Skip to main content

Customized Capital Campaign Planning for Fundraising Success

Campaign planning is vital to successful fundraising effort. At the Steier Group, we use the data from the feasibility study to customize a campaign plan that will engage all donors and inspire giving.

Talk to a Campaign Consultant

By the Numbers

3.4
Billion Raised
123
Of Fundraising Goal
94
Million Raised from Foundations
50
States and Provinces Served

Capital Campaign Planning Rooted in Research and Data

A successful campaign starts with a strong foundation. Our feasibility studies gather donor opinions and provide vital information. The Steier Group creates a customized campaign plan for each client – no cookie-cutter approach here.

Campaign planning creates path to success

A successful capital campaign is a complex fundraising effort, involving leaders, staff members, fundraising consultants, volunteers and, most importantly, donors. A campaign is often years in the making. And the pledge period will extend for three or more years. All of which is to say, to embark upon a capital campaign without a plan would be setting your organization up for failure. That’s why the Steier Group recommends a comprehensive feasibility study. It allows our team to craft a thorough campaign plan. Here are a few of the important steps in a campaign plan:

1. Craft your case for appeal

Your donors want to support your organization and mission. They are already supporters. But a campaign requires giving above and beyond their usual giving. In order to make that ask, it is important to have an appealing case statement. And to share how a donor’s support will help your community. This foundation is vital.

2. Train your volunteers

Even with a fundraising consultant leading you every step of the way, a campaign plan will fail without a team of volunteers to meet with donors and ask for support. Each Steier Group campaign plan includes time for gathering a volunteer team and training them in the art of the ask.

3. Research your donors

During the feasibility study, the Steier Group analyzes the data to understand how best to approach each donor and to set ask amounts. The process of setting ask amounts is an important step in the campaign plan. Aiming too high could turn donors off and stunt fundraising. Aiming too low could leave your organization short of goal. That’s why wealth research and data analysis are an important part of campaign planning.

4. Foundation research

While a campaign plan should not hinge on the support of foundations, researching grant opportunities and other avenues of support helps make sure your organization leaves no rock unturned. The Steier Group has a team of foundation researchers and grant writers to maximize this part of the campaign plan.

What Sets Our Campaign Planning Apart

Comprehensive Information Gathering

We conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and conduct large-scale online surveys to learn as much as we can about your community. The provides great data for campaign planning.

Comprehensive communications

Our campaign plan includes a comprehensive communication strategy to communicate your goals and mission to every part of your donor base.

Independent Third-Party Insights

Because we’re not embedded in your parish, we can gather candid, unbiased feedback from donors and stakeholders during the feasibility study. And our campaign plan will reflect this important information.

Backed by Catholic Campaign Expertise

Our team specializes in Catholic fundraising — and every campaign plan is designed to reflect your mission and values.

Named one of the “Best Fundraising Companies in 2025” by The Lead Pastor

What people are saying about partnering with the Steier Group

“I've worked on many capital campaigns in my four-plus decades of priesthood, and can genuinely say that Steier Group is the best philanthropic consultancy organization I've encountered.”

Fr. Patrick HipwellPastor of Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in St. Paul, Minnesota
St. Patrick's Catholic Church Capital Campaign in Elkhorn, Nebraska

“Raising $30 million dollars is not an easy task and at times it could be overwhelming. The Steier Group helped us remain focused and organized while offering encouragement. We are very pleased with the services they provided. They helped us achieve our goal and we would highly recommend them to others looking to conduct a study or a capital campaign.”

Fr. Tom Fangman and Eric CrawfordPastor and Advancement Director of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Elkhorn, Nebraska
Newman Catholic School Capital Campaign in Mason City, Iowa.

“The results of our campaign speak for themselves and speak highly for the Steier Group. We received three of the largest gifts in our history and far surpassed even the most optimistic projections. So much of the credit goes to the Steier Group team for coaching us through the process and putting us in a position to succeed.”

Lynn PtacekFoundation Director, Newman Catholic Foundation

“The Steier Group's approach is very much rooted in stewardship as a way of life, and this focus ensured that the mission of the Church was integrated in every aspect of our campaign. This allowed us not only to raise a significant amount of funds, but to do so in a positive, faith-filled way. This approach ensured a positive experience for our pastors and parishioners - even through the challenges of COVID-19.”

Most Rev. Douglas Crosby, OMIBishop of Hamilton in Hamilton, Ontario

Connect with us today to learn more about our mission and services, or to discuss your organization’s current fundraising needs.

Connect with us

Our Recent Successes

Filter

Cathedral Parish of St. Augustine

Saint Faustina Catholic Church

Steier Tips

Read the latest Steier Tips articles for fundraising advice and access helpful resources.

View More Articles
Steier Tips

What every parish needs in a capital campaign manager

October 21, 2025
When considering a professional fundraising and development firm to assist with or build a capital campaign for your church or organization, it is important to understand the role of a capital campaign manager. What does a capital campaign manager do? A capital campaign manager is the person who oversees all aspects of the church, school or organization’s extraordinary fundraising effort. From the earliest stages of planning to celebrating success, the campaign manager ensures that the campaign runs smoothly, maintains the agreed-upon timeline, meets benchmarks and goals, and remains faithful to the parish’s mission and vision through the process. Think of…
Jim Steier
podcastSteier Tips

Supporting Higher Education with Fr. James Burns

September 24, 2025
The Steier Group is proud to present our podcast, Twelve Wicker Baskets with Christopher Beaudet. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app. In the Gospel, Jesus fed 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. After the crowd was satisfied, there were 12 wicker baskets left over. God provides the abundance. In each episode of this podcast, we will explore, with pastoral leaders and development professionals, all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of our parish communities, our Catholic schools and the diocesan church. And not only meets those needs but provides in abundance. The 44th…
Sarah Deeney

How can the Steier Group assist you?

Connect with us today to learn more about our mission and services, or to discuss your organization’s current fundraising needs. Please provide your information and a brief message, and we’ll respond as quickly as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a feasibility study?

Yes! A campaign plan without a feasibility study is like driving in the dark without your headlights on. You may reach your final destination, but the chance’s of success are much lower. Planning a campaign without the data gathered during a feasibility study will achieve much worse results.

What does a campaign plan include?

A typical campaign plan will include a schedule of campaign events, a developed case for support, thorough data analysis, a customized communications strategy, volunteer and leadership training.

Who long does a campaign plan last?

Campaign length depends on the scope of the project, number of donors involved and more. A typical Catholic parish campaign will only be a few months of active solicitation. A Catholic school campaign may last a year. And a diocesan campaign will take multiple years to involve all parishes.