The Convocation Refugee Grant Program (CRGP), with support from Episcopal Relief & Development (ER&D), is currently hosting a five-session “Financial Sustainability Training Series” for clergy and lay leaders involved in ministries and community projects across the Convocation.
“Every congregation has a mission, but many struggle to find the resources to sustain it,” said Socorro Heepe, CRGP program and administrative manager. The series “offers practical tools and ideas for fund-raising and sustainability that participants can immediately apply in their own context” and is open to clergy, project leaders, vestry members and other volunteers. The sessions are interactive and include practical exercises and discussion. They are also recorded if people are unable to attend.
The remaining programs are:
- 17 September – Fundraising Strategies: Sharing Your Story: Learning how to communicate our mission and impact in compelling and authentic ways.
- 15 October – Fundraising Strategies: Inviting Support: Building relationships with supporters and exploring practical approaches to fundraising.
- 5 November – Sustainability Through Major Donors and Grant Development: Developing long-term strategies for donor cultivation, grants, and financial resilience.
Earlier programs focused on asset-based community development and asset mapping and community definition. The goal of both sessions was to shift people’s mindsets from focusing first on needs and deficits to recognizing and mapping gifts, relationships, and possibilities that already exist within communities, Heepe said. “We want to be able to uncover new opportunities for collaboration and make the most of what is already available.” Both sessions were recorded for those who missed them.
“We are especially grateful to Episcopal Relief & Development for developing this learning series specifically for the Convocation Refugee Grant Program’s Community of Practice. In designing the series, ER&D worked closely with us to ensure the content would be relevant to the diverse contexts in which our congregations and ministries serve across Europe,” Heepe added.
Find more information and registration, please email Socorro Heepe.