The Fundraising Series: Book 5 - Capital Campaigns

By Henry D. (Hank) Lewis

This collection of essays and blog postings is intended to help you understand the elements of and prepare for a capital campaign; so that, when you hire a staff campaign director or engage counsel, their time (and your money) will be used most effectively.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Henry D. (Hank) Lewis
• Release date: Sep 16, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301939107

Henry D. (Hank) Lewis

Henry D. (Hank) Lewis, MA, CFRMPresident, Development Consultant AssociatesMr. Lewis is a Board and Leadership Development, Capital Campaign, Bequest Program and Major Gifts specialist, with expertise in analysis and structuring of development programs.He has designed and counseled programs for educational, health care, cultural, advocacy and religion-based organizations.Prior to creating DCA, in 1983, he directed capital campaigns for a California based counseling firm, and served as Senior Vice President for a full-service firm in New Jersey.A selection of those institutions/organizations to which he has provided counsel is: Fordham University, The Florida Orchestra, Cheshire Home for disabled young Adults, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, University of St. Thomas, Virginia Military Institute, Texas A & M University, the Episcopal Diocese of New York, Essex County (NJ) Court Appointed Special Advocates, Adelphi University, the National Jewish Democratic Council, Americans for Democratic Action, Alliance for Justice and Disabled American Veterans.Mr. Lewis has served on the national Curriculum and Diversity Committees of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP); he has Chaired the AFP-DC Chapter's Certification Committee, and served on the Board of that Chapter. He was a Board Member of the AFP-NJ Chapter, chaired their Certification Program, and was Program Chair for the 1998 New Jersey Conference on Philanthropy. He also coordinated the Chapter's Mentor Program and sat on its Ethics Committee.He has taught Fund Raising Ethics, Donor Motivation, Major Gift Fund Raising and Capital Campaigns at Kean University in New Jersey; Major Gift Fund Raising, and Motivating the Individual and Corporate Donor at the Support Center of Washington; “fundraising 101” at the University of the District of Columbia; classes in Major Gift Fundraising and Preparing for Capital Campaigns at the Center For Nonprofit Advancement (formerly the Washington Council of Agencies); and, classes for the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations (MANO) and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (Maryland) in Major Gifts Fundraising, Cultivating the Major Donor and Capital Campaign Preparation.He is Past President of the Washington, DC Consultants Consortium; created and edited the weekly newsletter, the “Major Gifts Review” on Charity Channel; served on the Charity Channel Advisory Board; and, served as a Trustee for the Alumni Association of the Bronx High School of Science.Mr. Lewis has a masters degree and a 1977 Certificate from the Adelphi University Fund Raising Management Program, and held the designation of Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) for twenty years.

Book preview

The Fundraising Series

Book Five

Capital Campaigns

Henry D. (Hank) Lewis, MA, CFRM

…for 30+ years,

Helping Nonprofit Organizations Ensure Their Futures

... With Effective Fundraising Programs™

Published by Henry D. Lewis at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 by Henry D. Lewis

This collection of essays and blog postings is intended to help you

understand the elements of and prepare for a capital campaign; so that,

when you hire a staff campaign director or engage counsel, their

time (and your money) will be used most effectively.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Capital Campaigns – What They Are

Chapter Two: What They’re Not

Chapter Three: Are You Ready ?

Chapter Four: More Than Raising Money

Chapter Five: Choosing Your Campaign Objectives

Chapter Six: Structuring The Basic Campaign

Chapter Seven: Beginning The Extended Campaign

Chapter Eight: Beyond The Organizational Family

Chapter Nine: Leadership

Chapter Ten: Structuring The Solicitation Process

Chapter Eleven: The Lower-Rated Prospects

Chapter Twelve: Soliciting The Lowest-Rated Prospects

Chapter Thirteen: Asking For The Smaller Gifts

Chapter Fourteen: The Pledge Card

Chapter Fifteen: Campaign Publicity

Chapter Sixteen: Recognizing Your Leaders & Donors

Chapter Seventeen: Endowment Campaigns

Chapter Eighteen: Money To Build A Playground – Naming Opportunities

Chapter Nineteen: Naming Opportunities – The Basics

Chapter Twenty: Hiring a Consultant for a Campaign Planning Study

Chapter Twenty-One: Further Thoughts on Hiring A Campaign Consultant

Chapter Twenty-Two: Can We Do The Feasibility Study Ourselves ??

Chapter Twenty-Three: After The Campaign Is Over

Chapter Twenty-Four: In Summary – A Question & Answer Checklist

Other eBooks in the Fundraising Series

Introduction

This book is written and intended for nonprofit board members, staff and volunteers to help you understand what the capital campaign process is all about, and what it’s not. Many of the chapters in this book reference material from Book Four of this series – Major Gift Fundraising.

And, unlike the other books of this series, this one comes with a warning. Beginning a capital campaign without the essential preparation, even talking publicly about such an effort before the planning process, can put the future of an organization at risk.

Of all types of fundraising, the failure of a capital campaign can send a message to your community, and to your current and potential supporters, that you are poorly organized, poorly run and lack the broad support you need to provide for the needs of the people you serve. A capital campaign, more so than any other fundraising effort, exposes who you are, what you do and how well you do it. And you can’t risk that exposure unless you’re really ready and have assurance of success.

We know, from over 30 years of providing fundraising counsel to nonprofit organizations, that long-term survival and effectiveness of nonprofits