Response Forms at an Annual Review

The response forms are the third element of the communications strategy. The thinking behind the Annual Review response forms will be familiar to those who have taken part in a Giving in Grace programme. They translate the heart and intention of the giver into action.

Planning Groups must again take a view as to whether response forms will form part of the written communication. Links to sample templates for Annual Review differentiated response forms can be found on this page. The ethos of an Annual Review means there are significant differences in the way response forms operate and this page should be carefully studied.

Be aware that an Annual Review may have an extra group for communication purposes, that is Last Year's Fringe. These are people who first joined the planned giving scheme after a Giving in Grace programme (or last Annual Review). Previously they were fringe members, but now they are in the congregational grouping.

• At an Annual Review it will not always be necessary, or advisable, to ask congregation members to declare the level of their increase in personal giving. Therefore the response mechanism in the Annual Review literature has two distinct elements, a commitment card and an information request form.
• The commitment card externalises or symbolises a personal commitment, but by default does not ask for the declaration of a monetary sum.
• The information request form is optional and may be used to request information about giving envelopes, Gift Aid, etc.
• There are certain practicalities that need attention; the distribution of commitment cards and information request forms; the focus of an Annual Review around a single Sunday.
• For a regular, sustainable, Annual Review it is not appropriate to chase up non responses (unlike a Giving in Grace programme).