How Can a Donor Show Love?
How can someone show they really love something?
They can donate to a nonprofit.
That’s right. Donating is an act of love.
An act of showing what you value.
An act of proving you believe in what is possible.
An act in transforming something.
And how do those ultimate transformations happen at nonprofits?
Through a lot of planning, strategic thinking, vision setting, and often large amounts of funds allowing for the change to happen.
So, what do you need to make this happen?
Launch a capital campaign!
Easier said than done.
Capital campaigns are a way for a donor to really show they love, care, and support your mission and organization, because it allows them to truly be part of a transformational change.
But where to begin?
Do capital campaigns have to be about “capital” aka a building? NO.
Do capital campaigns need to be about a new initiative? NO.
Can a nonprofit organization launch multiple capital campaigns in the same decade? MAYBE.
Can a nonprofit organization have multiple campaigns running at the same time? MAYBE.
How much money raised makes it a capital campaign? DEPENDS.
How much money is needed to be spent in order to make a capital campaign successful? DEPENDS.
Feel ready yet?
This is why bringing in an external consultant who can help guide you through the process is so important. WHY?
Because they can help to answer how the above six questions make sense for YOUR organization in its current capacity.
🔽 Below are six steps or phases that are necessary to make a successful capital campaign. While these steps are not comprehensive of everything that goes into making a successful capital campaign, it is a helpful outline for you and your nonprofit to be successful in making a transformational change.
And gives your donors the opportunity to show their love for the work that you do.
Here are the Steps for a Successful Capital Campaign:
Determine: What is the money for?
I frequently speak with nonprofits and they always say they need more money, and therefore are considering a capital campaign. Sure. But what is it for? What problem are you trying to solve? How does it relate to your mission? And why now? Before even considering launching a capital campaign, these questions need to be answered (and agreed to) by various stakeholders to your organization. Do not think you will be successful by just saying we’re trying to raise XX millions of dollars. It will not work.
How much do you need to raise to make the transformation?
Think big here folks. What number, truly when encompassing EVERYTHING, would make that transformation happen? Include the additional staff needed. The new software. The expenses related to facilitating a campaign (ahem, like hiring a fundraising consultant). Start to make your plan of what the dollars would actually do.
Develop your case and business plan
Here’s where you get tactical and think of the solution to the problem of what you were initially figuring out what the money is for. Develop the talking points around why someone should support this new initiative, campaign, project, etc. Why is this so exciting? What is innovative? At the same time, start to create a clear plan of action to raise the necessary funds and plan for what will happen for when the funds are raised (act as if you know they’re coming). Don’t forget to consider who you need involved in order to be successful. Be confident and be bold.
Seek feedback
This is usually done through a feasibility study, and friends, you should not skip this step. You have this big bold transformational vision that is going to push your organization forward in ways never imagined before. This is the time where you share that vision with more people. Do they believe and support it? Do they want to be included? What talking points resonate with them? Would they invest? How much? See if your audaciously bold fundraising goal is possible. And if not, make some changes.
The Quiet Phase
How quiet? Not that quiet. But commence the part where you actually raise the money. Present to them the case for support. Seek additional feedback. Have them show their love for your mission, your vision and your organization by making a transformational gift. Typically, at least 75% or so of the total goal is raised in this phase.
Public Phase – Start Putting Funds to Work
This is where you start talking about. You need gifts of all sizes – people to show their love for what you’re doing – and get people excited for the transformation that may have already started. Share that big bold vision. Show what impact is possible and how you are solving the original problem you started with (See #1 above). Reach your goal and catalyze the transformation.
Need some more help to get those donors to show this type of transformational extraordinary love?