During the Steier Group's 21-year history, one thing has always stood out as we have raised money for nonprofits across the country: People give more when asked in person. That personal touch is key to fundraising success. In October 2017, we published our findings of a two-year research project that explored this. Our findings more than backed this up. The Steier Group research found that donors, when asked in person, give 54 percent of their requested amount. In comparison, donors gave 29 percent of the requested amount when approached by telephone and 33 percent when approached by mail. Now, this…
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So, your campaign is a big hit. Your leaders and volunteers continue their hard work in securing gifts, donors are fulfilling commitments and an end-of-the campaign celebration is in the works. Now you can start planning that ribbon-cutting ceremony, right? Well, to quote former college football coach Lee Corso, “Not so fast my friend.” Before you can even begin to smile over your success, you must take time to recognize those responsible for putting you in this enviable position. One cannot understate the importance of capital campaign donor recognition. Simply put: people like to hear the words thank you. And…
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For most nonprofits, a capital campaign is the result of many months, if not years, of strategic planning and preparation. Typically, an organization has established some long-term goals and projects that are too large to be funded through normal operating revenue. Now, what are the next steps? How do I start a capital campaign? Here are the five key steps in transitioning from strategic planning to conducting a campaign: Identify your organization’s needs: Before moving forward with a capital campaign, you should be able to answer “yes” to this question: Is the need – as defined by leadership – real?…
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What if I told you that fundraisers with video raise 70 percent more? That’s a big number – one that demands our attention. A capital campaign video is a strong way to convey a clear message and evoke passion about one’s cause. Most of our clients have found that the investment made in a professionally produced video is worth it. YouCaring, which assists organizations with online fundraising, states that fundraisers with videos raise 70 percent more on average. A professional video is among the capital campaign services offered by the Steier Group. The growing popularity of this service is due…
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Every capital campaign is different. The organization’s mission and vision, the campaign goals, the donor base, the availability of willing volunteers – all of these factors contribute to making each project unique. However, there are techniques that apply to almost all organizations. Here are eight capital campaign strategies that work: Campaign planning studies: Even before a decision is made about whether to conduct a campaign, a thorough campaign planning study will set you on the path for future success. A study will test support for the proposed projects, help you establish realistic goals and identify potential donors and volunteers. Beyond…
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As a nonprofit leader, you know the extraordinary effort you and your staff put forth to fulfill your mission. It takes passion and determination to serve your community. You must also cultivate, solicit and thank donors to meet your organization’s current needs while always keeping an eye to the future. Add in strategic planning, hiring and budgeting and it can be an overwhelming task! Now consider launching a full-scale capital campaign and the phrase “there are not enough hours in the day” comes to mind. You will need help to do the job right, and that’s exactly what a capital…
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For 20 years, the Steier Group has relied on data analytics to manage our successful campaigns. Our statistics show what we know from experience: People give more to religious and community organizations when they are asked in person for support. The Steier Group recently embarked on a major, two-year research project to quantify exactly how much more effective personal visits are than other solicitation methods. We tracked 51 campaigns and 22,757 donor decisions, analyzing the size of gifts relative to how prospective donors were asked for support. We found that donors, when asked in person, give 54 percent of their…
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“There just isn’t enough time in a day.” How many times have you found yourself speaking or thinking this statement? How many times have you heard that from your organization’s employees or volunteers? Within your organization, chances are good your devoted employees log more than 40 hours each week so that your organization can continue to serve your community. Now imagine adding an additional full-time job – requiring another 40 hours per week – to your employees’ or volunteers’ plate. That’s what capital campaign management is: a full-time job. Managing a capital campaign includes a variety of jobs that exceed…
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In 1997, I was 31 years old, Mary and I had recently welcomed our second son without knowing that three more would soon follow. I was discerning a career change from the family-run fundraising consulting firm where I was employed. After my best friend passed away, leaving behind his wife and young daughter, the pull became that much stronger. It was then I decided that life was too short not to take the proverbial leap of faith and I decided to start the Steier Group. From day one, we focused on providing our clients with the best service possible. We…
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Your board members are in agreement: It’s time for a capital campaign. For many nonprofit CEOs, the thought of launching a capital campaign is a daunting one. You know there will be months of hard work ahead. There are volunteers to recruit, donors to evaluate, a communications plan to implement and special events to host. The list goes on and on. With so many moving parts in a campaign, it can be easy to lose sight of the benefits to your organization. It begs the question, why run a capital campaign? A recent study conducted by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative…
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