A capital campaign is a specific fundraising effort that raises funds for capital and program improvements.
Today, most are referred to as “comprehensive campaigns” because they seek a large sum of money for both capital and program improvements. These campaigns usually run over a longer period — usually 2–3 years. Most capital campaigns
focus on funding for growth-related projects such as upgrading select facilities, constructing new buildings,
procuring needed equipment, improving services, or adding staff specialists.
Capital campaigns can be organized in many ways, but the basic process is the same. I have run a successful 36-month, $200 million capital campaign for Mercy Ships International, as well as several smaller campaigns that were $3–5 million in scope. I used the following steps to develop each one:
Preparation (3 months):
- Conduct wealth research on the top donors on your database.
- Meet face-to-face with the top 25 prospects with 7-figure+ capacity from your current donor base or in
your community. - Develop a community-support survey for the top 200 donors and prospects (6-figure+ capacity) in your area. The goal is to determine the viability of your upcoming campaign and identify potential supporters. (In most cases a formal feasibility study would be completed using an outside contractor.)
- Develop a calendar of events, deadlines, and deliverables around these core elements:
- Designing the program.
- Building an organization.
- Identifying people for involvement.
Leadership development (months 2–3):
- Identify what skills, talents, and resources are needed.
- Select and educate campaign leadership (team leads, committee members, officers).
- Target prospective donors.
Involvement (months 3–4):
Have team leaders form their teams and organize their efforts. Maximum involvement leads to ownership and ownership leads to commitment.
Inspiring action (months 4–5):
Place spiritual emphasis on stewardship and prayer through active communication to all facets of the ministry. Tailor communications to different groups within the ministry’s organizational structure.
Receiving commitments (month 6):
Create a celebratory event with a strong tone set by the silent phase pledges. This will be the public launch to begin soliciting gifts from your regular donors. Follow-up (month 7 and beyond): Ensure maximum participation from the entire donor file. Provide stewardship updates online and in your written communication. Recognize donors and donations as they happen.
There’s more to share about running an effective capital campaign. We’ll discuss best practices and recommended resources in part 2!
