Is Your Nonprofit Organization Capital Campaign Ready? Four Simple Questions To Ask Yourself.

The Practice of Nonprofit Leadership

In this episode, we dive into four simple questions you can ask yourself to determine if your organization is ready to consider a capital campaign.

• Project: Do I have a project that aligns with the reasons people donate: to save or transform lives? We touch on common project types, including new construction, renovations, and expensive equipment purchases.
  
• Donors: Do I have the right donors needed based on campaign goals? We provide a simple breakdown using a $100,000 campaign as an example, and discuss the need for lead gifts, and how many donors you might need at different giving levels.
  
• Leadership: Do I have the right leadership needed to be successful? With a focus on the time commitment required from the Executive Director and the need for a dedicated campaign cabinet. The role of a campaign consultant and the challenges of a DIY approach for first-time campaign leaders are also discussed.
  
• Infrastructure: Do I have the organizational infrastructure needed to be a campaign home? Lastly, we discuss the necessary infrastructure for a successful campaign, including administrative support, a donor database, and the identification of potential lead donors.
  

Is your organization ready to even consider a capital campaign? If the answers to all four of these questions are yes, then you are in good shape to go to the next step in considering a capital campaign.

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The Hosts of The Practice of NonProfit Leadership:
Tim Barnes serves as the Executive Vice President of International Association for Refugees (IAFR)
Nathan Ruby serves as the Executive Director of Friends of the Children of Haiti (FOTCOH)
They can be reached at [e-mail]
All opinions and views expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent those of their respective organizations.