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Getting Off to a Good Start: The Importance of the Feasibility Study

Your organization has discovered some needs and opportunities it wishes to meet and achieve. But will your constituents agree with you and support you as you move forward?

The best way to "take the temperature" of your constituents and to ensure a smoother transition into a fundraising effort is to conduct a feasibility study. Through personal, face-to-face interviews with your top donors and mail and online surveys completed by other selected supporters, the feasibility study can clarify several things for you.

A feasibility study will reveal if your constituents agree with your projects and goals. Proposed projects can be prioritized and this will assist you in formulating your final campaign structure and goals. At the same time, the study will assist in identifying contributors (especially major donors) and approximate giving levels. This will be an indicator of the possible amount you can expect to raise. You will also discover names of possible volunteer leaders and others who will assist by working on the campaign.

To be certain of an objective study, the use of a fundraising consultant is preferred. The consultant will conduct the personal interviews with your top donors and others you may want to cultivate. The consultant will develop a preliminary case statement to present before the interview or to be enclosed with the mail surveys. This explains the needs and opportunities to the participants.

Once all interviews are completed and surveys are received, the consulting firm will tabulate and analyze the results and assess the ability and the willingness of your organization's constituency to contribute to and support your effort. The final outcome is the establishment of a realistic and achievable monetary goal.

The objective consultant is able to freely assess attitudes toward the organization; the philanthropic potential available for the project; recommendations regarding leadership, current supporters and new prospects; and a well-developed case statement for support.

If it is time for your organization to move forward, your next best move is to conduct a feasibility study. Armed with this information, you will move more confidently into a financially successful campaign.

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