Debunking 3 Myths: A Campaign’s Impact on Annual Giving

Posted , by Wendy McGrady, Executive Vice President. Topic: Campaigns & Campaign Planning, Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Preparing for a Campaign.

Debunking 3 Myths: A Campaign’s Impact on Annual Giving   A campaign is a transformational time in any organization. It is exciting, energizing and yes sometimes challenging. Having worked with nonprofits in campaigns, I have heard and disproved many myths surrounding campaigns and how they negatively impact an organization. Today, I am debunking three of… Read more »

Building Fundraising Capacity – Recorded Presentation

Posted , by Victoria Dietz, Vice President. Topic: Campaigns & Campaign Planning, Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Major Donors, Preparing for a Campaign, Professional Development, Webinars and Videos.

In case you missed Victoria Dietz‘ engaging webinar on building fundraising capacity that she did in conjunction with Bloomerang earlier this month, we have a recorded version. Be it in major campaign mode, or focusing on your annual fund, how do you build your internal capacity to see better results? Victoria focused on practical, actionable… Read more »

A Day in the Life of a Campaign Coordinator

Posted , by Abbie Hacker, Campaign Coordinator. Topic: Campaigns & Campaign Planning, Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Preparing for a Campaign.

How Kari Vincent Keeps the United Way of South Hampton Roads Moving Forward By Abbie Hacker, Client Manager, The Curtis Group and Kari Vincent, Foundation and Major Gifts Manager, United Way of South Hampton Roads We are excited to introduce a brand new series written by you. It’s called “A Day in the Life of…,”… Read more »

Q&A: How to choose a consultant for your planning study

Posted , by Wendy McGrady, Executive Vice President, and Victoria Dietz, Vice President. Topic: Preparing for a Campaign.

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 »

UNDERDOG SUCCESS STORY: How a small, rural museum raised $3 million

Posted , by Wendy McGrady, Executive Vice President. Topic: Nonprofit Management, Preparing for a Campaign.

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 »

Moving into Campaign: When to Say Go!

Posted , by Victoria Dietz, Campaign Manager. Topic: Preparing for a Campaign.

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 »

Before the Campaign Planning Study There’s the Business Plan

Posted , by Wendy McGrady, Vice President. Topic: Nonprofit Management, Preparing for a Campaign.

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

Posted , by Wendy McGrady, Vice President. Topic: Preparing for 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?

Posted , by Keith Curtis. Topic: Nonprofit Management, Preparing for a Campaign.

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 »

DIY Planning Study Won’t Help Campaign

Posted , by Wesley Stanley. Topic: Preparing for a Campaign.

At the AFP International Conference earlier this week, Wendy and I spoke to a development director of a retirement community who is trying to raise $9 million for a new facility. Her board discussed doing a campaign planning study and then decided that instead of contracting with an outside firm, they would have their development… Read more »