committee came up with a 5-year plan for the upkeep and improvement of the twelve buildings on our parish’s three church sites, the cost when linked with our annual diocesan appeal for this year came to $900,000. Wondering what to do at a time of rapidly escalating gasoline prices and other related increases, our Pastoral and Financial Councils decided to contact Cunneen to see what was possible. I was severely skeptical that anything could successfully be done to reach that amount in such a year of economic stress. After all, we had difficulty reaching just our $123,000 diocesan appeal alone in the better-off 2007-08 fiscal year.

All I can say now is that anything is possible for those who believe! Thanks to a special gift by bequest to the campaign in the summer, we went over the $900,000 mark on October 29th, the end of one of the worst Octobers in recent history. Then, two days before Thanksgiving, the pledges alone (apart from the $150,000 bequest itself) reached the $900,000 mark. The people were elated when I announced at our Mass on Thanksgiving morning that we had over $1,050,000 committed to the campaign. I know one thing for sure: I simply could not have done it without Cunneen. I also know that challenging economic times are no hindrance to success if your need is genuine and you convey it convincingly to those who have in their hearts the same mission that your campaign supports. It was Cunneen that helped us to map out a strategy and get the message conveyed in a clear and compelling way. Consider this a strong endorsement of their services!!!

Rev. Robert J. Schrader, Pastor
Peace of Christ Parish
Rochester, NY

A drill or a hole? The what or the why?

I've linked to this blog before-and even wrote an earlier blog article about how closely related sales is to fundraising-this article quoting sales guru Zig Ziglar does a pretty neat job of it.

And I agree-we are in the "hole" business! Or as I say often enough the "why" not the "what".

http://fundraisingcoach.com/2008/12/02/fundraising-secret-28-nobody-wants-to-buy-a-drill/

Enjoy and thanks again Marc for the excellent blog post.

Enjoying the success of a client.

Bishop Tobin of the Catholic Diocese of Providence RI, Jim Cunneen and Ray Coogan both of the Cunneen Company, enjoy a moment of celebration as the guests of Father Spina, pastor of St. Martha's in East Providence.

Bishop Tobin was congratulating Father Spina and the parishioners of St. Martha's on their recently completed $1 million capital campaign to conduct major renovations.

Seeing these projects completed is by far the most rewarding part of our jobs. Congratulations to Father Spina and the good people of St. Martha's.

My friends...

To members of the Cunneen family of clients:

“One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency” Arnold Glasgow

If you are receiving this newsletter you are a leader; a leader of a parish, finance council, development office, stewardship department or an entire diocese. Leadership in a faith based (Catholic)organization during these extraordinarily complicated times is difficult. Employees, parishioners, volunteers, peers, and colleagues look to you for guidance, instruction, comfort and inspiration. You are expected to have the right answer, to chart the proper course of action, and to assure those around you that everything will be fine.

“Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time." Oswald Chambers

Like you, I have this deliberate confidence. I have faith that God will show me the way that He will guide my hand and my actions.

In the coming months we will all be challenged to make difficult decisions about the organizations we lead. Raising money, increasing weekly giving, introducing electronic giving, conducting capital campaigns are not easy things to do when the economy is suffering or when your parishioners are feeling insecure about their jobs, homes and financial security.

However, as leaders we must lead! We must “recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency”. Now more than ever, Catholic parishes must address their regular, electronic, and capital giving. A weak economy does not correlate with a parish’s expenses or capital needs. The electric bill will not be reduced, fuel costs will remain high, the snow must be ploughed, the leak in the roof has to be repaired, and the insurance premiums must be paid. It isn’t easy but it is necessary.

Twenty-eight years of service to the Catholic Church assures us that parishioners will respond. In good times and bad, the generosity of the faithful never fails to meet the needs of our Church. Please know that The Cunneen Company remains committed to assisting your parish or diocese.

Our offertory enhancement, electronic giving and capital campaign programs are obtaining meaningful and lasting results. Offertory enhancement appeals conducted in September and October of this year have seen an average increase of 23%. It is comforting to witness the “deliberate confidence” of the tens of thousands of Catholics who supported their parishes over these difficult weeks. We are heartened by their response.

As always, thank you for your time, consideration and for granting us the privilege to serve your parish or diocese.

Sincerely,

John Cunneen

Good stewards have faith.

Bad Economic Times can provide a Healthy Perspective

“It is the heart that makes a man rich.
He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.”
-Henry Ward Beecher

Whether or not we are in an official “recession,” there is now no denying that our country is experiencing an historic and catastrophic downturn in the economy. While it is the large banks and Wall Street firms that have received all the publicity and “bailouts”, it is in the individual family wallet and budget where we all are feeling the pinch of the tough economy more acutely than anywhere else. When difficulties are experienced and our safety is threatened, we find out if our religious beliefs are more than mere slogans or platitudes. Is it possible to find a silver lining in the economic rain cloud hanging over our heads?

If we are to find our way through these tough times, we must first understand the “motivation of crisis.” You know the old saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Well, bad economic times can create the pressure needed for us to finally review our financial stewardship and how faithful and disciplined we are in the way we use our personal financial resources. The economists tell us this particular crisis was brought on by unwise debt and mortgage lending. If we have personally overextended our family finances with too much debt, these times will be very tough for us indeed and we will have to make serious cutbacks in our expenses. But if we learn this painful lesson and begin to live within our family’s financial means, the future can hold great promise. When finances are flush and times are good, it is easy to be less disciplined in our spending and how we use our money. Yard sales are testimonies to how much “junk” most families have and could easily live without. When times are difficult, we are much more careful how we spend our money and we come much closer to limiting our purchases to useful necessities.

When we experience financial woes, we must remember Jesus’ teaching in Luke 12:13-34 that if we build our treasures here on earth, moth and rust can destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them. But treasures built in Heaven are safe from these dangers and will provide a safe and secure foundation upon which a life can be built that will endure the financial struggles that will inevitably occur. Further, Jesus promises that just as the birds of the air and the flowers are provided for by God, so too will He provide our basic and essential needs. To worry about these things, Jesus taught, is folly and doesn’t help the situation at all.

As times improve, and they eventually will, good stewards will remember the lessons learned and the more disciplined priorities of these lean times. We will keep our future expenditures under control and representative of the teachings of our Lord. These economic times will pass, although we don’t know how soon. But people of FAITH will make the most of the time to review and re-order their lives and stewardship, and will look back on 2008 as a great year when they rediscovered the power of their faith and trust in their Lord to provide their needs.

A Capital Campaign for needed improvements or additions can provide an excellent opportunity for your parishioners to step out in faith and make a Statement of Intention that will be a testament to their faith in the future and their trust in God to provide their needs

Article by: Ralph Salzgaber. Cunneen consultant, campaign director and author of Cunneen's Stewardship in Motion newsletter

The Bishops often say it better.

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE

"Within a total stewardship context, parishes and dioceses
should not hesitate to use the best available ethically
sound fund-raising practices to ask the Catholic people to
make financial contributions that are planned, proportionate,
and sacrificial. Provided that the basic approach
is consistent with the theology and practice of stewardship,
the principles and techniques of professional fund
raising can be extremely helpful to the overall stewardship
and development efforts of the parish or diocese."

Bishop's Pastoral on Stewardship 10th Anniversary Edition

The 10th Anniversary of the Bishop's Pastoral on Stewardship really advanced the discussion on Stewardship. It took the orginal letter outlined in the first edition ten years earlier and added practical and meaningful steps to assist parishes in approaching this important effort in thier parishes.

The seven steps outlined by the Bishops are:

1.) Personal Witness
2.) Committment of Leadership
3.) Evangelization and Outreach
4.) Communication and Education
5.) Gifts of time and talent (volunteers)
6.) Stewardship of Treasure
7.) Accountability

This edition of the Bishop's pastoral is an essential tool for all parishes that are seriously considering Stewardship, making a serious effort at developing a strategic plan or considering a major fundraising program such as a capital campaign.

I strongly urge everyone to take an hour and review this important document. (This includes you kind and dedicated souls that work for Cunneen!)

http://www.usccb.org/stewardship/disciplesresponse.pdf