3 Ways to Renovate Your Church on a Limited Budget : Many of today’s churches have fallen on bad times. Not only is membership down but the economy has plummeted, leaving donations and tithing to hit an all-time low. In fact, many church communities are struggling just to meet monthly bills.
Now, to make matters even worse, your church building is in need of major renovations but the money just isn’t there.
What can you do to cover the costs of that new roof you so desperately need over the assembly hall, or to find resources to retile the floors in the Sunday school rooms? To begin with, keep the faith! There are several ways to renovate your church on a limited budget. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Two Birds with One Stone
For just a moment, think about that walkway leading up to the doors of your church. It is cracked and bulging to the point where many congregants have almost tripped and fallen. There really isn’t money enough to tear it up in order to lay new concrete, so maybe it’s time to get creative. As the old saying goes, it’s time to kill two birds with one stone. Why not launch a fundraising crusade that will do more than raise the money needed? One of the most innovative church fundraising ideas in a situation like this would be to start a brick fundraising campaign. Here, donors would memorialize departed loved ones with engraved bricks. Not only would you be able to pave that new walkway with bricks, but donations would cover more than the cost of each brick to keep money flowing.
Put Out a Call for Volunteers
Many times, churches have tradesmen within the congregation that the pastor isn’t even aware of. Depending on the size of your church body, it may be next to impossible to get to know each and every member. It’s easy to put out a call for professional tradesmen who work in the field you are in need of. For example, if you need a new roof, put out a call for roofers who would be willing to volunteer a number of hours to help get the job done. Maybe you have a brick layer in the community who could assist with the layout of that walkway you are so in need of. Take advantage of that weekly bulletin to get the word out and you just might be surprised at how many volunteers step forward.
Carnivals, Bazaars and Family Fun
Many churches around the world organize annual carnivals as their primary fundraising event. However, why stop there? Does one carnival a year net enough money to meet your financial needs? Probably not! Why not organize other events throughout the year to keep the cash flowing? Have you thought of yard sale bazaars or family fun Sundays with a BBQ after services? Members would donate yard sale items to be sold and the money used to cover those much-needed renovations. Some churches host a monthly BBQ, lunch, or dinner to raise money through tickets sold for that event.
There are so many ways to raise money to cover the cost of renovations that you may never run out of ideas. Put together a fundraising committee who will bounce ideas around until they come up with enough ideas to help you reach your goals. Remember, there are many members but one body so put that body to work!
