Former clients often have a confession: They never imagined conducting a capital campaign would take so much time and effort. These same clients originally wondered whether they could run their campaigns without outside counsel. I’m routinely asked why organizations should incur the cost of hiring an organization, such as the Steier Group, to run their campaigns. I typically answer their question with a few of my own: Does your organization have a staff member who can devote 100 percent of his or her time to the campaign for the next six months (or longer)? Our campaign managers typically devote up…
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It’s often the first question I am asked when I sit down with a potential client, “Jim, are we ready for a campaign?” The question, in theory, should be a straight forward “yes” or “no.” But as anyone who works in development knows, there are far more factors to be considered before you can make an educated answer. As you begin to consider the possibility of a capital campaign, do a quick inventory and ask yourself a few questions, but make sure you give honest answers. It’s a simple and quick exercise that will benefit you in the long run.…
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Raising large sums of money can be a strenuous process. There must be a focused investment of time and resources in order to communicate your needs to donors and ultimately secure a gift. Oftentimes, organizations get so caught up in securing the actual commitment that they neglect one of the most important steps in donor cultivation: communicating your success. Donors want specifics. They want to know how their gift is being used to further your nonprofit’s mission. They want to believe that their sacrifice – however large or small – is making a difference. The responsibility of communicating this information…
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The decision has been made, and it’s a big one: your organization will move forward with a capital campaign. These are exciting times, but your to-do list is about to grow considerably. First things first: Don’t forget your staff. Make sure employees, at every level, are notified first about this big decision. Don’t let them hear second-hand from a volunteer or donor. They deserve to hear this important news from you. Their buy-in and support are critical to the success of the campaign. Consider these additional suggestions: Meet personally with each employee. Share why you support the project. Make it…
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