Do the Word

If we’re going to build a Transformational Giving database, we’d better have a really clear, specific idea of what Transformational Data is. Here’s a, um, really clear, specific definition.

When you begin to make the transition from traditional transactional fundraising to Transformational Giving, you’ll very quickly run into bad news: All of today’s fundraising databases are transactional.

But here’s the good news: All of today’s fundraising databases can easily be adapted for Transformational Giving. The key is (1) changing the data you track to match the data God tracks, and (2) changing the purpose for your database to match God’s purposes

Here’s Part I in an eight-part series I’ll be posting over the next few weeks on Databases in Transformational Giving.

If you’ve been with the blog for a little while, you’ll recognize the phrase “SPP”, or Signature Participation Project. (If you’re new to the blog or want to find a convenient way to read through all the past posts on creating an SPP for your organization, trying starting here.)

There’s an SPP taking place tomorrow that I think is especially well done:

One Day Without Shoes.

So well does it meet the SPP definition of being understandable in and of itself without any explanation necessary that I don’t even need to describe what it is or what it’s for, nor do you even need to click the link to figure it out. Still, it’s worth clicking through in order to see all the cool tools they have available for champions to participate and spread the cause. You might even be drawn to going shoeless yourself tomorrow.

You know, ever since I wrote the Cookie Book, I receive so many emails and questions from folks involved in international ministries who say, “Well, your book is great for local ministries. But how can you do an SPP for an international ministry?”

Humorously, I wrote the Cookie Book using the example of a local ministry because I developed the SPP practice for the international ministry my wife and I co-founded, so people used to always say to me, “Well your examples are great for international ministries. But how can you do an SPP for a local ministry?”

And indeed, most of the examples of cool SPP’s I cite are for international ministries and projects. In addition to the Shoeless SPP I just noted, make sure to check out Evoke, which is:

…the first massive multiplayer online game that’s based on trying to help people learn more about and act to address global social challenges. Each week, all “Evoke Agents” are sent an urgent message that asks them to learn about a new challenge, take some action to participate in the solution and then imagine a world in which the problem has been solved.

Your new Evoke mission this week, should you choose to accept it:

Create a power grid for Africa.

Too bad local ministries can’t do a cool SPP like that! Pass the cookies, please.