The Nonprofit FAQ

Where can I find information about capital campaigns?
Tony Poderis (Tony@raise-funds.com) wrote to NONPROFIT on 4/4/98:

Colleen Mcguire asked: "I am currently working on a group project for graduate school. The subject is Capital Campaigns. My areas to cover are feasibility study, campaign personnel and campaign plans and timelines--basically, preparing for a capital campaign. Does anyone have any advice/experience that they could share with me?"

Colleen, as a start, and to augment other support you'll get from the experienced folks on this good group, here is a brief outline of the recommended elements comprising a typical capital campaign. I have summarized from a more detailed document I have in my file (listed below with links).

YOUR (Generic) CAPITAL CAMPAIGN



MISSION--CASE DEVELOPMENT


Based upon the demonstrated value of _____________________, and its goal to continue to serve the community with comprehensive and quality services, and at the same time evidencing overall financial stability

CAMPAIGN FEASIBILITY


A "market" survey and assessment to tell how close key leadership and major prospects are to total commitment to the mission and to the capital/endowment campaign

BUDGET


Principal expense components are counsel, printing, donor recognition, cultivation

COMMEMORATIVE AND "NAMED" GIFT OPPORTUNITIES


MAIN FUNDING STRATEGIES


  • Develop a gift table to suggest that most of what will be raised will come from a relatively small number of donors in order to focus upon the highest potential
  • Identify and rate key prospects for their maximum giving potential
  • Determine the balance between trustee, individual, foundation, corporate & "in-kind" gifts
  • Set the money goal based upon projected capital expenditures, balanced by rating and evaluating prospects for the potential to meet those actual costs
  • Solicit the board first for commitments, if possible, for one-third to one-half of the overall goal, and surely for 100% participation
  • Seek challenge--matching grants to attract other gifts
  • Secure other non-board leadership gifts
  • Avoid early broad-based solicitations and distractions from the necessary bigger gifts' efforts until well into the major campaign, preferably when at about 90% of the goal
  • The Annual Fund Campaign is compatible with the Capital Campaign, & should be kept separate, and be conducted at the same time
  • Publicly announce the Campaign when about 40% of the goal is committed
  • Position Deferred Gifts (Wills, trusts, etc.) relative to cash needs now and as future assets


CAMPAIGN BROCHURE AND OTHER PRINTED MATERIALS


CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP


  • Chairperson and Vice-Chairs to lead campaigns to trustees, corporations, foundations, individuals, etc., or one committee can select prospects from any of the various divisions
  • Capital Campaign Committee of a size for members to personally select and solicit from six to eight major prospects


PUBLIC RELATIONS, PROMOTION AND MARKETING OF THE CAMPAIGN


STAFF SUPPORT


To provide the administrative resources to fully serve then needs of the volunteers, donors and the prospects

CAMPAIGN PROJECTIONS OF ANTICIPATED AND REQUIRED FUNDS


Based upon a campaign duration to be determined by the capital improvement schedule and by the development of the Campaign structure in place to solicit the funds

Additional resources are available on my website relating to endowment campaigns. You may access them by using .pdf and/or .html methods as follows:

Capital Campaign Plan Outline

http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit05.html
http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit05.pdf

Capital Campaign Calendar

http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit06.html
http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit06.pdf

Capital And Endowment Campaign Tracking

http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit37.html
http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit37.pdf

Capital And Endowment Best-Least-Likely Contribution Calculation (form)

http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit38.html
http://www.raise-funds.com/exhibits/exhibit38.pdf

(For information on It's a Great Day to Fund-Raise! (2nd Printing March 1998) by Tony Poderis, visit http://www.raise-funds.com . --PB)



Bill Krueger (KCI101@aol.com) wrote in July 1996 to talk-amphilrev on the subject: New Capital Campaign Web Site:

For those NPO's considering capital campaigns, or looking for information on asking for and receiving Major Gifts, I would like to suggest our new web site: http://www.capitalcampaigns.com/

This is not a "sales presentation". Instead we have tried to put
specific information on capital campaigns and major gift fund raising on the site. Much of the info we put on this site comes directly from our successful campaigns, so it is very practical, and less "academic".

Information contained on this site includes:

  • Details on Feasibility Studies
  • Case Statement (including actual sample)
  • Video Script (including actual sample)
  • Costs and Budgets
  • Role of Consultants
  • Materials You Will Need
  • An Actual "How-To" Gift Solicitation Guide
  • How to Recruit Quality Leaders to a Campaign
  • and much more, including, obviously, a description of Krueger Communications, client list, history, etc.


We did this in a low-graphics, high speed format that should enable you to access the information quickly and easily.



Revised 5/2/98; 1/31/02. --PB