Churches seek support from non-believers through new fundraising project

Churches have been struggling with rising costs for heating, salary increases, and maintenance. A project, named Actie Kerkbalans, has been launched to help churches receive more donations. The project focuses on non-believers, stating that many people value the church as a monument or a community meeting place and are willing to give, but often do not know how.

Protestant churches raise about 172 million euros annually, adjusted for inflation since 2021, they would need to raise approximately 204 million euros to maintain the same purchasing power, NOS reports.

With no direct government funding for their operations, churches rely almost completely on donations, rental revenue, and investment returns. While routine operational costs receive no government support, churches benefit from dozens of millions of euros in subsidies for preserving national monuments and implementing sustainability projects.

Experts say that the true worth of a church building often only becomes apparent to people when its closure is threatened. “Churches are valued not just for religious purposes, but also for their history and as a community gathering place,” said Anna Kruse of Actie Kerkbalans.

To engage younger donors, churches are exploring a “Netflix-style” approach, allowing people to contribute a monthly subscription rather than participating in a single annual fundraising drive.

This is already the case when it comes to the Veenkerk in Amersfoort. Instead of the traditional yearly fundraiser, this church uses fixed subscriptions that adjust automatically for inflation (3% to 5% annually). This ensures a steady revenue flow without requiring volunteers to canvass each year.