Spring 2012

From The President

As you dive into this edition of Raising Money, you’ll quickly pick up on our campaign theme. We couldn’t help but focus on the topic as the spring air seems to be filled with talk of campaign plans as people are emerging from the fog of the bad economy.

Whether your organization is considering a campaign at the moment or already has one in full swing, we’ll offer some guidance on campaign preparation and planning and also provide you a real-world example of a nonprofit approaching a campaign in the “right way.”

We hope your spring is off to a great start and, as always, thank you for reading. If we can help your organization with campaign planning or otherwise, please be in touch.

W. Keith Curtis, President

Preparing for an Effective Capital Campaign

Wendy McGrady, Vice President

We’ve been talking a lot lately about campaigns as many nonprofits seem to be turning their focus back to ones they had put on hold until the economy improved or to new ones that they are now ready to launch. In fact, according to our poll that followed The Curtis Group’s recent webinar on effective capital campaigns, the vast majority of participants were currently considering a major campaign. For us, this confirms a lot of what we’re seeing in our daily work. Nonprofits seem to be regaining optimism in their ability to raise major gifts,but at the same time they are approaching their planning with a sense of caution and desire for ultimate preparedness. So, as our webinar title inquired, “What Makes an Effective Campaign?” We offer the following considerations to determine whether your organization is ready.

The four key ingredients to campaign success are: a sound case for support, strong leadership, appropriate infrastructure and support for fundraising, and significant major gift potential. Interestingly enough, only 67% of our poll respondents said that their organization had a case for support in place. This is an absolute must, especially when it comes to effectively demonstrating the need for the campaign.  You must have a strong message as well as a comprehensive plan to present to the public upon soliciting major gifts.

Strong leadership is absolutely critical to campaign success; board members must be willing and able not only to get gifts, but to give as well. Only 40% of poll respondents said that they had board members in place that fit this description.  Bottom line, the community needs to feel confident about the organization’s board and staff as leaders. If your board isn’t leading fundraising then your campaign will have much less of a chance for success.

Last, your organization will need to identify and solicit advance gift prospects during the quiet phase of the campaign.  Having these lead gifts in place up front, will set the tone for the campaign and encourage other donors to step up their own contributions. Also, make sure you are stewarding your current donors who have the potential to make lead gifts in the campaign.

Finally, before you even consider a campaign planning study it’s important to ask yourself: Is there a demonstrated need? Do you have a business plan for your project? Have you budgeted for campaign costs? If you answered no to any of these questions, then you may not be as ready for a campaign as you think.

Top Lessons Learned: Campaign Advice from Nonprofit Executives

Wesley Stanley, Marketing Director and Campaign Consultant

Last week at the Virginia Association of Museums’ Annual Conference, Keith and Wendy presented a session on capital campaigns, followed by an engaging panel discussion among three nonprofit executives.  This learned panel of museum executives comprised of Page Hayhurst, executive director,Virginia Living Museum; Laura Vaughan, executive director, Barrier Islands Center; and Annie Vogt, director of the Educational Foundation, Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, shared their observations, advice and stories from their own campaign experiences. Here are their top lessons learned:

• Campaign planning studies are invaluable. It’s the business plan for the campaign that will guide your strategy throughout.
• Careful messaging is extremely important. Some cases for support are complex and require turning a not-so-glamorous story into a compelling one. Make sure you get all the details in, but do it in a way that excites donors.
• Enthusiastic volunteer leadership is key. Ambassadors (volunteers) who are excited about your case for support and what the campaign is doing will make the staff’s job much easier.
• 100% board giving is essential. A single board member who fails to make a gift to your campaign will not only discredit your organization but can cause you to lose valuable funding (foundation, corporate donors, etc.)
• Prepare for every call. Figure out what excites individual donors, even if you have to make this a part of your conversation with them; then connect their gift to something they love.
• Diverse funding priorities within a campaign are an opportunity. Perhaps you’re in an endowment campaign but you have a program or operating component—this can be beneficial, as it opens different avenues to different donors’ interests.
• Remember the smaller donors. Even the $500 donors to your campaign should be cultivated and stewarded properly, as they will continue to give, and likely increase their gift over time, if treated properly now.
• Don’t isolate the campaign from your business. Connect the campaign at every step to your daily work—it’s a big part of what you’re doing. Make sure your staff and board are connected to your milestones: both celebrations and challenges.
• Express the vibrancy of your organization. Everyone wants to be a part of something successful and exciting—talk about your campaign accomplishments!

Barrier Islands Center: A Young Organization Making Big Strides

Lauren Fenn, Campaign and Communications Manager



It’s hard to believe that the Barrier Islands Center only opened its doors in 2002.  In just under a decade, the cultural center, which showcases Virginia’s unique coastal history(Almshouse pictured above) through free exhibits and serves as a gathering place for the Eastern Shore community, has achieved some pretty significant accomplishments. When we talk about running a textbook campaign or cite examples of how a campaign can jump-start an organization’s annual fundraising, Barrier Islands Center is a perfect case study.

The Curtis Group first began working with Barrier Islands Center in 2009 when they were awarded a capacity building grant from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation’s Building Excellence program. For 18 months, the staff and board made the absolute most of their fundraising counsel, acting diligently upon every bit of development advice.  They were truly a “poster child” for what the Building Excellence grant can do for a nonprofit’s capacity.

In 2010, following the completion of our capacity building work and a development assessment, the board decided to test the feasibility of a capital campaign to secure its financial future. The Curtis Group was retained to conduct a campaign planning study and upon its completion, the board unanimously voted to embark upon an 18-24 month capital campaign that began in February 2011. The campaign would not only help Barrier Islands Center raise necessary funds to address capital and operating needs, but would also provide funding for new educational programs; and-most importantly help build their endowment. By December 2011, Barrier Islands Center received a $1 million Batten Endowment Challenge from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, as well as a $500,000 dollar-for-dollar matching gift for every new endowment gift made.

Today, with the help of The Curtis Group, Barrier Islands Center has secured $2.1 million of their $2.6 million goal. Not only have they raised a significant portion of their campaign goal in just 12 months and with a very limited staff (one full-time and four part-time employees); but they’ve done it the right way. Strong donor relationships have been cultivated along the way, and it’s apparent that the Eastern Shore community truly feels connected to the organization. In fact, through the campaign process 14 legacy gifts have already been identified; a true testament to the commitment of the staff and board to establish long-term sustainability for the Barrier Islands Center.

Nonprofit News

info@curtisgroupconsultants.com | 757.496.2224 | All content © 2008 The Curtis Group