Is Your Capital Campaign Set Up to Fail?

Set your capital campaign up properly: perform your due diligence and market research early in the game.

Using a Feasibility Study to Close Major Gifts – Without an Ask

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An expertly crafted Feasibility Study can open your donors' hearts and minds to wonderful possibilities your project will create.

Want to Know What Your Major Donor is Thinking? Try This Question!

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Want to find out what your donor is thinking? Ask them what they think or what are their impressions. It's our favorite Golden Question to ask donors.

Capital Campaigns: Three Secrets of Success

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If you're nonprofit is running a capital campaign, take a look at our article for three secrets to a successful campaign.

3 Reasons Capital Campaigns Lose Their Momentum

There is really nothing more painful than a capital campaign that loses its momentum. It’s a sad situation – the institution is out there in public with an important initiative, a very public goal, and major gifts designated toward…
Planning a Campaign? Add Power and Influence

Planning a Campaign? Add Power and Influence

We were helping one of our clients work through a challenge yesterday. Our client, a national organization, is planning a $300 million capital campaign. The problem is, the organization’s board is not composed of "heavy hitters" so to speak,…
New Capital Campaign Trends for 2021

New Capital Campaign Trends for 2021

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With the positive economic environment right now, most capital campaigns are really taking off in 2021. We’re seeing some interesting new capital campaign trends among our clients' capital campaigns, and wanted share them here. As we’ve…

Capital Campaign Planning: A Mistake-Proof Checklist

Many organizations are either planning a capital campaign, or thinking about one in the future. It's what happens early on in the capital campaign planning process that really lays the groundwork for success. This Checklist Tool will help…
Momentum

Secrets to Maintaining Your Capital Campaign’s Momentum

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The Magic of Capital Campaign Momentum Many capital campaigns struggle to maintain momentum.  Momentum is a magic quality that can speed things along in your campaign like an ocean wave. When there is positive energy and momentum, everything…

We Give Thanks To You

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A Message To You Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the U.S., a time to give thanks for what we have. It felt a little different this year.  2020 has thrown a lot of challenges our way. Maybe it feels like we’d rather wish away 2020…

What Can Go Wrong with a Capital Campaign in a Pandemic?

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You might be planning a campaign for 2021, or you may be in a major campaign right now. What can go wrong? Capital campaigns, as we all know, are huge undertakings. They are full of risks, rewards and mega gifts, too. And sometimes capital…

How a Capital Campaign Planning Committee Develops Lead Donor Relationships

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If you’re planning a capital campaign, you are very likely evaluating your fundraising potential.  How much can you raise? Who will be your major funding sources? Would a Capital Campaign Planning Committee help you raise more?   A…

What’s Haunting You About Your Capital Campaign?

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If your organization is running a capital campaign right now, you are probably finding more than a few haunting challenges these days.  Even in stable times, campaigns are high-risk projects that take persistence, dedication and creativity.   And…

Coronavirus and Fundraising: What to Expect and How to Prepare

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One of the major issues on everyone’s mind today is the coronavirus outbreak. Many people are worried and uncertain about what to expect. Smart nonprofits are concerned how all this uncertainty will impact fundraising. Nervous donors are…

The ArtsCenter: A Capital Campaign Success Story

Around eight or so years ago the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, North Carolina, looked for the stars to align for a big new project. A well-loved community organization for decades, the organization needed a new home. For more than 45…

Every Fundraiser’s Goldmine: The Database– 5 Ways to Find Big Potential Right at Your Fingertips

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Here’s a post by my colleague Dr. Kathryn Gamble, our data expert: Finding big gift potential is on everyone’s mind these days.  Who doesn’t want to raise more money for their missions? What do you need to know to find your major…