Your organization has decided to conduct a planning study before embarking on a campaign—you’ve already made the first smart choice! A campaign planning study, also known as a feasibility study, will tell you whether or not a campaign is advisable, how much money you could realistically raise and what your strategy would be to raise that… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Campaigns & Campaign Planning
Key takeaways from our client who just raised $8.5 million
While mistakes can be valuable learning opportunities, this is a case where the client did everything right. Blue Ridge Community College followed our advice to the letter—and the results speak for themselves. Founded in 1967, Blue Ridge Community College offers comprehensive programs of instruction including associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in occupational/technical and college/university transfer… Read more »
UNDERDOG SUCCESS STORY: How a small, rural museum raised $3 million
To Virginia’s secluded Eastern Shore community, the Barrier Islands Center is more than a museum, education center and tourist attraction—it’s a cherished gathering place. Founded in 1996, the Barrier Islands Center introduces visitors to the history of the islands and surrounds them in the rich history of the Eastern Shore. In 2009, the Barrier Islands Center… Read more »
More nonprofits doing campaigns—and they’re working
It looks like 2015 was The Year of the Capital Campaign. According to the National Research Collaborative’s “Special Report on Nonprofit Fundraising Campaigns,” released Jan. 3, about 46 percent of nonprofits surveyed were in either a capital or a special campaign during the first half of 2015, up from 11 percent in 2011. Considering that… Read more »
Do you know your economic impact? (hint: it will help you raise money)
As the economy continues its recovery, many nonprofits are considering long-delayed and necessary capital projects—new buildings, physical improvements, or expansions, all critical to the long term success of their organizations. As these organizations move through their fundraising steps, a key component they often overlook is the overall economic impact they have within their community. Information… Read more »
Moving into Campaign: When to Say Go!
The latest edition of The Curtis Group e-newsletter, Raising Money: Winter 2014, outlined the four phases of a capital campaign. Additionally, our team recently hosted a webinar and conducted a training session through Tidewater Community College’s Academy for Nonprofit Excellence—all focused on campaigns and campaign readiness. Now, we will explore the transition from Phase One,… Read more »
When is the Right Time to Conduct a Capital Campaign?
As the economy slowly shows signs of improvement, we are seeing more nonprofits exploring the idea of conducting a capital campaign. A question we have fielded many times during our 23 years consulting to nonprofits is, “How do you really know when the time is right to begin a capital campaign?” We often use Giving USA, an… Read more »
Before the Campaign Planning Study There’s the Business Plan
Last week, as a result of our webinar on “What Makes an Effective Capital Campaign?” a question arose that we thought was worth addressing. One participant asked us to further explain the need for the business plan that we often recommend developing before moving into any type of campaign. The simple answer is this: a campaign… Read more »
Preparing for the Natural Evolution of a Campaign
With the tides beginning to turn in the number of requests we are receiving for campaign planning studies, it seems as though people’s thoughts are finally turning more towards campaigns. So often nonprofit boards want to see immediate and constant results when delving into a campaign, but in reality this is simply not the way a… Read more »
Know the Key to Building Capacity?
Last week Nonprofit Finance Fund issued a report about the successful results of NFF Capital Partners’ efforts to help nine charities around the nation raise philanthropic equity. Philanthropic equity, according to Nonprofit Finance Fund, is money a nonprofit uses to build its capacity to deliver services, as well as the business operations that will make… Read more »
