Churches test direct mailing

Fundraising Basel's churches are trying out a new way of seeking donations Fewer and fewer Basel residents belong to a church - but many non-members benefit from their commitment to hospitals or schools, for example. That is why the Protestant Reformed Church (ERK) and the Roman Catholic Church (RKK) in the canton of Basel-Stadt are now taking a new approach to raise more donations from non-members: At the beginning of September, they will be sending 10,000 addressed envelopes by post to households in the Kleinbasel and Bruderholz districts. The former has a large proportion of foreign-language residents, while many well-heeled people live in the latter. The ERK and RKK use a brochure to present three joint projects (hospital chaplaincy, dispute resolution project at schools, industrial parish office) and ask for donations. "Thanks to the addressed direct mailing, we also reach all letterboxes with stop stickers," says ERK spokesperson Roger Thiriet. If the mailing, which alone costs CHF 25,000, is successful, the two churches are planning an extensive fundraising campaign in 2007 using direct mail. (mk)