scouring assignment for elective course NMP 641

1. NMP 641
Bay Path College
Capital Campaign and Major Gifts Fundraising for
Nonprofit Organizations
Dianna M. Parks
November 2013

2. What is a campaign?
“Campaigns usually grow from some pressing need
that is limiting the organization’s growth.”
(Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 12)
Campaign types
•
•
•
•
•
Brick-and-mortar – usually straightforward to fund capital improvements
Special project campaigns – less intensive than a larger campaign
Endowment campaigns – best for a well-established organization to build a
lasting fund; good for deferred gifts
Combined campaign – a combination of brick-and-mortar & endowment;
often will provide for an endowment to maintain the capital project
Comprehensive campaign – usually a five to ten year duration for all funding
needs of the organization, with a large goal
Source: Kihlstedt, 2010, pp. 4-5

3. Mental preparation
•
“The key to a powerful case for support is to write it not from the
perspective of what your organization needs, but to push beyond
that and articulate what difference an investment will make in the
world. (Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 13)
•
“Essential to the ask is knowing as much as you can about the
person before making the Ask.” (Fredricks, 2010, p. 9)
•
“When you are asking for money, you are not asking someone to
give something up, you are giving them the opportunity to invest in
your organization and to feel good.” (Fredricks, 2010, p. 17)
•
A prospect is “someone you think might support your work. Not just
because they might have money but because their interests match
those of your organization.” (Hart, Greenfield, Gignac & Carnie,
2006, p. 10)

4. Readiness assessment
Essential Elements of Campaign Readiness
• involved governing board
• mission, vision, and values
• organizational planning
• an agreed upon statement of campaign objectives
• constituency
• history of giving
• prospect development plan
• information system/database
• communications
• executive team
• potential lead-gift and major-gift prospects
• fundraising leadership
• niche awareness
Source: Kihlstedt, 2010, pp. 24-28
If the organization is shaky in more
than one key area, not only will the
ride get hair-raising at times, but
you’ll need to temper your goals to
fit your growing pains. (Kihlstedt,
2010, p. 23)

5. Before the campaign - prospecting
The Prospect Pipeline
Discover
Qualify
Initial
Research
Nurture
Track
Ask
Steward
Data mining: discovering records that show particular patterns within a
database
Prospect screening: comparing data from database to other data
Prospect review: reviewing lists of prospects with colleagues and
volunteers
Source: Hart et al., 2006, pp. 24-29

6. Campaign Preparation
• Set a campaign goal – 10X annual fund, 2 prospects per
top 10 gifts, one donor to give 15% of goal, consistent
with peers?
• Create a case statement – why is the project needed,
why now, how will the project work, and what will it cost?
Must be brief and easily recalled.
• Develop a gift range chart – campaign will depend on top
10 donors; three prospects per gift (on average)
• Conduct a feasibility study – uncover bad impressions in
community (if any), test case with loyal supporters, use
outside fundraising consultant for in-person interviews
Source: Kihlstedt, 2010, Chapter 3

7. Campaign Leadership
Selecting a campaign chair is an important
decision. This person needs to give an
early and impactful campaign gift, and be
willing to have his or her commitment be
public in order to inspire and attract other
donors. Finally, this person will
need to devote time to help
solicit other gifts and
volunteers.
Source: Kihlstedt, 2010, Chapter 4

8. Campaign Consultants
A consultant will…
• be a good teacher
• offer firm advice based
on experience
• keep board focused
A consultant will not…
• serve as campaign
manager
• raise the money
• convert all board
members into
fundraisers
Source: Kihlstedt, 2010, Chapter 4

9. Campaign Plan
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Campaign objectives
Campaign goals
Case for support
Gift range chart
Donor recognition
Campaign structure
Campaign policies and practices
Campaign timeline
Campaign budget
Communications plan
Source: Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 146

10. Pro$pect$
Rank prospects and apply effort
to those with most potential
Can
give
Prospects
Can be
met
Can be
interested
Cold – Known capacity, but unknown
interest.
Cool – Known capacity, give to similar
organizations.
Lukewarm – Known capacity, known to
us.
Warm – We think they will give with
proper cultivation.
Hot – We know them personally, they
are interested, able to make a large
gift.
Red Hot – Behavior indicates a major
gift is likely.
Hart et al., 2006, p. 144

11. Cycle of Understanding
1. Awareness: potential donors must
know of and understand the cause
and the desired outcome.
2. Understanding: potential donors
see the work you do and begin to
appreciate the issues, problems
and challenges.
Action
Awareness
Commitment
Understanding
3. Commitment: when prospects
decide to support your cause;
emotional buy-in has begun and
prospect is ready to be cultivated
as a donor.
4. Action: comes only when they are
clearly ready and in a position to
give.
Hart et al., 2006, p. 151

12. Asking
Education + Involvement + Cultivation +
Inclination + Assets
= THE RIGHT TIME TO ASK
(Fredricks, 2010, p. 70)
“The anticipated responses you may receive
should not prevent you from asking if you feel
the time is right, provided the Ask is done with sensitivity
and understanding.”
(Fredricks, 2010, p. 186)

13. Can You Hear Me Now?
Quiet Phase
Public Phase
• Solicit lead gifts
• Solicit board members
• Solicitations are in-person
and personal
• Volunteers are influential
insiders
• Employ special events to
announce
• Use media to help spread
messaging
• Use variety of methods
per prospect type: inperson, phone, mail,
online
• Broad base of volunteers
Source: Kihlstedt, 2010.

14. Stewardship
•
Every donor should be acknowledged at least three times.
(Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 349)
•
The effectiveness of a gesture is based more on the authenticity of
the feelings that are motivating it than on the lavishness of the
gesture itself. (Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 342)
•
Every giver wants to hear that the money they entrusted with your
organization and its leadership is having an immediate positive
effect and that but for this investment and the investment of others,
none of this would have happened. (Fredricks, 2010, p. 223)
•
A “yes” now will lead to a “yes” later if you execute a solid
stewardship plan for each person. (Fredricks, 2010, p. 227)
•
A disciplined approach to gratitude and recognition
is a true investment in your organization’s future.
(Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 339)

15. Celebrate!
“In a world in which many people measure success by money, people
will see your organization in a new light once you have successfully
completed a capital campaign.” (Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 337)
“Your campaign will show you that if you have a clear vision and a
compelling case, the money is just a campaign away.” (Kihlstedt,
2010, p. 374)
“Campaign celebrations both conclude the campaign and also begin a
new phase in donors’ relationships with the organization… The
celebration should thank them for their help and paint a picture of a
future exciting enough to get them thinking about wanting to stay on
board.” (Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 367)
Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks
continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all
things in your gratitude. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

16. References
References
Fredricks, L. (2010). The Ask. San Franciso, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Hart, T, Greenfield, J.M, Gignac, P.M., & Carnie, C. (2006). Major
Donors: Finding big gifts in your database and online. Hoboken, NJ:
John Wiley & Sons.
Kihlstedt, A. (2010). Capital Campaigns: strategies that work. Sudbury,
MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
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