Up-spec your church seating - Ideas to overcome fundraising challenges

01 February 2019 Fundraising for Church Chairs

Raising funds for new church furniture can be a challenge!  Do you tackle support raising? Fundraising? Stress levels raising?

Over the 20 years that we’ve been selling church seating, we’ve had the privilege of hearing the stories of shag pile carpet and orange vinyl benches, through to the tales of complete rebuild projects - with architects and colour designers.

It’s important to ensure your investment (into church furniture) works as hard as you did to fund it.

Here’s some strategies we’ve gleaned on different approaches to raising funds for new church seating.

1. Vision Giving

Many churches run an annual appeal - sometimes called vision giving or impact giving.  This appeal allows a church to raise funds over and above weekly giving; often solely used for operational costs.  Many churches will put capital expenditure projects for church facilities, such as new carpet or new church seating, into this type of fundraising strategy.  This method works well for churches that already have this type of vision built into their culture.

2.  An all out fundraising war!

Think public thermometer with rising red line, cake stalls, youth car-washes, garage sales and community drives.  This method is often slower but seems to work well for smaller community-based churches.

3.  Investment

Some churches seek loans or investment funding to rebuild, refurbish or refresh their church buildings - including their church seating. We’ve also heard of churches that have been loaned the money from a philanthropic member at either no interest or low interest over a defined term.  

4.  Sponsor a chair

Many churches use sponsorship to break down the cost of upgrading church seating into bite- sized chunks for individual church members.  By sponsoring a chair, individuals are part of ‘crowdfunding’ the seating for the church auditorium bit by bit. Some churches offer sponsors credit rights via a small plaque on each chair or a larger plaque on the wall.  If that isn’t your style we’ve heard of churches sending out certificates to acknowledge the ‘we did it’ sentiment. This is a great way to make a big sum affordable for many.

5.  Social enterprise

Some church communities have clever people who create revenue streams by running businesses and return profits to the church for a specific project.  This is great if you have particularly entrepreneurial people in your congregation.

6.  Turning your trash into someone else’s treasure

This strategy may not always convert into the full amount of your new church furniture but it may get you started on the journey.  Old furniture can often be the ‘piece de resistance’ of a retro cafe, restaurant or youth centre. Old wooden pews or furniture in good condition can sometimes be upcycled therefore making them a source of income for the new furniture budget. Or maybe someone in the congregation is willing to take apart your old chairs and sell the frames for scrap metal.

Got the funds? Well done!  What next?

Now that you’ve spent all this time and effort fundraising here are four reasons why we think Alloyfold Church furniture gets you the best satisfaction for your hard earned $’s.

Reason #1:  Our chairs are designed to last!

We've been selling church chairs for a while now (20 years)!  That means we've worked on a product that provides you and your church with maximum comfort, ultimate return on investment and a long, happy product lifetime!  Check out features such as T-nut screws and our unique Airtech foam seat base to see why our chairs are a cut above.

Reason #2:  We've delivered some neat projects

Our range includes not only linking church chairs but also fixed auditorium seating and retractable seating for churches.  We've had the privilege of partnering with some great churches and delivering some great projects such as: the colourful Horsham Church of Christ, fixed auditorium seating for Bridge Church, the post-earthquake rebuild churches - All Souls and Christchurch Salvation Army, and a great retractable system at the Australia for Christ Church.  For our full range of products, request a product guide here.

Reason #3:  We're local just like you!

If you need any help through your order process or post sale, our Australian and New Zealand teams know you, are in your zone and are here to care about the best solutions for you and your church.

Reason #4 :  One chair can change a life - in our community.

Really? Yes!  Alloyfold is a social enterprise wholly owned by Pathway Charitable Group.  Profits from the sale of chairs provide vital funds to enable Pathway to help people in need make a fresh start with accommodation, employment and prisoner reintegration.

For more information or for pricing, enquire here.

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