Capital Campaigns Don’t Have to Be 😬

💡 Reframe
Think of capital campaigns instead as “capacity campaigns.” They’re a way for your charity to build your capacity to deliver more of your mission.

 📝 Start with a Plan
Initially, it’s helpful to actually put your capital campaign plan on paper. A written plan will:Help all stakeholders get a better sense of what the future could look like and how they can help get you there.Force you to think through the steps needed to actually reach your goal.Give you a working document to use when presenting to your board and potential supporters.

💬 Feedback Is Your Friend
The best way to ask for money is to start by asking for advice. Ask donors about which areas of your mission they think need improvement and how a campaign could help fund those specific needs.

 🔗 You Ask the Questions
When interviewing donors in a feasibility study, you don’t need to limit yourself to a script. More than anything, use it to build a stronger connection with donors, which ultimately leads to greater fundraising success.

 🔎 Find Your Top 20 Donors
Almost all campaigns are made or broken by the top 20 donors. If you’re wondering whether or not you’re ready to start a campaign — or maybe just want to assess the health of an ongoing one — see if you can make a list of at least 20 potential donors you believe could give at a significant major gift level. While each organization will define a major gift slightly different, $1,000 or more is a good rule of thumb.

“Half the battle is the attitude going in.”

– Amy Eisenstein