2024 Archdiocesan Annual Appeal Parish Guide
“Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.”
Matthew 22:39
The Archdiocesan Annual Appeal (AAA) provides parishioners throughout our Archdiocese a unique opportunity to come together. Through the AAA, the ninety-one parishes in our Archdiocese unite!
The AAA is essential to the work of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Although we are spread over the counties of Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo, we are one Archdiocese, collaborating in the ongoing mission of evangelization and education.
The theme for this year’s Annual Appeal is from Matthew 22:39, “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.” As Catholics, we use our gifts and talents to serve and demonstrate our love for our neighbors. Indeed, instead of asking who our neighbors are, Catholics ask, “…is there anyone who is not our neighbor?”
Through the AAA, parishioners in the Archdiocese unite as one, assist our neighbors in need, and provide hope. We demonstrate God’s grace through the AAA by supporting such critical needs as youth and young adults, parish schools and students, social ministries, ecumenical efforts, and the greater Church.
We ask for your help in instilling in the hearts of Catholics throughout the Archdiocese a true sense of stewardship and a recognition that our family of faith extends beyond our individual parish boundaries. This page is intended for pastors, and parish managers. If you would like to donate to the AAA, please visit the AAA website.
Download the AAA Planbook
This planbook is designed to help every family in the Archdiocese realize the significance of the Appeal and the fact that each of us changes lives by supporting it. Specifically, this manual is designed to:
• Assist you with implementing the AAA in your parish
• Highlight the Appeal’s significance – by demonstrating our commitment to mission and ministry through combined financial support
• Assist with gift receipt/processing procedures
We’re here to support you!
The office of Mission Advancement wants to see you succeed. Please feel free to reach out to us if you need any help with the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal!
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Purpose of the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal
The AAA is a vivid expression of our ideals as an Archdiocese. The gifts received through the Appeal support ministries, programs and services at a level that an individual donor or individual parish would not be able to by itself. Among other ministries, the AAA:
• Sponsors ethnic ministries that reach our diverse communities.
• Assists vocation discernment and education.
• Provides religious education to parish youth and strengthens the faith of our young adults.
• Educates the community about important social policy concerns.
• Supports our children’s future by enabling teachers to continue their own educations.
• Provides essential services to our parishes.
The total goal for the 2024 Archdiocesan Annual Appeal is $6,300,000. Following are a few specific ways that you help change lives through making a gift to the AAA. Your generosity supports:
• Teacher Incentive Grants – one teacher notes, “The Incentive grant has helped me become a more responsive educator. It’s helped me assess my students’ needs and respond to them more effectively by providing a nurturing environment where they can continue to learn and grow as a whole person. It has made a tremendous impact on my life and the lives of my students.”
• Ongoing Education for our Priests – in the words of one Pastor, “Our world is a challenging place to live in and to minister in. As priests we are called to be ministers of God’s Word in the world that we find ourselves…and that world is very different from what it was when we went to seminary, whether it was five years ago or 50 years ago. Continuing education for priests is important to understand the world and how to best minister in it. And we wouldn’t be able to engage in this continuing education if not for the support of the Annual Appeal.”
• Restorative Justice – the Restorative Justice program assists crime victims and their families, offenders, the incarcerated, and their families. The family of one young man killed in San Francisco said that without the Restorative Justice ministry, they “…would not have been able to meet other families already supported by this ministry, and through this support group they find comfort in the journey of their healing.”
How do the AAA funds make a difference?
TOTAL FOR SERVICES & MINISTRIES: $6,300,000
Please review these items to learn where these funds go. The remainder of the Archdiocesan budget also benefits our parishes and schools by providing services such as finance, human resources, payroll, development, legal, and property management.
The AAA is a vivid expression of our ideals as an Archdiocese.
PARISH MINISTRY & SCHOOLS
SOCIAL MINISTRIES
CLERGY SUPPORT
UNIVERSAL CHURCH & COMMUNICATIONS
$1,075,233 (17%)
- Holy See
- USCCB
- California Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Department of Communications
- Catholic San Francisco
- San Francisco Católico
- TV Mass
$2,199,122 (35%)
- Vicar General
- Vicar for Clergy
- Office of Consecrated Life
- Priest Education Fund
- Priest Retirement Fund
- Serra Clergy House
- Office of Vocations
- Permanent Diaconate
- Diaconate Formation
$1,316,094 (21%)
- Hospital Chaplains
- Prison Chaplains
- Tribunal
- Youth and Young Adult Ministry
- ACCW
- Restorative Justice Ministry
- Respect Life
- Chinese Ministry
- Pastoral/Ethnic Ministry
- Ecumenical and Interreligious Programs
$1,709,551 (27%)
- School and parish subsidies
- Faith Formation
- Youth and Young Adults
- Office of Worship
- Office of Evangelization
- Marriage and Family Life
- Teacher Incentive Grants
- Child & Youth Protection
Keys to a Successful Annual Appeal
While the circumstances of each parish differ, there are several items that appear to contribute to a successful AAA. Select those that may work for you and your parish community and use as you feel is appropriate.
1. The advocacy and enthusiasm of the Pastor is critical. Maintain a positive approach toward the Appeal and its role in fulfilling our mission in the Archdiocese.
2. To maximize success, education about the benefits of the AAA and the people who need and depend on its services is vital. Although there is general awareness of the AAA’s benefits, education should be specific and ongoing. Pages 26-28 of this Planbook include a number of beneficiary stories – people who have directly benefitted from support of the Annual Appeal.
3. Conduct the AAA campaign over a finite period of time – approximately six weeks.
4. In-pew solicitation – designate a weekend as AAA Weekend and invite the parishioners to support the AAA during that weekend’s Masses. This is particularly effective for obtaining gifts from a large segment of the parish at one time with a minimal amount of volunteer effort.
5. Use personal contact with parishioners in various ways (an in-pew ask, follow-up letter(s), pulpit announcements, bulletin reminders, etc.). Engage, update, and follow-up.
6. Encourage every member of your parish family to participate. All gifts, regardless of amount, are greatly appreciated and beneficial.
7. Encourage parishioners to consider a pledged gift. A pledge is a non-binding commitment to pay a specific amount over time (e.g., each month of the year). It provides the opportunity to make a larger gift than would likely occur if paid all at once. Payments are sent directly to the Office of Finance. Pledge reminders will be sent to parishioners from the Archdiocese.
8. Consider starting a “1% Club” – this simply means inviting parishioners to consider giving 1% of the parish’s AAA goal. For example, if a parish’s goal is $50,000, parishioners would be asked to give $500 to become members of the 1% Club.
9. If you designate a weekend on which you are going to kick off the AAA in your parish, consider asking some parishioners who are strong supporters of the AAA to make their gifts prior to asking the entire parish to contribute. This will provide momentum and initial credibility to the chances for the Appeal’s success.
10. 100% of the funds raised in excess of a parish’s goal are returned to the parish for its own use – identify a need in your parish and communicate how what is raised in excess of the goal will be used.
11. The Office of Mission Advancement wants to thank donors promptly and honor the donor’s payment requests (Credit/Debit/EFT). Please send in all completed gift envelopes in a timely manner.
MATERIALS
The primary informational and communication materials for the 2024 AAA campaign are listed below. All are available in English and Spanish.
1. Poster and Thermometer
- The poster and thermometer are visible reminders of the Appeal and its purpose. Please display them in heavy traffic areas around the parish.
2. Brochures (In-pew envelopes)
- These communicate what the AAA is and how it benefits our greater The brochures are also used as in-pew envelopes for Appeal Sunday.
3. Video (DVD)
- The AAA video tells the story of the The video is just over 6 minutes long. Through the video, ministry heads and beneficiaries of the AAA speak directly to parishioners.
- The most effective way to use the video is by showing it at each Mass (we provide you a DVD for that purpose). We will also provide a link so that you can post the video on your parish website and/or send it to your parishioners.
If you need more materials, please contact Rose Marie Wong in the Mission Advancement Office at 415-614-5517 or [email protected].
Archdiocesan Annual Appeal 2024
Apelación Anual Arqudiócesana 2024
Ways to Give
1. One-time gift
• Online at SFArch.org/AAA
• By using the brochure: mail it to the Chancery or your parish (Chancery preferred)
• Via check: mail to the Chancery or your parish (Chancery preferred)
• Gifts may also be made via transfer of stock or property
2. Pledged gift
• Pledged gifts (recurring gifts) require that the donor specify an amount and the number of months to charge their account.
• If a pledge is initiated at the parish, the pledge form must be forwarded to the Office of Finance.
• Online gifts can be paid by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or by an ACH direct debit transfer from a bank account.
• Monthly pledge statements are mailed to each parishioner who has made a pledge. A self-addressed return envelope is included for the donor’s use when remitting payment.
3. Stocks and Mutual Fund Shares
• All gifts of stock require an authorization letter from the donor or the donor’s representative. Transfer instructions for stock or mutual fund donations and a sample authorization letter are included on pages 20 and 21 of this Planbook.
4. Matching Gifts
• Some companies offer matching gifts. Encourage your parishioners to check with their employers to see if this is the case.
SUGGESTED PLAN AND TIMETABLE
The following six-week timetable is structured so that your campaign would begin on Sunday, February 11 and conclude on Sunday, March 24 (Ash Wednesday is February 14, and Easter Sunday is March 31). The plan is centered around an in-pew solicitation that would take place on the March 2-3 weekend.
Of course, each parish is different, so please use this timetable in whatever six-week period you’d like and amend it in whatever manner is best for your parish. For example, you may wish to skip the President’s Day weekend of February 17-18.
It is strongly suggested that you undertake the Appeal early in the year. Experience clearly demonstrates that parishes that do so have great success in the AAA.
Below are suggested activities that correspond to each of the six weekends of the suggested plan. Sample pulpit announcements and bulletin inserts are included. In general, the same wording can be used for both – there is no need to develop a separate announcement and insert.
Please contact us with any questions and/or if you would like assistance during the Appeal.
Office of Mission Advancement
Phone: (415) 614-5580
Email: [email protected]
Rod Linhares
Director of Mission Advancement
Phone: (415) 614-5581
Email: [email protected]
Rose Marie Wong
Phone: (415) 614-5517
Email: [email protected]
Jennie Dahl
Phone: (415) 614-5583
Email: [email protected]
