The Nonprofit Leader’s Guide to Capital Campaigns is designed to help organizations and their leaders plan for and complete capital campaigns and understand how successful campaigns actually work. Download your copy today!
What is a Capital Campaign? A Place to Start for Nonprofit Leaders
What is a capital campaign? It’s a separate, time-limited effort designed to raise a specific dollar amount for new construction or a major renovation. The numbers are big and the way you raise that money looks different from your annual fundraising. They succeed because a small number of people give at levels they've never given before. Here’s where to start.
The Donor Experience in a Capital Campaign
From the nonprofit’s perspective, a capital campaign is a structured fundraising effort with defined phases and goals. From the donor’s perspective, it is something very different. It is a personal journey. Understanding the donor experience is essential for campaign success.
The Stewardship Timeline for Multi-Year Capital Campaign Pledges
Many leadership gifts in a capital campaign are structured as three- to five-year pledges, allowing donors to make larger commitments while giving organizations the ability to move forward with major projects. But a multi-year pledge also creates a challenge. How do you keep donors engaged for five years after they have already said yes? The answer lies in creating a clear stewardship timeline.
How to Keep Capital Campaign Pledge Redemption High
Most capital campaign gifts are paid over three to five years. Without intentional donor stewardship, even the most enthusiastic pledge can lose momentum. Organizations that achieve high pledge redemption rates understand a simple truth: pledges are sustained through relationships, not paperwork.
Capital Campaign Readiness Scorecard
To help you begin processing the basics of what’s required of an organization beginning to plan for a capital campaign, use the following scorecard to evaluate your readiness. Share it with staff and board members and compare your results. Use it to get the conversation started.