Donor Giving Curve
- Definition: gather 52 weeks’ of donors’ budget gifts and the ages of the donors; add the donors’ gifts into 10-year age brackets; plot the gift totals on a graph.
- Results
- Your bell curve should peak with the 50-59 age bracket
- Optimum: the left shoulder (20s, 30s, & 40s) should be higher than the right shoulder (60s, 70s, & 80s). Younger folk have more debt and less earnings but seniors are trying not to outlive their retirement funds.
- Consequences: Look at your graph and move it forward 10-15 years and determine the financial viability of your church.
- What will your church’s budget be like in 10-15 years and are you getting ready?
- Is your church too dependent on seniors so that when they stop giving your church will have significant financial difficulties?
- Is your church developing the younger generations by establishing expectations for them in leadership & volunteer positions and doing continual stewardship education?
Now What? So What?
- Compare your church’s financial ratios to the optimum range for each ratio.
- Develop a 2-3 year plan to bring your ratios in line with best financial practices.
Lead On!