Capital Campaigns

Welcome back to #NPPTrendingNow, where NonProfit PRO Editor-in-Chief Nhu Te breaks down the top three coveted stories of the week.

The “silent phase” of a capital campaign is a time before the official announcement of a campaign when majority of funds are raised.

I can make a list of capital campaign anxieties longer than your leg.

People don’t give because they have money — they give because they’re committed to your mission, and they believe in what you’re trying to accomplish. So, it stands to reason that you should never ask anyone for a big gift until they know your mission.

If you’re getting ready for a capital campaign, there is something important you need to know. And it may be the difference between a successful campaign and one that falls short of its goal.

In the capital campaign business, the focus is on raising a great deal of money from a relatively few donors. And it’s all too common for staff members and volunteers to focus their attention exclusively on getting those major gifts.

Are you completely buried in spreadsheets and committees, and your case for support? Are you so stuck in the weeds that you don’t have enough time to actually contact your donors? The same donors who will make or break your capital campaign? Are you even sure who to contact?

A rural public district hospital in the Tri-Cities area of Washington found its capital campaign stalled. This campaign conducted 10 years ago was important. It was launched to expand and improve the hospital’s emergency department to better meet the needs of its growing community.

Some people worry that major gifts will suffer in the years after a capital campaign. But it’s simply not true! Remember, very few things move in simple straight lines. That’s true of human motivation, growth patterns and, yes, even the way people give.

Have you ever wondered how capital campaign consultants figure out how much money your organization can raise for your campaign? Do you ever wonder if their assessments are wrong? Let me tell you a dirty little secret...