THE FRIEND-RAISER OVERVIEW : A Funding Option in lieu of a Large Group Banquet this Fall. With many Large Group Gatherings being banned, let’s see this as opportunity. A Small Group Friend-Raiser may be exactly what our area needs right now. As we’ve been separated, this format will bring people together as well as be...more:
RELATIONSHIP-CENTERED: Guests are relaxed, and comfortable being in a friend’s home.
ENGAGING: Without the normal event fanfare, guests arrive with their hearts open to Young Life.
CONVERSATIONAL: There can be questions asked and clarity given.
EFFECTIVE: We have found more people are inclined to partner & gifts tend to be larger.
WHAT:
friend-rais-er /frend/räzer/
noun
an event that increases the amount, or strength, of friendships; i.e. individuals who act as supporters of a cause, by giving financial or other help.
WHY: There are individuals in our communities who will never join us at a large group banquet or as an adult guest at camp. Maybe it’s the size of the event, or misconceptions they have about Young Life, but the event may seem too big.
They may, however, agree to a small dinner party with friends, where they’ll experience Young Life in a new way. Imagine the potential leaders, committee members, donors and prayer warriors your area can develop by simply gathering around a table, sharing a meal while explaining your local vision for this mission. [See image below]
Large group meetings (e.g. camp or club) aren’t our only means of connecting with kids, so why are we okay with our Banquet being our one and only means of connecting with and sharing vision to adults? Imagine - we wouldn’t dream of hosting Campaigners with 250 kids without breaking down into small groups and connecting kids with a leader.
We aren’t asking you to learn something new, simply we want you to see that what you do extremely well with kids, you can do extremely well with Adults. (… grown-up Kids)
Did you hear that? It’s the SECRET! We can do ministry with adults in the same way we do ministry with kids, all while multiplying our kid impact! From Inviting In to Sharing the Gospel to Celebrating Growth in Christ. It’s simply the same. So, perhaps, this fall will be the year when our Volunteer Teams grow, Committees grow.
HOW: Begin with a host from your Committee and follow these simple steps:
Find a Date - identify a person or couple who will Host “Friendraiser Dinner Party” in their home. (You may wish to plan a Friendraiser every other month, or perhaps they will be quarterly, but start with one.)
Create a List - Who should your host invite? How many? Your guest list should be friends of the host or your committee members who will be familiar with each other. *Note: you want to keep this dinner intimate, so invite no more than 8-12 people.
Personally Invite - Your host should invite, by phone, then followed with a text with pertinent information, and then a follow up phone call as the day approaches.
Order of Events - Partner with your Committee to create an order for the evening that includes good food, family time, storytelling, vision-casting, with an invitation to partner.
Follow Up - After sharing the Young Life story, sharing your vision, (& needs), and personally invite your guests to partner with you and your team! It is imperative to follow through with these relationships.
& (Another) WHY: The reason we break down large groups of kids at camp (cabin time) or club (campaigners or small groups) into smaller groups, or even a one on one meeting is for relational investment as well as clarity in communication. We have seen, as we continue to develop Young Life’s Relational Centered Engagement [RCE], that the same is true with our work with adults in our community. The smaller the group, the more personal and relational the time is, has generally helped provide more Yes’s with greater impact.
This “Scale of Effectiveness in Asking” is from the Relationship Centered Engagement (RCE) training from Young Life’s Field Development team. It shows us that the more intimate the group, more people are saying yes with increased gift sizes.
The “Friendraiser” small group gathering may be exactly what your Area needs to add to your Financial Strategy to take your Area to the next level; especially in the aftermath of the recent pandemic.
Written by: Kent Williams