Why Year-End Giving is Important
Griggs Church Summer Staff 2025. They shared their lives and the gospel with kids and youth all summer. Their ministry was made possible, in part, by our generous givers.
all photos by isaaccropsey.com
The West Side of Greenville is a place rich in history, filled with hard workers and local heroes who have contributed to the news-worthy Greenville we enjoy today. It’s also an area facing significant challenges—poverty, addiction, and limited resources for those trying to improve their lives.
Those of us who live on the West Side, and our friends from the East Side, often wonder, “How can we help? What can we do?”
One practical answer to these questions is to support the ministries and non-profits already serving the West Side, especially through year-end giving.
"Year-end giving" refers to large, one-time gifts made to non-profits, often by corporations, between October and December. These donations are typically motivated, in part, by the desire to maximize tax deductions for that fiscal year.
However, the term also applies to individuals looking to make a final, meaningful impact with the money they've earned throughout the year. It’s a strategic gift given at a time when most non-profits are thinking strategically, wondering what’s possible for the year to come. A year-end gift builds momentum for the non-profit and boosts them to the next level - enabling them to take big steps forward.
I didn’t fully understand how catalytic year-end giving was until 2020 when our church experienced it firsthand. By God’s grace and your generosity, we were given a big boost forward. Here’s what happened:
The door to our Storefront church office made possible by end-of-year giving.
The property directly next to our building went on the market for $200,000. There were two structures on that property, a house and a storefront. We could see how both structures could be repurposed for ministry, but the price was far beyond our reach. So we didn’t even talk about buying it.
After six weeks, no one had even seriously inquired about the property. It was still for sale. We started to wonder, “What if we got on social media and shared this opportunity? What if we simply asked if anyone would be interested in helping us buy the property? It can’t hurt to ask, right?”
So, in late November of that year, we posted a humble Facebook video explaining the situation and sent out some emails to our supporters. One by one, people started to help us with year-end donations. So many people responded with a gift to our building fund that, by the end of December, we had raised $193,000.
In the meantime, the property owner dropped the price to $170,000, because it still hadn’t sold. So in January of 2021, we were able to purchase the property next to our building and had funds left to begin renovations on the two structures. Our church was forever changed.
In 2022, one of our deacons, Roger Sexton, and his team fully renovated the house on the property, which we now use for ministry every single week. The following year, 2023, we began dreaming of converting the storefront on the property into offices and small group space.
Last year in November and December of 2023 we launched another simple year-end campaign that brought in $82,000, along with a donation of labor from a local construction company. By God’s grace, this space is now being used for ministry each and every day.
For our small church, these projects would have been impossible without year-end giving. The generosity of others allowed us to move forward, and our mission is moving forward as well as we now have more space to do more ministry. That’s the power of year-end giving.
There are a few factors that make year-end giving so potent. First, is the above-and-beyond generosity that comes with the season. At the end of the year, we naturally feel more grateful and inclined to give. Many non-profits notice they take in a significant portion of their revenue in this short season because it’s when people tend to give the most.
Second, year-end giving is an opportunity to meet specific goals. Whereas regular, recurring gifts help non-profits operate steadily, year-end giving helps them tackle one big need and get a specific, extraordinary project done that they couldn’t manage on just their monthly budget.
Finally, year-end giving helps non-profits see the future. These donations allow non-profits to plan their budgets for the coming year, empowering them to dream up bigger and better ways to serve more people.
If you’re unsure where to give but want to make an impact on the West Side of Greenville, consider supporting these non-profits:
Reconcile Community Church: Preaching the gospel in the Welcome community.
Shelter Skate Church: Sharing the love of Jesus with skaters at the Poe Mill Skate Park.
Neighborhood Focus: A bilingual community center empowering young people in Berea.
Bel-Aire: Building relationships in Dunean and Judson through after-school programs and summer camps.
PMAC (Poe Mill Achievement Center): Providing after-school care for kids in Poe Mill.
Soteria CDC: Helping formerly incarcerated individuals reenter society through job training and housing.
Mill Village Ministries: Offering bike repairs, healthy food, business support, and more.
Yes, there are dozens more that deserve to be mentioned, this is just a starter list off the top of my head! Whoever I missed, I’m sorry!
The point is that your year-end giving is a practical answer to the questions, "How can we help? What can we do?” It makes a real difference in the lives on the West Side.
A “Saltbox” house in a mill village on the West Side of Greenville
At Griggs, we’re also praying for year-end support, particularly to expand our staff and thus expand our outreach to our neighborhood. Right now we have a staff of two, but we need to be a staff of four. We have a multi-year plan which includes, Lord willing, seeking executive and outreach ministers. If you feel led to give to us in this season, we’ll gladly take the help. You can find out everything you need to know at supportgriggs.com/ebook.
I know that God will take care of our ministry and all of his ministries on the West Side.
The needs in West Greenville are great, but our God is greater.
Thus the potential for change is greater - greater than we can ever imagine. Let’s come together and step into what he is doing in this part of town. Plan now, steward well, give generously, and make a lasting impact.
