
Capital Campaigns

Because the goals are high, capital campaigns feel risky. And few people want to be associated with something they fear might not be successful. So you have to take great care in building confidence right from the start. And that starts with getting the right people on board...
Perhaps you’re about to outgrow your building. Or the landlord’s not going to renew the lease, and it’s time to own your own facility. Or maybe you’re thinking about a new, exciting program for your organization that’ll springboard your organization’s services to a new level of excellence...
If you are heading into a capital campaign, your board members will not only be called on to give generously of their own money, but they will be expected to ask their contacts and friends for generous gifts, too. And that’s often a sticking point!
Too often, nonprofits don’t invest the time and capacity building needed to truly excel and maximize their potential in a major campaign. How much time is enough time? We’re talking years...
During a recent client coaching session, we spent an hour talking about the reasons why it’s so important to hire a capital campaign consultant. Yes, we’ve covered this topic before, but the question keeps coming up. Besides, we thought of even more reasons that hiring a consultant is such a good idea. Why? Because any nonprofit that’s planning a capital campaign should really make the oh-so-worthwhile expense of hiring a consultant a budget priority!...
The idea of capital campaigns is alluring, but can seem daunting, can’t they? While it’s a wonderful thought to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for your nonprofit organization’s mission and cause, it’s like looking up at a skyscraper. How do we get there?...
When people are too timid, they propose fundraising goals that won’t cover the essentials. Because they are afraid they’ll fail, they pick a low goal and risk raising the money, but not being able to fund the entire project...
The University of Delaware is embarking on an ambitious $750 million capital campaign, university officials announced Thursday. The fundraising effort will go toward a variety of projects, including the recently created Biden Institute, additions to the STAR Campus and long-awaited upgrades to Delaware Stadium. "This campaign is about a comprehensive and bold vision for the…
If you are in a capital campaign, you’ve got to have some prospective donors who are likely to give really big gifts. If your campaign goal is $5 million, for example, you’ll likely need a gift of $1 million or more to anchor your campaign. If your goal is $3 million, you’ll need a gift of between $500,000 and $750,000...
Once you recruit powerful volunteers to serve in leadership positions of your capital campaign, you have an obligation to make sure they succeed. Period! The leaders and philanthropists of your community put their reputations on the line when they agree to serve on your campaign committees or in leadership positions. To let them down and embarrass them by letting a campaign fail will have serious negative consequences for years to come. So, don’t make failure an option...