What a Capital Idea!

The majority of early-career fundraising professionals try their hand at direct mail, special events, grants or other annual gift-type fundraising tactics such as social media. Over time, many mid-level professionals seek major gifts and planned gifts as an avenue for continued growth and experience. For the ultimate intense experience in fundraising, try tackling a capital campaign. Even if you have a campaign or two under your belt, it always pays to go participate in a capital campaign course as a refresher in the field.

Over my career I have been involved in a number of capital campaigns while serving in many roles. In the majority of these roles I have been the fundraising professional charged with directing the capital campaign. In other scenarios I was a consultant working with institutions to raise capital dollars. In additional experiences I served as a volunteer who played as a chairman and solicitor in a campaign. I realized quickly that each campaign is different and many variables affect the ultimate success of a capital campaign.

Some examples of my capital campaign experience include:

• Directing a $37 million capital campaign for an international organization as a consultant. Great start until politics and personalities got in the way between staff leaders, board leaders and other consultants.
• Coming in to direct a $100 million capital campaign for a national organization while the campaign was already in process, which was already a hot mess. The board phase was fine to raise the first 50 percent, but the organization was not prepared to raise the second 50 percent. The fundraising committee I inherited wouldn't even open doors.
• Being part of a staff for a university's first capital campaign for $75 million. It was exciting to be part of something where everyone wanted it to succeed and it did, eventually. I also enjoyed bringing in national professionals to educate various constituencies on the "process."
• Over a 20-year span, working for two hospital systems directing a number of capital campaigns generally in the $6 million to $10 million range. Since there were no natural constituencies many times you built the ship as it was leaving the harbor. I learned to build partnerships and make dreams come true in many areas of healthcare. The greatest satisfaction was knowing your vision was translated into the vision of others their eventual investment.
• Chairing a multimillion dollar campaign to build your own church. My priest did an amazing job in having the vision and ability to inspire others to give to benefit future generations. As chairman of my parish council I get to enjoy the beauty of this new church every Sunday.

As I always say, our field blends art with science and integrates new and old techniques. I recently attended the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Fund Raising School's Managing the Capital Campaign course. I was particularly excited to be taught by Ernie Vargo, because we go back in time.

Ernie is now president of the Eskenazi Health Foundation in Indianapolis, where he directed a huge capital campaign that changed the name of the hospital. I met Ernie when we worked together on a capital campaign while I was vice president of development/foundation executive director for St. Vincent Hospitals & Health Services in Indianapolis, and he was a senior consultant with Johnson Grossnickle and Associates in Indianapolis. I knew if Ernie was teaching, you would learn from someone with many years of theory and practice.

According to the Fund Raising School definition, a capital campaign is a periodic, carefully organized, highly structured fundraising program. It uses volunteers supported by staff and consultants to raise funds for specific needs to be met in a specific timeframe, with a specific dollar goal that allows donors to pledge gifts to be paid over a period of years. Capital campaigns are the most cost-effective form of fundraising. Because they are volunteer-driven, have a tight timetable and rely on major gifts for the bulk of their contributions, they raise more dollars per dollar spent than any other fundraising vehicle.

Regardless whether you have past experience with capital campaigns, a capital idea is to take continued education on this complex subject. I love refreshers, and since several capital campaigns are ahead of me, I once again need to be completely prepared for the expected and unexpected. I can't wait to get started. No campaign is more gratifying and the sense of accomplishment more permanent than to achieve capital campaign success.

Just make sure everyone else gets all of the credit!