What is fundraising and why should Catholic entities become professional in raising funds?

“He fundraising professional has roots in the Church itself,” he affirms. Juan Uribepresident of Catholic Fundraising Institute (Spain) and expert with more than 25 years of experience in training and advising non-profit entities, especially the Catholic Church, to optimize fundraising.

“Since the apostles and the letters of Saint Paul, collections and campaigns were already organized to support the Church. However, times have changed. After the pandemic, many Catholic parishes and entities faced an economic crisis because they were accustomed to traditional methods of asking for alms. Today we must modernize and professionalize these practices,” said Uribe, in an interview with ACI Prensa.

According to the 61-year-old expert, of Colombian origin and Spanish national, he fundraising It consists of the application of professional marketing, communication and administration strategies and techniques for non-profit entities.

Uribe is certain that the fundraising “It is a tool of evangelization, because it is not only about asking for donations, but about spiritually accompanying the donors.”

“The guru of fundraising in Spanish”

Juan has been called by some media outlets the “fundraising guru in Spanish”, as he has trained and advised entities such as Radio María, Aid to the Church in Need, the Archdiocese of Panama, May Feelings, Pontifical Mission Societies and the Archdiocese from Madrid, among others.

As he told ACI Prensa, his love for the Church was born at home. “My mother was a member of Opus Dei. However, my full encounter with Jesus Christ occurred here in Madrid, thanks to different movements of the Church,” he explained.

Although in his native Medellín he enjoyed a successful career in Business Administration, the violence he faced led him to rethink everything. “Due to kidnapping and extortion attempts, I had to leave everything. This break led me to rethink my life and dedicate myself completely to serving the Church,” he explained.

Getting to Spain was a real challenge. “I arrived penniless and without resources of any kind, but I always dreamed of setting up a foundation to help street children.”

Fully trusting in God, he launched Carita Feliza foundation that helps street children in Colombia and Ghana. “I started from scratch, always repeating: ‘Jesus, I trust you.’ Without any remuneration, I dedicated myself to researching and discovered that fundraising went far beyond having a foundation or asking for money,” he said.

Specialization in Catholic fundraising

Uribe immersed himself in the study of fundraisinga field practically unknown in Spain 25 years ago. “I did a mini master’s degree in humanities and began to study everything there was about fundraising. Then, God called me to work with a religious congregation in managing their area of fundraising worldwide,” he commented.

That experience marked the beginning of his specialization in fundraising Catholic, which soon led him to collaborate with various movements and institutions of the Church. “Finally, I left the congregation and founded the Catholic Fundraising Institute,” he concluded.

Why is fundraising crucial for the Catholic Church?

For Uribe, the fundraising In the Church it goes beyond simple resource management. “There are two important things we have to understand. The first is that we live off of donations, charity and generosity.”

“The second, that when someone helps an entity of the Church, the greatest beneficiary is himself, because he is converted through that gift of generosity, and I am sure that this gesture, on the day of the Last Judgment, will never “It’s going to go unnoticed,” he reflects.

In this context, the expert recalled that this spiritual dimension will always benefit both donors and entities: “The fundraising “It is not only asking for donations, but it includes all communication issues, making the entity known, and growing in people’s spirituality.”

“A well-done campaign involves spiritual accompaniment and providing material that enriches the faith of the donors,” he said.

For Uribe, one of the cases that most impacted him during his career is that of an 83-year-old Franciscan friar. “He wrote to me saying that he had not been able to start a foundation because he lacked the necessary resources. I convinced him to sign up for the Fundraising Master, even though he had never used a computer. Before finishing the master’s degree, he managed to create his website, launch campaigns and raise enough resources to buy and set up a headquarters for his foundation,” says Uribe.

Three key principles for a fundraising successful

For Uribe there are three basic principles that every Catholic entity should consider when implementing fundraising strategies:

1. Ask to receive: “It seems silly, but many institutions believe that having a website or a ‘donate now’ button is enough. No, you have to carry out professional, clear and well-directed campaigns to request donations.”

2. Invest to grow: “The golden rule of fundraising It’s that to get money you have to invest money. This includes having good websites, carrying out quality campaigns, and, above all, being very transparent with the resources and results.”

3. Discipline and resilience: “You need to prepare to receive a lot of rejection, but also understand that those who do support will make a huge difference. Consistency is key to success.”

Common mistakes when raising funds

According to the president of the Catholic Fundraising Institute, one of the main obstacles for Church entities to achieve effective fundraising is the lack of training and trust.

“The main mistake is being ashamed to ask for donations. Many do not know how to do it and are not taught in seminary or universities. This leads to entities not taking advantage of their full potential to grow,” he explains.

Another recurring problem is not recognizing the importance of a solid economy within the Church. “A vigorous economy allows parishes and entities to serve more people and carry the message of Jesus Christ further.”

“It is necessary to overcome the mentality of lack and trust that God will provide the necessary resources. But we also have to do our part, training ourselves and using the appropriate tools to fulfill our mission,” he adds.

Accessible resources to learn fundraising Catholic

Uribe highlighted the importance of training. According to him, a first step could be to take advantage of the free resources that the Catholic Fundraising Institute offers.

“The first thing would be to try to train through the free things we offer. For example, we have a webinar every Tuesdaywhich is very easy to sign up for and is free. In one hour, we give seven fundamental keys for any non-profit entity to achieve a solid base of donors. Parishes, foundations and all types of entities from Spain and Latin America participate,” Uribe explained.

It is webinarshe points out, is an excellent gateway for organizations seeking to professionalize their fundraising. “It is the result of these 25 years of experience and I share an hour of very valuable content,” he added.

In addition to the weekly webinar, the Institute offers practical advice through its social networks and a specialized blog. “In our blog we give free advice, very oriented to the needs of the Church. Not only do we carry the Catholic surname, but we really are specialists in helping our beloved Church,” he emphasized.

For those who want to delve deeper into the topic and develop a solid strategy, Uribe recommends the Master in Fundraising taught by the Institute. “It is 100% online, which allows us to continue with daily work. With a dedication of one or two hours a day, anyone can learn to build a solid base of donors and achieve a vigorous economy,” he said.

Uribe called on Catholic organizations to take advantage of these tools and training opportunities: “Fundraising is not just asking, it is building trust, professionalism and, above all, fulfilling the mission that God has entrusted to us.”

The role of Providence

For Uribe, the key to success lies not only in fundraising techniques, but also in trust in Divine Providence. “The parishes and foundations do not belong to us, they belong to God. He provides, but he also expects us to sow with the best techniques and to be prudent administrators,” he explains.

Uribe emphasizes that Providence acts when faith and human effort are combined. “To God begging and with the gavel giving. My job is to help organizations become good instruments and allow God to do the rest. We must pray, work and trust that with a strong economy, we can bring hope and faith to more people.”

The dream of a strengthened fundraising in the Church

Juan Uribe’s commitment to the professionalization of fundraising Catholic is a vital part of his vision for the future. “I dream that more and more priests, nuns, lay people and consecrated people will be trained in fundraising. It is essential that they learn to channel the generosity of people towards the mission of the Church,” he says.

For Uribe, one of the great challenges of the Church in the coming years is to build a strong economy that allows the message of Jesus Christ to be carried further.

“We are not of this world, but we live in it. And, in this world, we need resources to serve better and reach more people. Let us multiply the gifts that God gives us to fulfill our mission,” he concludes.