World Vision US Resource Development Philosophy

World Vision US Resource Development Philosophy

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The following resource development philosophy and principles are provided
with the compliments of World Vision U.S.

Resource Development Philosophy

Purpose: This policy establishes the Resource Development Philosophy for:

______

(Ministry Name)

Board Standing Policies:Section ___.___

Statement of Policy: The process of developing resources is ministry (1 Timothy 6:17-19, 2 Corinthians 8:7, 2 Corinthians 9:9-12). It is as much a part of World Vision’s ministry as our work with and on behalf of the poor.

Consequently, World Vision is committed to resource development resources that give a positive reflection of the character of Jesus Christ and serve to elevate His reputation among those who see and/or hear our materials. As such, we want to present our resource development efforts as our offering to God and to Christ with the confidence that they will draw a response of “Well done!”

It is recognized that there are many tensions that continually must be balanced in the process of resource development. Thus, it is important to return constantly to a well-grounded philosophy that provides unequivocal guidance for effective, Christ-honoring resource development.

Ultimately, any given fund-raising piece should evoke positive responses to the following questions:

• Does it reflect Christ’s character?
• Will it give Christ’s pleasure?
• Will it elevate Christ’s reputation?

In our resource development efforts, we seek to:

• Earnestly pray that Christ would “stir the hearts and minds” of our supporters to participate in meeting the needs of the poor.

• Effectively communicate the needs of those who will benefit from our field ministry and offer opportunities for supporters to become involved through giving, prayer, and personal action.

• Minister to our supporters by:

1. Assisting them in developing a holistic worldview and an understanding of the realities of poverty.

1. Sharing with them lessons learned from, and values held dear by the poor.

1. Encouraging their own spiritual transformation (drawing them closer to the Kingdom) by sharing how Christ is at work around the world.

1. Providing them with an opportunity to exercise the gift of giving.

• Demonstrate good stewardship in our use of the resources available for fund-raising by:

1. Seeking the best cost/return ratio in our resource development efforts.

1. Exercising our best professional judgment in determining how much to invest in each individual resource development effort and in overall allocations between donor acquisition, cultivation, and education.

1. Maintaining an attitude of openness and transparency in sharing information about our overall resource development program.

1. Holding ourselves accountable to our donors, beneficiaries, external agencies, and the general public.

Resource Development Principles

All resource development materials will:

A.Express our Christ-centered identity

B.Reflect truthfulness and accuracy

1. All representations of fact, description of financial condition of the organization, pictures, or narrative about events must be complete and accurate and not sensationalistic or atypical. Stories, pictures, etc. are only appropriate when they accurately represent what is currently happening in similar circumstances in the field.

1. There must be no material omissions or exaggerations of fact or use of misleading photographs or any other communication that would tend to create a false impression or misunderstanding.

1. Words, pictures, graphs, etc. used in fund-raising appeals should cause the reader’s perception of reality—after reading/seeing/hearing the fund-raising material—to be as close to reality as possible.

1. Pictures, descriptions, narratives, etc. should be specifically relevant to the purpose of the appeal.

1. Individual components of a fund-raising appeal must complement other components and should not deviate, mislead, or detract from the combined message when read alone.

C.Create realistic donor expectations of how their gifts will be used.

D.Affirm the dignity and worth of all individuals represented.

E.Not use coercive or manipulative tactics.

F.Not create negative impressions of other organizations.

Use of premiums and donor involvement devices

A.Our goal in working with donors is to draw them closer to our ministry so they internalize the ministry as “their” ministry. “Bouncebacks,” premiums, and other involvement devices are often an excellent way to bring the ministry into the donor’s home, as well as to connect the donor more intimately with our field projects.

B.When using premiums or other donor involvement devices, consider the following:

1. Does it have a ministry value to the donor?

1. Does it have a ministry value to the project beneficiary?

1. Does it provide a deeper understanding of our ministry?

1. Is it cost effective?

Stewardship

A.Our desire is to minister to donors as we seek their financial support. Our desire is to maximize funds for ministry, while at the same time spending enough funds on fund-raising and administrative costs to keep donors well informed and provide them the accountability they deserve. In an increasingly competitive fund-raising marketplace, we realize that raising the “next” dollar costs a bit more than raising the previous dollar. Knowing how much is appropriate to spend in each area is a challenge we face every day.

B.It is our commitment to our donors to provide our best professional judgment at all times. To do this, we will seek to be as knowledgeable as possible in focusing the content, format, and audience of our resource development activities in order to bring the highest return for the investment made, while honoring the entirety of this statement of philosophy and principles.

Assumptions

A.All appeals are directed to specific audiences. Reasonable assumptions will be made about how a typical person in that particular audience would understand our material. Best efforts will be made to match the communications to the specific audience.

B.It is assumed that all of our communications materials (including magazines, newsletters, etc.) combine to present the donor with an increasingly complete understanding of our work.

C.Donor acquisition costs are a normal and necessary cost of doing business. Therefore, we assume that a reasonable portion of all donations received is allocated toward the acquisition of new donors.

1. We assume that all donors expect that some portion of their gift will cover organizational fund-raising and administrative costs. What the appropriate amount is will always be a source of public debate. Our goal is to strive continuously to minimize these costs as a percentage of donations received.

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This text is provided with the understanding that ECFA is not rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice or service. Professional advice on specific issues should be sought from an accountant, lawyer, or other professional.