Hello friends,
I’m going to try something new, and I could use your help.
For a number of years, I’ve been kicking around an idea and I really think its time has come. I’ve been wanting to start a non-profit that will do custom research projects for missions organizations and missionally engaged churches. These organizations usually have some major questions that significantly impact their day-to-day operation. Having good, rigorously researched, data-driven answers could have a huge impact on their work. But they don’t always have the time or the tools necessary to arrive at those answers. Meanwhile, I know several people with Intercultural Studies PhDs (myself included) who have spent years developing the tools and expertise needed to do this kind of research. I’ve been speaking with a lot of friends, mentors, and colleagues, as well as people who work for various non-profit organizations and churches and they all agree that there is a great opportunity for the kind of organization I want to start to make a significant impact in the world of mission.
The problem is, the economics around this kind of work are a little broken. If you do it right, research is expensive. There are lots of hidden costs in even the most basic projects. And, while researchers can sink a lot of time into projects, some of us have families to feed. The really big organizations, with multi-million dollar budgets, sometimes have whole teams of researchers to do this kind of work. But the vast majority of missions organizations and churches can’t afford to keep huge staffs of researchers. And, while they might like to have someone like me do a one-off project for them every now and then, the truth is most can’t really afford that either. There’s a big need and most of the people who have that need are priced out of the market.
In my mind the solution is pretty straightforward. Instead of running a research business, I want to start a non-profit that will do research projects for these organizations free of charge. If it is a project that involves major costs like lots of international travel, they may have to cover those. But the research costs would all be taken care of by our organization. We will do that by building up an endowment sizable enough that our operating costs will be covered by the interest generated. And as that endowment grows, we will also be able to bring in more and more researchers to expand our capacity. Sounds easy, right?
Well, there’s one intermediate step left. It turns out solving a major problem for an entire segment of the missions world is a multi-step process. The kind of idea I’m proposing requires what economists refer to as a “whole stinking lot of money” (in the neighborhood of 2.5 million, actually). But before I can raise a giant endowment in good conscience, I need to be able to show that this kind of work is viable.
So we’re going to start small. That’s where you come in. I’m looking for people who can help me secure the funding I need to provide proof of concept for this kind of work. It’s kind of a weird ask. We’re used to giving money to support people who go. And sometimes we even give money to support the people who work in the home office supporting the people who go. But I don’t know if I’ve ever heard someone ask others to support them in trying to make the work of the goers and the supporters more effective. I’ve never been accused of conventional thinking, though.
So I’m asking you to make an investment; not in one person or one organization, but in dozens, maybe hundreds, of them. I’m asking you to make an investment in improving the lives and work of missionaries, mission organizations, and churches all over the world. I’m asking you to believe, as I do, that thoughtful reflection on how we engage in God’s mission really does allow us to do better. I’m asking you to help fund the research projects that many organizations have been asking for, but don’t have their own funding for.
For every $15,000 we raise I will be able to do a project that serves the wider missions community. Thanks to a great organization called Modern Day Missions, all donations will be tax-deductible. If you follow the link below, you can make a one-time donation or set up a recurring one (quarterly or monthly donations would be particularly helpful at this point).
https://www.modernday.org/profile/danny-hunter/
Anything you can give would be greatly appreciated. And even if you can’t give right now, or if you just don’t want to, you are still greatly appreciated. And there are lots of other ways that I need your support right now. It is a vulnerable thing to step out and try something that is entirely new and in some ways very uncomfortable to me. I would greatly value the mental and emotional support of just talking with you about this new work. Lisa, Kaylynn, and I would also greatly appreciate the spiritual support of your prayers as we begin this new chapter. And we also could use some social support if you don’t mind spending a little of your social capital and sending this message along to other people that we don’t have a connection with yet. One thing that people have told me over and over about starting something new like this is to just make sure as many people as possible hear about it. You never know where other people can carry your dreams.
Ok, that’s long enough. Thanks for reading this extended supplication. If you have any questions I have plenty more to say. I’m available for a text, call, email, video call, whatever. Thanks very much for being part of our lives and for listening to what’s new in our lives. Don’t be a stranger!
Peace,
Danny