Archdiocese of St. Louis

A. Why and How to Build an Appeal Committee
The Appeal Committee
Often, all of the responsibilities listed on the Master Calendar for the Appeal are handled
by one or two people in a parish. This can lead to frustration and burn-out for the volunteers. This can
also lead to frustration for the Pastor, as he has to recruit a new volunteer to run the program every year
or every other year. Therefore, it is important that the Pastor and Parish Chair form a vibrant and active
committee to run the Appeal.
When forming a committee, it is important to find enthusiastic, well-qualified people to
fill the roles listed below. For most parishes, several of these roles will overlap. For instance, the
Data Information Coordinator may also be the Parish Chair, and the Vice-Chair may also be the Pledge
Card Coordinator. Parish staff may also fill some of the roles. However, it is important that the
following roles be clearly defined.
Parish Chair – Oversees all aspects of the Appeal in the parish.
Parish Vice-Chair – Assists Parish Chair, accepts special projects, and prepares for possible
future position as Parish Chair.
Pledge Card Coordinator – Coordinates Appeal Sundays.
Matching Gift Coordinator – Coordinates Matching Gift efforts.
Data Information Coordinator – Uses online reporting (AAR) to track progress of the Appeal.
Promotions Coordinator – Coordinates promotion of the Appeal at the parish.
Major Donor Coordinator – Coordinates major donor efforts.
Follow-Up Coordinator – Coordinates follow-up efforts after the general solicitation.
New Donor Coordinator – Coordinates new donor efforts.
Youth Appeal Coordinator – Coordinates youth appeal.
For a more detailed explanation of each role, see the Roles and Responsibilities section (page
4.3).
There are many ways that a well-formed committee is beneficial:
A committee spreads the workload among more people, allowing for more creativity
throughout the Appeal.
A committee involves more people in the parish as volunteers. In their work on the Appeal,
these volunteers will learn more about the parish and the work of the Archdiocese of St. Louis,
as they learn about the impact of the Appeal in their own lives. Volunteers are more likely to
support the parish and the Appeal in other ways as well.
As current members learn about various aspects of the Appeal, they are prepared to step into
other roles when necessary. They also recruit other volunteers to help.
Finally, this committee, working together, can form a special bond as they go through the
Appeal, encouraging them to come back and volunteer next year. One goal of the Pastor and
Parish Chair should be to make sure their volunteers have fun.
2/12 Recruiting an Appeal Committee 3.2