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This is the first week of the cohort coming together. In reality, most of the members of this cohort won't know each other, will be coming in with doubts, concerns, frustrations, or might come with mostly desperation. In the end, everyone is coming to receive some type of help. So, this needs to be a safe space.

Allow for all parties to introduce themselves. Have them share the information that makes sense. Some suggestions are:

• Name
• Where are they coming from?
• What is their current ministry role?
• Why are they here? (think goals)
• What is their hope for the next 8 weeks and beyond with MTD?

Overview of Content

We'll seek to grow together in skills that will help us become stronger in developing our support team. Some of the topics we'll cover are: 

• Inviting our team to increase
• Cultivating special gift and larger-capacity donors
• Thanking creatively
• Donor-centered reporting
• Meaningfully connecting 
• Ministering to our non-current partners
• Gaining new connections
• Strengthening our follow-up
• Stewarding our team through annual rhythms

Weekly Rhythms

Next, be sure to share with individuals how the call will likely go each week. (Here are the questions we suggest you ask on a weekly basisevery week):

We will "go around the room" so each person can report on their MTD work (couples can report together).

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Once everyone has had a chance to share, we will go through the questions asked. This is your time to minister to each other by sharing from your experience and wisdom. After the Q&A, we will walk through some specific strategies and skills-building that will be helpful long term.

Homework

At the beginning of someone's time in a cohort, there are a few homework items. Maybe you sent these to your group before your first call, or maybe they are just getting them today. Either way, you can quickly review and ask them to have these items completed by the next cohort call: 

1. Update/ clean up your database. Look at every single connection and notate where they are. Did you find anyone who said they would give , but fell off the conveyor belt? Did you find anyone you tried to reach but never got a response? Did you find any referrals that you never contacted?
2. Pray through your contacts and ask God to give you a "Top 40" list of people whom He wants you to contact. *If you're low on names, maybe that Top 40 is mostly people who you'll call and ask to connect you with others. If it’s been a long time since you’ve asked your donors to increase, maybe most of your list will be current donors. If you have a handful of people you’ve never asked for support, maybe they’re on the list. The key to this activity is to set aside some intentional time to LISTEN to the Lord so He can direct your energy toward those whose hearts He's been burdening for missions. *Email your Top 40 to your cohort facilitator before your first call. 
3. List out who has gone non-current. Non-current means they were a donor but have had a lapse in their giving. Read through How to Call a Non-Current Donor to find who is non-current and what to say to them. You will likely be texting a non-current donor by the end of your first cohort call.
4. 8-week goal. Now that you’ve taken the time to listen to the Lord and let Him direct you, break down that activity into a measurable goal you’d like to accomplish in MTD by the end of your initial 8-week stint in this cohort. Insert this goal into Column C of the Action Items spreadsheet (Google Sheets link).
5. Read through How to Find New Names. If you are low on contacts, let your cohort facilitator know which three items from this list you 're going to will do.
6. Calculate your Magic NumberIntentional Gift amount. See below

Skills-Building

This week, we recommend going over what's called the "Intentional Gift" (formerly "Magic Number"). Please see below for some content to cover (and feel free to share this page with missionaries field workers to read themselves)

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Intentional Gift

The average gift you would need monthly per donor if you were to cap your support team at 60-75 people. 

This naturally leads those raising toward a larger goal to be asking ask for larger investments. 

How to calculate your

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Intentional Gift:

• Take your total monthly support goal (make sure it’s updated!)
• Divide your goal by 70 (or 75 if both you and your spouse will work MTD, or 60 if it's just you raising and you struggle to reach out to many people).
• This will give you the average dollar amount you should be challenging new and current donors to give. 
  **If a supporter is already giving above your magic numberIntentional Gift amount, please continue to ask them for an increase. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to an amount.**

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$7,000/month support goal divided by 70 =$100. That means the amount you ask people to give (or increase to) , should be right around $100/month. *If your magic number is Intentional Gift amount calculates to a number below $100, it's recommended you still ask most people to prayerfully consider giving "$100, or some other amount." 

Why does it matter? 

First off, it works. Donors feel honored, and missionaries field workers become funded.

Our support team feels honored while giving us the capacity to continually cultivate with a discipleship mindset. This means personal phone calls and knowing our supporters, as well as them knowing us. We simply cannot do this well if we have too many people on our support team. This is where the Magic Number comes in. By intentionally asking people to invest generously, we create the space to honor our supporters by investing generously into them. 

It builds long-term sustainability. When a raise or budget increase occurs, current donors are naturally engaged in increase asks vs seeking out more and more new donors to join the team

Resource Pages 

Pages you can send to those you're coaching.

MTD "Magic NumberIntentional Gift"

Calling Non Current Donors

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