Key Components: Capital Campaign Interview
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I am excited to bring to you my second online interview. I am interviewing a couple of skilled consultants on the topic of Capital Campaigns. Over the course of this week we will talk about campaign strategy, current trends, determining the amount for a capital ask, including an online strategy, and third party help. I would like to extend a special thanks to our interviewees The Collins Group, Lipman Hearne and Convio (When we discuss online strategy). It should be mentioned that each of these consulting groups is very different. In reference to a capital campaign The Collins Group would be your campaign counsel and manage your feasibility study. Lipman Hearne would be great to work with regarding key messaging and building your case and Convio focuses on online fundraising
What are the key components of a successful capital campaign?
The Collins Group:
There are six components that determine the success of a capital campaign. They are:
- Strong board, staff, and volunteer leadership
- Clear project definition and a compelling case for support
- Ready and willing leadership donors (a dozen gifts often make up more than 50 percent of the campaign goal)
- Solid reputation and visible organization
- Adequate fundraising staffing, systems, and infrastructure
- Timing (e.g. economic concerns and competing projects)
- Dana Van Nest, Marketing Director and Kate Roosevelt, CFRE, Vice President, www.collinsgroup.com
Lipman Hearne:
Through the feasibility study process, ongoing conversations, prospect rating systems, and an examination of public data regarding the prospect’s financial status. One of the old truisms of fundraising is that “nobody is offended by being asked for too much” - the assumption being that the prospect says to himself or herself, “they must think I’m doing really well.” Overshooting the mark by a ridiculous amount, though, would cause a prospect to think that you haven’t really done your homework or preparation very well.
- Robert Moore, Managing Partner, www.lipmanhearne.com
Please leave any comments or advice of your own below. If you would like to see past and upcoming online interviews you can visit the Interviews page. Thanks for reading!
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May 21st, 2008 at 6:52 am
Good stuff. Thanks for sharing. I could see where asking for too much could scare the potential donor out of the game out of embarrassment from not being able to come close to your request.