The Fundraising Quick Start
"Do these steps first!"
- Email Dhays@thewestinstitute.com to be added to the giving system
- Download the support tracking form (link under the video)
- Begin in the Name storming tab, then manually move (cut/paste) names to the Contact Info tab in your support tracking form
- Send your first 10 letters
- Follow up the next week
- Track all communication
- Repeat weekly using the batch system
As you seek God’s provision, a helpful goal is to think in terms of:
13 people giving $100 per month
That’s about the cost of three good pizzas a month.
Instead of focusing on a large total, you are identifying the people God has called to invest in you consistently over time. This gives you a clear, practical target.
Most students begin this process without having their support in place—this is how they build it. Start this process this week. Do not wait until you "feel" ready.
Do you feel uncomfortable Fundraising?
"You are being trained for the benefit of the church not for your own personal gain."
For many people, fundraising feels uncomfortable. It can feel like asking for money is selfish or awkward.
But that is not what is happening here.
The church has always been called to train and support those preparing for ministry. When you raise support, you are not begging for money in a secular way—you are inviting people to partner with you as you are trained in God’s Word and prepared for a lifetime of ministry.
This is not ultimately about you.
It is about the ministry.
If you have questions, do not hesitate to reach out to the West staff.
How to develope your pitch
Developing Your Pitch
Why would someone want to invest in your training?
Your pitch is your answer to that question.
For many people, talking about themselves in this way can feel uncomfortable. But you are not promoting yourself—you are helping people see what God is doing in your life and how they can participate in it.
So a good pitch will break down into the following parts:
Your Pitch (4 Parts)
1. Your Story (what God has been doing)
- Where you’ve been
- What God has been growing in you
- What direction is forming
“God has been growing my desire to…”
2. What you are doing now
- “I’m spending a year at The WEST Institute studying the Bible and being trained for ministry.”
3. Why this matters
- How this training connects to your future
- What kind of ministry you want to be equipped for
“…so I can better serve in…”
4. The invitation
- “Would you consider partnering with me through prayer and financial support?”
People are supporting you as a person, not just a program. So your pitch should include your story—help people see what God has been doing and how this training will shape the way you serve the church.
A clear pitch turns fundraising from asking for money into inviting people to invest in what God is doing in your life and future ministry.
It is good and appropriate to clearly ask—this is how people are invited to partner with you.
Trying to avoid the ask often creates awkward conversations. Be clear: you are inviting both prayer partners and financial supporters.
Take a few minutes and write your pitch using the structure above.
Start simple—you can refine it as you go.
Example Pitch
“Over the past few years working as a nurse, God has really grown my desire to care not just for people’s physical needs, but also their spiritual lives. I’ve seen how much opportunity there is to reflect Christ in the hospital and to point people to Him in difficult moments.
Because of that, I’m heading to The WEST Institute to spend a year being trained in Scripture so I can be better prepared for the ministry God has already placed in my life.
My goal is to return to the hospital better equipped to do my work in a way that honors God, share the gospel more faithfully, and help start and lead a small group in my local church.
I’m building a team of people who will partner with me through prayer and financial support—would you consider being part of that?”
Name Storming
Name Storming is simply to begin listing everyone you know who might care about your life and spiritual development.
You should be thinking about people like:
Family members, friends, church members, mentors, former pastors, small group leaders, people who have invested in your life spiritually...
It can also be helpful to think in categories. For example, think about things like graduation announcements or wedding invitations—who was on those lists? Who were the people that showed up to important moments in your life?
The goal here is simply to define your network.
You should aim for 100 to 200 names as a minimum, and the more the better.
Most people are surprised by how many names they can come up with once they start thinking through these different circles of relationships.
Once you have your names listed, you’ll manually move those names into the Contact Info tab—usually just by copying and pasting them over.
This is where some of the more tedious work of fundraising happens, because now you need to gather things like: mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers.
An initial goal
Pray for God’s provision: about 13 people giving $100/month—roughly the cost of three pizzas each—to cover half your education.
Communication & Batch System
We Once you have your names listed you'll manually move those names over into the contact info tab- just copy and paste.
The Communications tab is where fundraising actually begins. Up to this point is preparation—here you start tracking real interactions.
Use a batch system: instead of contacting everyone at once, reach out to about 10 people per week. Consistency matters more than speed.
Each week, send new letters and follow up with the previous group. The letter introduces your story; the conversation is where you invite partnership.
As people move through different stages, this tab helps you keep everything organized.
If you’re diligent with this process, Lord willing, you’ll begin to discover the people that God has called to support you.
Supporters may give directly to you or through our online portal: https://thewestinstitute.com/support/. There, they can select the student’s name from the dropdown menu and choose their amount, giving frequency, and payment method.