Capital Campaigns - Roadmap to success

If your nonprofit is considering expansion or renovation, you're probably thinking of launching a capital campaign. But how do you create an effective campaign? How many donors do you need? How much money should increase groped? Here's a quick tutorial to outline the answers to these and other questions.

A capital campaign is a significant project for a non-profit organizations. A successful capital campaign, and the completion of the project for which funds are raised, may be a transformation event. Ideally, when viewed in retrospect of the capital project will appear as a logical and inevitable step in the development of the organization strives to fully serve its audience and the community.

With careful planning and attention to detail, a capital campaign can be a powerful bridge to the future.

A successful campaign is the result of divisions that work together towards a common goal, including board, staff, volunteers, donors and community representatives. As the project develops from an idea to a proposal to reality, a campaign Planis key to success. A comprehensive plan provides a framework for action and a model that is transparent and universally accepted. This is a document that speaks both internally (to those who are managing the campaign) and external (for those who may be invited to contribute or who may be affected by the project). How campaigns are multi-year, a clear plan also serves as a guide if key team members drop out and new team members are brought in.

1. The objective

A key element to success is to accurately estimate the amount of money needed to be raised.

The costs of planning, acquisition, renovation and equipment must be accurately determined. In addition, the following items must be added to any actual cost of building, buying, or starting a donation.

or ten percent for campaign materials, the costs of consultants and staff time, extra office.
Ten per cent or to build extra projects such as insurance, building permits, design costs, and estimates for cost overruns or unanticipated delays.
or ten percent extra for people who are committed, but they can not or will not finish the payment, gift or whose actions depreciates.
o An additional ten percent for added protection.

2. Synchronization

Many nonprofits hesitate to undertake capital campaigns, because members of the Board believes that the time is not right, in general, if the economy is slow, or if the stock market is inefficient. While there may be good reasons for postponing a campaign, board members should remember that the national economy is cyclical, and the annual appeal donors making gifts of cash gifts and campaign discretionary funds from operations. Most organizations do not run a great campaign more than once every decade. Your fans will be excited to support a project of transformation and plan accordingly.

3. Organization

The nonprofit must have the ability to undertake a capital campaign. A successful capital campaign must have full confidence and support of the board of directors of the organization.

However, support grows in an incremental manner. The following action groups formed as the campaign progresses:

or the Steering Committee. Typically composed of not more than twelve years, including members of the board, the executive director, a campaign consultant, and perhaps the major donors who are not on the table. The steering committee organizes and spearheads the campaign.

or external consultant. In general, capital campaigns require the participation of a consultant part-time fundraiser that can help manage the campaign, staff and volunteers, and the prospects for interview during the feasibility study.

or Campaign Committee. This group can be very large and includes board members, donors and supporters of the community who want to take an active role in the campaign. The Committee Campaign grows as the campaign gains traction. Subcommittees may include finance, fundraising, architecture and construction, and public relations.

or volunteers. These are the supporters of the campaign involved sporadically. They may include the leaders of the communities that host fundraising events in their homes, or who have a connection to a potential donor.

4. Case Country

The case of the campaign is the key document that provides a rational basis for the project. E 'is a summation of the objectives of the organization and internal marketing tool to help inform prospective donors. The case must be prepared early in the process and may be revised periodically.

5. Gift Pyramid

Once the total monetary goal has been set, a gift pyramid is created. This shows the number and size of gifts needed to reach the goal. Gifts can range in size from a hundred million people, depending on the objective of the campaign.

The figures are set so as to reflect the potential of giving the highest donors and the total number of donors expected.

6. Prospect List

Once the pyramid gift is established, the names of prospects must be connected to each of the gifts. This is the task of the Steering Committee. Acting in complete secrecy, the Commission will compile a list of prospects. Beside each name is the estimated amount of perspective, and the name of a person who will call the prospect.

If the list view can not be filled with prospects to reach 50% of the goal, then the project should be reconsidered.

7. Interviews with prospects

If there is the slightest uncertainty about prospect support for the project, a feasibility study is necessary. An impartial consultant who is not directly involved with the organization is chosen to conduct confidential interviews with members of the keyboard and donors. The interviews are about a half hour in duration and are conducted at the discretion of the respondent, in the home or office.

8. Solicitation of major donors

The "quiet phase" is an initial private solicitation. We must begin only after certain conditions are met, even though the project was approved by the board of directors and if the feasibility study is positive. During the quiet phase, it is expected that 50% of the objective will be achieved.

9. The public phase

During the public phase, the effort to stress is broadened to include anyone not directly involved with the organization, including charitable foundations, businesses and government agencies.

10. Conclusion

A well prepared organization should not be worried considering a capital campaign. If appropriate measures are taken incremental, the conditions can be assessed in each phase. If at any time the terms are considered unfavorable the campaign may be postponed. If conditions continue to be positive, the campaign can be allowed to open the public and then to a successful conclusion.