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Capital Campaigns

Why Campaigns Fail

by Pat McLaughlin
May 18, 2021

A capital campaign is a series of well-planned, well-orchestrated strategies all designed to reach a specific dollar goal within a specific timeframe. Campaigns move forward one conversation at a time.  The four phases of a campaign are:

1.  The pre-campaign survey/ feasibility study – This step involves asking tough questions and getting good answers.

2. The quiet/leadership phase – In this step you solicit board, staff, and key donors first.

3.  The public phase – Campaigns can engage 30-60 volunteers organized in seven to nine committees that solicit various segments of your constituency and community.

4.  The fulfillment phase – It’s important to do a great job of saying thanks for every gift.

Getting Off to the Right Start
No organization plans to fail; sometimes they just fail to plan. Take inventory of your crumpled campaign plan by asking yourself these questions:

•  Did we clearly communicate a well-crafted mission/vision statement to our board, staff, parents, and constituency?

•  Was our strategic plan current?

•  Did our capital project fit into our strategic ministry plan?

•  Did our board give generously to the organization? Did they help us raise money and find new friends?

•  Was our president/executive director an effective fundraiser or friend-raiser?

•  Did we prove that our organization used the gifts wisely?

•  Did we emphasize the eternal impact of our ministry and this proposed capital project?

Good analysis of what didn’t work will help you pivot for the next campaign.

Internal Challenges
Dave Auker, Executive Director of Covenant Harbor Bible Camp and Retreat in Wisconsin, explains “If a campaign fails, it is almost always an internal challenge.” Campaign failure is rarely tied to the economy or timing. The real issues are often poor planning, unclear project goals, miscommunication, or insufficient staff or volunteers to effectively implement the campaign strategy. Create positive momentum by secureing the lead gifts during your quiet/leadership phase, prior to announcing the campaign to your constituency.

External Challenges
George Coleman, Director of Operations at Lake Swan Camp in Florida, did everything right for success. They conducted a feasibility study, organized committees, and cultivated lead gifts. Then an external challenge torpedoed their campaign. Nearby homeowners opposed their expansion and filed a lawsuit. George shared, “We invested at least 500 staff hours and spent more than $100,000 defending our right to conduct a campaign and grow our ministry.”

Minimize Negative Impact
Your campaign will face internal and external challenges. How can you minimize their impact and reduce the risk of future obstacles?

•  Be careful not to print time-sensitive literature. Don’t raise expectations that you might not be able to meet.

•  Communicate with your donors. Keep them updated on your progress.

•  Do not accept verbal commitments. Secure all pledges in writing or they may evaporate.

•  Maintain a high level of integrity. If the donor wants their dollars to be used in a specific way or for a specific portion a of the project, use them that way. You must use dollars where designated, even if their desires are outside the scope of your campaign. If you can’t accommodate the donor’s intent, don’t accept the gift.

•  Be Transparent. If your campaign stalls, speak personally with your lead donors and develop a communications plan for your entire constituency. If you have lost momentum, your best path may be to shut down your campaign and retool for the next phase.

•  Thank every donor. If you choose to limit the scope of your campaign, thank your donors for what they helped you accomplish and communicate what your next phase will address.

Start Fresh
You did everything possible to keep your campaign strong, but it fizzled. Open communication is the key to rebuilding credibility with your constituency and community. Most of time there are legitimate reasons for failure. Admit it and clearly share your alternative plans. One option may be to restart the campaign with new leadership, fresh methods, and a renewed focus.

Another option is to retool the project. You may not be able to build everything you planned, so break it into phases. Most large campaigns raise money and build projects in phases.

If you need to retool, seek advice from your board, key donors, and stakeholders. If you are unable to implement the original plan, ask donors for their permission to reallocate their gifts to other projects. By accomplishing part of the project, you demonstrate integrity and your desire to continue moving forward.

A failed or delayed campaign is not the end of the world. It’s an opportunity to regroup, retool, and refocus. Don’t give up! Turn a failed effort into a positive experience for your next round of ministry advancement.

About the Author: Pat McLaughlin President/Founder – Pat started The Timothy Group in 1990 to serve Christian ministries as they raise money to advance their missions. TTG has assisted more 1,800 Christian organizations around the world with capital, annual, and endowment campaigns. More than 25,000 of Pat’s books, Major Donor Game Plan, The C Factor: The Common Cure for your Capital Campaign Conundrums, and Haggai & Friends have helped fundraisers understand the art and science of major donor engagement. Pat makes more than one hundred major donor visits annually and provides counsel to multiple capital campaigns.

Capital Campaigns

3. Measure Your Weakness

by Pat McLaughlin
May 14, 2021

We have seen many failed campaigns over the years that were launched without feasibility studies. A pre-campaign study is crucial for a successful comprehensive capital campaign to address annual, capital, and endowment funding needs. This vital research will help you avoid campaign conundrums by revealing your organization’s strengths and weaknesses. A study will discover factors supporting your success, and any challenges you should focus on before launching your campaign.

A pre-campaign study is like taking your car to your mechanic for an inspection before leaving on vacation. No one wants to breakdown in the middle of nowhere with your family. Sadly, some campaigns that launched with enthusiasm have stalled on the side of the road waiting for a tow. Unaddressed weaknesses are the little sounds coming from under the hood that could blow up your campaign. What you don’t know can and will hurt you. If you neglect to address these issues before you start the quiet phase—be afraid, be very afraid!

Your board needs answers to key questions. Does your constituency understand your campaign? Are the right team members in the right positions? Do you have the appropriate number of staff to manage a campaign? Can your donor software track a multi-faceted, multi-year campaign? Does your existing donor base have the capacity to fulfill your campaign without impacting your annual/operational campaign? Are there are any public relations/branding issues that could negatively impact your organization?

Let me share a real-life example of what a study can reveal. We just completed a pre-campaign study for a national organization with local and regional ministry centers. Study participants identified several weaknesses that might limit a successful campaign. Few in the community could identify the mission, vision, and core values of this seventy-five-year-old organization. Their board lacked influence and affluence. Volunteers were unwilling to invest their time, talent, and treasure, and the most telling data point—the organization had limited major-donor relationships.

We did not believe a campaign was the right next step for this organization and encouraged them to push pause. Instead of moving ahead, we recommended they take twelve months to strengthen their board, cultivate major donors, and increase their public awareness. As this organization tackled its weaknesses, their strengths began to emerge.

A pre-campaign study will test your assumptions about your case, capacity, and likelihood for success. Your data might flash a red light of caution and reveal some significate changes you must make before moving forward. Perhaps you’ll get a yellow light that will cause you to tap your brakes for a moment before launching a campaign. When your research gives you a green light, you can move forward with confidence. Turn your weakness into strengths and lay the foundation for a successful campaign!

About the Author: Pat McLaughlin President/Founder – Pat started The Timothy Group in 1990 to serve Christian ministries as they raise money to advance their missions. TTG has assisted more 1,800 Christian organizations around the world with capital, annual, and endowment campaigns. More than 25,000 of Pat’s books, Major Donor Game Plan, The C Factor: The Common Cure for your Capital Campaign Conundrums, and Haggai & Friends have helped fundraisers understand the art and science of major donor engagement. Pat makes more than one hundred major donor visits annually and provides counsel to multiple capital campaigns.

Capital Campaigns

2. Develop a Strong Case Statement

by Pat McLaughlin
May 3, 2021

From my perspective, the real benefit of a capital campaign case for support is that you can use it to test your assumptions. If the case for support for your capital campaign is clear, compelling, and visionary, your donors will buy into your case and support it financially. And when donors buy into your organizational mission and campaign case for support, they will invest their time, talent, and treasure to help you succeed. You will gain their trust, understanding, and belief in your campaign as well as two distinct commodities: human resources (time and talent) and dollar resources (over and above capital dollars).

“Case statement” is a legal term. If you were required to appear in a court of law and prove your case for existence, what would you be able to substantiate? Think about how you might build your case for support for your capital campaign. Here is a brief case statement outline.

• History – What are the significant milestones in the life of your organization? (Founding date, expansion dates, when new ministries were added, etc.)

• Purpose – Whom do you serve? What need called you into existence? How do you meet that need? What is your impact or your effectiveness?

• Need – What pressing needs does your organization have? What should your future include? What will this accomplish? What needs will be met? How does this need relate to your ministry goals? What period of time will be required to meet this need?

• Programs – What specific programs carry out your mission statement? What is the focus of each program? What are the long-range objectives of each program?

• Personnel – What experience does your staff have in providing this type of program? What will expanding your ministry mean to your staff?

• Equipment/Materials – What equipment, technology, and material challenges do you face for future programs?

• Facilities – Where will each program be carried out?

• Costs – What is the cost of the overall program? If you have more than one cost, specify each segment.

• Funding Plan – On what project or projects are you focusing? Where do you plan to get the funding?

Build the case, the human need that drives your organization, and share with your donors what it will take to fulfill the goals of your capital campaign. By communicating your need, you will test your overall “state of the case” for your entire organization. Align your case with the passion of your donors lay the groundwork for a conundrum-free campaign!

About the Author: Pat McLaughlin President/Founder – Pat started The Timothy Group in 1990 to serve Christian ministries as they raise money to advance their missions. TTG has assisted more 1,800 Christian organizations around the world with capital, annual, and endowment campaigns. More than 25,000 of Pat’s books, Major Donor Game Plan, The C Factor: The Common Cure for your Capital Campaign Conundrums, and Haggai & Friends have helped fundraisers understand the art and science of major donor engagement. Pat makes more than one hundred major donor visits annually and provides counsel to multiple capital campaigns.

Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Major Donors

Too Many Chickens

by Ron Haas
April 19, 2021
Every chicken farmer knows that you can only put so many chickens in a coop before you start losing productivity. The same principle applies to non-profit organizations. Cram too much ministry into too small of space and you’ll struggle to be effective. Are you running out of ministry space, meeting rooms, offices, parking, and storage? Maybe it’s time to consider a larger facility. But that can be an expensive project which will probably require you to launch a capital campaign to raise the money. It’s a daunting task. Where do you start? A successful capital campaign requires five key components: 1) a compelling case, 2) committed leaders, 3) willing volunteers, 4) a good plan, and 5) prepared donors. Let’s look at each of these in more detail. 1. A Compelling Case

Just because you want a new facility, doesn’t mean that your donor base does. You must make the case that your ministry plan makes sense. You must demonstrate a winning track record that proves more space will translate into more changed lives. Successful ministries attract dollars because donors want to support causes that advance the cause of Christ.

A campaign can include property, bricks and mortar, personnel, program initiatives, and endowment. Your campaign must solve urgent problems and answer pertinent questions. What outreach ministries won’t happen if you don’t move forward with your plans? What essential programs won’t be accomplished without this campaign? Why should a donor make a significant gift to your campaign? What eternal investments are at stake?

2. Committed Leaders

John Maxwell says, “Everything rises or falls on leadership.” This is especially true of fundraising. The number one fundraiser in any nonprofit organization must be the executive director. Major donors want to talk with the boss. They want to look the leader in the eyes and ask themselves, “Can I trust this person?” “Will he or she actually follow through and accomplish the mission?”

One of the biggest challenges for a ministry leader is carving out 70 to 80 percent of their time to focus on a capital campaign. Maybe you’re thinking, “I work 80 hours a week now, how in the world could I lead a major fundraising effort?” Before considering a campaign, you, your board members, and key staff need to have a serious discussion about how to delegate some of your tasks to others, so you can schedule enough time to visit donors. Think of it this way. If you can become successful at fundraising, you can hire staff to cover some of your other ministry responsibilities.

Successful capital campaigns also depend on committed board members who will lead by giving generously and encouraging others to give. Collectively, the board should give 10 to 15 percent of the campaign total. When David gathered resources to build the Temple, he gave first, then he asked the elders of Israel to give, and finally he challenged the entire congregation (1 Chronicles 29:1-5). Apply this same pattern to your capital campaign. As leaders, you and your board must lead the campaign with generous, sacrificial gifts. You must set the pace before you ask anyone on the outside to give.

3. Willing Volunteers

Staff will play important roles in a capital campaign, but the most successful campaigns have strong volunteer involvement. Volunteers can identify donors, cultivate donor relationships and even ask for gifts. Take a close look at your database and find key donors who know and love your ministry who might also invest their time and talents in a fundraising effort.

Ask God to lead you to people who could open doors to new donors. When major donors get excited about your project, they will encourage their friends to get involved as well. There is no stronger appeal than friends asking friends to join them in supporting a worthy cause. In one recent campaign, we asked the lead donor to identify others who might be interested in supporting the project. He said, “I’ve got five people in mind and I’m going to tell them, ‘I’m into this campaign in a big way and I want you to consider a significant gift as well.’” 

4. A Good Plan

If you break down the gift amounts in a typical campaign you will find that 80 percent of the funds come from 20 percent of the donors. But a misguided campaign strategy focuses on lots of events that target the 80 percent of the donors who will only give 20 percent of the money. Don’t forget, it’s not enough to be busy, you must be productive. You will need a well-designed fundraising plan to stay on target.

You will also need a clear plan for what you will accomplish with the money. Occasionally, campaigns get sideways because the board or executive director keeps adding projects to the case statement. It’s hard to hit a moving target. Your major gifts team will have difficulty communicating a concise, compelling “ask,” if the story keeps changing.

Scripture teaches us to “count the cost before building the tower.” Before you announce a capital campaign, you should conduct a feasibility study to determine if your donors understand your plan, if they like your plan, and if they would be willing to give. A feasibility study helps you determine an attainable campaign goal, identify lead donors, and test if the timing is right to move forward.

5. Donors

The key element that many campaigns lack is strong major donor relationships. The ministry may know a few key potential donors, but sometimes the big money is two or three relationships removed. A campaign provides a great opportunity to attract new donors who could get excited about your vision. Don’t wait for a campaign to build relationships with major donors. Start now by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors for your annual operating fund.

Large capital gifts usually come from individuals who have made annual donations to the ministry over a period of years. Giving is based on trust and long-term donors have developed a level of confidence in your ministry. It’s much easier to ask a person for $10,000, if you have asked them for $1,000 each year for the past 5 years. Many major donors make their first gift to an organization as a “test” gift. They will give you an amount, and see how you handle it. If you thank them, use it wisely, and actually accomplish what you said you would, then they will be more inclined to give a larger gift in the future.

If you are considering a capital campaign, take this self-assessment. Do you have a compelling case worthy of support? Are you and your board members committed to leading this fundraising effort, financially and with your time? Can you recruit key volunteers who will open doors to significant donors? Do you have the right strategies in place, or will you need to find a coach who can guide you to success? Have you been asking major donors to contribute to your annual fund to prepare them for a future capital campaign? If you have too many chickens, answer these questions and move into a campaign with intentionality. A successful campaign requires prayer, careful planning, and direction from the Holy Spirit because whether you’re trying to raise $500,000 or $5,000,000 – it ain’t chicken feed.
Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
Capital Campaigns, Strategic Planning

1. Develop a Strong Strategic Plan

by Pat McLaughlin
April 16, 2021

Organizations do not plan to fail; they just sometimes fail to plan. Strategic planning is a process every organization must do well to compete in the ministry marketplace. John Stott said, “Vision begins with a holy discontent with the way things are.” Strategic planning should clearly identify those areas of discontent. Your capital campaign should flow from your desire to solve these problems and create a new preferred future for your ministry and those you serve.

Strategic planning is a military term. It has to do with battle plans. With 1,500,000 not-for-profit agencies seeking their position in the marketplace, strategic planning will help you position your organization to clearly share your story and plan a great capital campaign. It will allow you to identify your uniqueness and your “sweet spot.” It will help you keep your message clear, concise, and visionary. Begin planning with mission, vision, core values, and desired key results. Here is an outline to create or tweak your ministry’s strategic planning process.

An honest SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis should be a major part of your strategic and campaign planning process. What are your organizational strengths? What are those core competencies that define your organization?

Next identify your organizational weaknesses. What could you and should you be doing better? For every organizational strength you identify, there is often an organizational weakness on the other side of the coin. Your greatest strength may also be your greatest weakness.

Continue the SWOT analysis by clearly identifying your organizational opportunities. What’s on your ministry horizon that you should be doing? Here are excellent questions for you to ponder as you begin to think and plan strategically to get ready for a capital campaign:

•  If we went out of business tomorrow, would we really be missed?

•  What segment of society would not be served or impacted or would be underserved if we ceased to exist?

•  Do we really need to act upon the opportunity now and is it a part of our strategic ministry plan?

Ask yourselves what could become a threat to these very great “organizational opportunities.” A financial threat? A staffing threat? A leadership threat? A donor threat? What can potentially derail, delay, or prevent your moving forward with funding your strategic plan with a successful capital campaign? You can minimize your threats if you carefully and prayerfully plan your work, then work your plan.

Here are some additional questions that could emerge in the strategic planning process.

1.  What is needed and feasible in our service area?

2.  What are we capable of doing well (core competencies)?

3.  How will we do what we intend to do better?

4.  Are our mission and vision clear to all our audiences?

5.  What will we be doing five years from now?

6.  What might we not be doing five years from now?

7.  Do we want to grow? If so, how large, and why?

8.  How will we accommodate our plans for growth?

9.  If God answered one prayer about our organization’s future, what would that one prayer and its answer be?

These questions are by no means exhaustive, but they will help you establish benchmarks for planning your capital campaign. The quality of your strategic planning will impact the success of your campaign, so get busy planning!

About the Author: Pat McLaughlin President/Founder – Pat started The Timothy Group in 1990 to serve Christian ministries as they raise money to advance their missions. TTG has assisted more 1,800 Christian organizations around the world with capital, annual, and endowment campaigns. More than 25,000 of Pat’s books, Major Donor Game Plan, The C Factor: The Common Cure for your Capital Campaign Conundrums, and Haggai & Friends have helped fundraisers understand the art and science of major donor engagement. Pat makes more than one hundred major donor visits annually and provides counsel to multiple capital campaigns.

Capital Campaigns, Client Impact, Major Donors

Small Town… Big God!

by The Timothy Group
November 4, 2020

Paul the Apostle set up shop in the city of Ephesus; for three years he taught, trained, discipled, and mentored a young understudy named Timothy. They became close friends and Paul even penned two intimate books to his young Pastor friend canonized in the Holy Writ (1 & 2 Timothy). The Timothy Group has been teaching, training, discipling, and mentoring our clients around the world for more than 30 years. It’s not rocket science, it’s all about relationships. If you can clearly identify your story, mission, vision, core values, and your need, you too, can be successful.

We have been privileged to mentor a college president in the booming metropolis of Haviland, Kansas, population 683; only 2,516 individuals live in the entire county. Dr. Royce Frazier has been President of Barclay College for 10 years. He has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, not fundraising, yet Dr. Frazier and his team have completed two campaigns in the past three years. In 2018, Barclay dedicated their new fine arts center, a beautiful $8.5 million facility. And in this pandemic year, Royce led a campaign to raise $800,000 to launch their new Nursing Program.

As they were nearing their latest goal, Dr. Frazier and their director of nursing approached the county hospital foundation with a request for $40,000 a year for three years. Three times during his presentation, Royce mentioned $400,000 a year for three years. WOWIZER, the directors sat there in shock. One of them finally asked, “Let me get this straight, are you asking us for $400,000 annually for three years for a total of $1,200,000?” Royce was just as shocked as the board. Finally, he realized his misstatement and adjusted his request to $120,000. The next day the foundation notified him that they had granted his request. Maybe he was implementing some sort of crazy reverse psychology, but in any case, the Barclay College Nursing Program is now oversubscribed at $920,000. God is Good!

Barclay College is planning a $6.5 million campaign for 2021 for a new wellness center/gymnasium. Two weeks ago, a donor mentioned he might want to put their name on the new building and asked how large of a gift it would require. Without skipping a beat, Royce said, “About half!” This mild-mannered family counselor went from fear to faith and asked a donor for a $3 million lead gift.

We have been in the field with Dr Frazier; we’ve taught, trained, discipled, and mentored him. We helped him fine tune his asking skills and he has taken it to a whole new level. Let’s be honest, many times you have not… because you have asked not. We teach our clients to utilize “Holy Boldness,” not a spirt of FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). If we can help you become a great storyteller and an asker, give us a shout. Very likely you already have the relationships, they just need to hear your story, review your plan, and be encouraged to give!

Author: Pat McLaughlin, President/Founder

Capital Campaigns, Donor Relations, Major Donors

Fundraising Tips from John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

by The Timothy Group
September 24, 2020

Today, when you hear the word, “philanthropy,” you think of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, or Chuck Feeney. Perhaps one of the most generous philanthropists in the past century was John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1874-1960), the only son and principal heir of John Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil. Historians estimate that during Junior’s lifetime he gave away $537 million dollars, which adjusted for inflation, is more than $10 billion.

Junior had many giving interests including conservation, preserving historical landmarks, collecting fine art, promoting world peace, and supporting religious causes. Countless charities turned to him for support. Not only would he give, he would also invite his friends to give, and train organizations in the finer points of asking. In 1933, he delivered this speech, “The Technique of Soliciting,” to campaign volunteers who were raising funds for the Citizens Family Welfare Committee. Listen to his counsel and apply his suggestions to your fundraising efforts.

“I have been asked to say a few words on the technique of soliciting donations.

Perhaps the best way to acquire a knowledge of that subject is to ask ourselves the question, ‘How would I like to be approached for a gift?’ The answer if carefully thought out, may be relied upon as a pretty safe guide to the task of soliciting. I have been brought up to believe, and the conviction only grows on me, that giving ought to be entered into in just the same careful way as investing — that giving is investing, and that it should be tested by the same intelligent standards. Whether we expect dividends in dollars or in human betterment, we need to be sure that the gift or the investment is a wise one and therefore we should know all about it. By the same token, if we are going to other people to interest them in giving to a particular enterprise we must be able to give them adequate information in regard to it, such information as we would want were we considering a gift.

First of all, then, a solicitor must be well informed in regard to the salient facts about the enterprise for which he is soliciting. Just what is its significance, its importance? How sound is the organization back of it, how well organized? How great is the need? An accurate knowledge of these and similar facts is necessary in order that the solicitor may be able to speak with conviction.

It is a great help to know something about the person whom you are approaching. You cannot deal successfully with all people the same way. Therefore, it is desirable to find out something about the person you are going to — what his interests are, whether you have any friends in common, whether he gave last year, if so, how much he gave, what he might be able to give this year, etc. Information such as that puts you more closely in touch with him and makes the approach easier.

Again, one always likes to know what other people are giving. That may be an irrelevant question, but it is a human question. If I am asked for a contribution, naturally and properly I am influenced in deciding how much I should give by what others are doing.

Another suggestion I like to have made to me by a solicitor is how much it is hoped I will give. Of course, such a suggestion can be made in a way that might be most annoying. I do not like to have anyone tell me what it is my duty to give. There is just one man who is going to decide that question — who has the responsibility of deciding it — and that is myself. But I do like a man to say to me, ‘We are trying to raise $4,000,000 and are hoping you may be desirous of giving $_____.  If you see your way clear to do so, it will be an enormous help and encouragement. You may have it in mind to give more; if so, we shall be glad. On the other hand, you may feel you cannot give as much, in view of other responsibilities. If that is the case, we shall understand.

Whatever you give after thinking the matter over carefully in the light of the need, your other obligations, and your desire to do your full share as a citizen, will be gratefully received and deeply appreciated.’ When you talk like that to a man, he is glad to meet you again, and will not take the other elevator when he sees you in the corridor because you backed him to the wall and forced him to give.

Of supreme importance is to make a pleasant, friendly contact with the prospective giver. Some people have a less keen sense of their duty and responsibility than others. With them, a little urging may be helpful. But with most people a convincing presentation of the facts and the need is far more effective. When a solicitor comes to you and lays on your heart the responsibility that rests so heavily on his; when his earnestness gives convincing evidence of how seriously interested he is; when he makes it clear that he knows you are no less anxious to do your duty in the manner than he is, that you are just as conscientious, that he feels sure all you need is to realize the importance of the enterprise and the urgency of the need in order to lead you to do your full share in meeting it — he has made you his friend and has brought you to think of giving as a  privilege.

Never think you need to apologize for asking someone to give to a worthy object, any more than as though you were giving him an opportunity to participate in a high- grade investment. The duty of giving is as much his as is the duty of asking yours. Whether or not he should give to that particular enterprise, and if so, how much, it is for him alone to decide.

To recapitulate, then, briefly: know your subject; be so sold on it yourself that you can convincingly present its claims in the fewest possible words. A letter may well precede an interview, but personal contact is the most effective. Know as much as you can about the man to whom you go; give him a general idea to the contributions being made by others in his group, and suggest in a gracious and tactful way what you would be glad to have him give, leaving it entirely to him to decide what he shall give.

Be kindly and considerate. Thus, will you get closest to a man’s heart and his pocketbook.”

Resource: “The Technique of Soliciting” by John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874-1960), a speech he delivered to the Citizens Family Welfare Committee in New York City in 1933.

 

Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Strategic Planning

Empty Optimism or Pie In The Sky Fundraising?

by The Timothy Group
July 15, 2020

Do you practice empty optimism or pie in the sky fundraising? Donor conversations, feasibility studies, and casting vision all work together to show how you CAN DO something bigger than you thought. Check out Ron’s video “How Pre-Campaign Studies Help You Set Fundraising Goals” in our Timothy Trains Video Series.

Learn more about Ron and his published books.

The Timothy Group Video Learning Series & Live Forums
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