Campaign Feasibility and Planning Studies
Preparing for a Campaign Feasibility and Planning Study 2nd Edition
With each year, more and more non-profit organizations are preparing to enter into capital campaigns to construct or update facilities, build endowments, supplement operations and pursue other worthy financial goals. The more successful of these organizations will hire consulting firms to conduct Campaign Feasibility and Planning Studies. Identifying the best possible consulting firm for your…
Read MoreCapital Campaigns — Dream the Impossible Dream
Through our work as capital campaign consultants and a fundraising consulting firm, the members of Custom Development Solutions (CDS) are, at any given time, talking with representatives of dozens of non-profit organizations across the US and Canada. Serving as the hub for that much dialogue allows us to make observations and draw conclusions about the…
Read MoreCampaign Success or Failure: A Function of the Number of Calls Made
During my thirty-six years in the fundraising profession, I have had the privilege of planning and directing capital campaigns for hospitals, schools, colleges, libraries, museums, symphony orchestras, various arts and cultural organizations, retirement communities, social service organizations, churches, synods, dioceses, denominations and other church related organizations. In each case, I was fortunate. We worked hard…
Read MoreI’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up
As much as we plan, plan, plan, there inevitably comes a time in most capital campaigns when activity slows dramatically. I have wrestled with this phenomenon and have found several helpful solutions or “fixes”. My hope is these might be of use to you, as well.
Read MoreHow to Be an Agent of Change
I was surprised to see in recent weeks that a six-year-old book remains on the New York Times Best Seller List, recently at #3 among nonfiction paperbacks. The book is The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. It seems as though it has become its own best promoter, demonstrating what happens when…
Read MoreForensic Fundraising: Study, Research, and Analysis
My youngest daughter is a big fan of the crime scene investigation shows. She tries to solve the mystery before the solution is revealed at the end of the show. While watching television with her one night, it occurred to me that fundraising was a lot like crime scene investigation, except, of course, for the…
Read MoreFinancial Goal Setting for Your Campaign
You want to choose a minimum goal that is both challenging and attainable. Nothing is more discouraging than running a great campaign and coming up a few thousand dollars short of the minimum goal.
Read MoreFielding Solicitors for a Campaign Team
The pre-season is over. All the preparation and planning—from the off-season, the draft, and training camp—must now be channeled into action. This is when you know how well your team will perform, how effective you have been in putting the best team on the field. The Campaign has started.
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