5 Things NOT To Do In A Capital Campaign
No matter how long you’ve been in the fundraising business, you can always be surprised at a new approach to a capital campaign. There’s nothing wrong with creativity and innovation.
However, there are common elements of every successful campaign.
At the same time, in almost every failed campaign, one or more of the following five “don’ts” can be found.
1. Don’t believe the volunteers will do all the work.
As Americans, we have a rich tradition of volunteerism and certainly many worthy ventures have succeeded because of volunteer efforts. But the demands of today’s volunteer are unlike those of 30 years ago. Today, multiple homes, businesses and jobs can keep volunteers from being able to set their own appointments and write their own letters.
Your campaign will very likely require additional staff, particularly administrative. Also consider that even if volunteers have the time, studies are showing that the organization’s leadership and fundraising staff are having increasingly more influence in securing gifts.
