Areas chosen for pilot finance program

The dioceses of Western Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Fredericton, Ottawa, Edmonton and Rupert’s Land have been chosen as pilot areas for Letting Down The Nets, an initiative approved by General Synod in 2004 to help churches “improve their financial capacity and resources for ministry and mission at all levels.”
Canon Geoff Jackson, senior financial development officer in charge of the program, told the Council of General Synod (CoGS) that his department is also helping the dioceses of Moosonee, Keewatin and Saskatchewan in strategic planning in the area of financial development.
Each pilot project is expected to run for three years at a cost of $125,000. Dioceses are expected to provide both human and financial resources, but majority of the funds will come from Letting Down the Nets.
Mr. Jackson also told CoGS that an audit of the Anglican Church of Canada’s annual fundraising programs was scheduled for completion by December. Lorna Somers, vice president of McMaster University Foundation and McMaster University’s director of development, was commissioned to conduct a review of the fundraising efforts of the Anglican Journal, the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, the Anglican Foundation and the Anglican Appeal.
He said that Ms. Somers had given the national church’s financial management and development committee an initial briefing, telling them that the national church “has a wonderful pool of potential donors” but “you can do better.” About 680,000 Canadians officially identify themselves as Anglicans, Mr. Jackson quoted her as having said.
“Although she said we’ve done well, we’ve done it through a mail campaign, which is the least effective way (of soliciting donations),” he said. Much also needs to be done in the area of donor cultivation and research, he added.