The Three Key Ingredients
While most of the qualifications discussed in Part
I of this article can be developed during the early
phase of the campaign, there are three key ingredients
that should be in place before a decision is made
to go forward with the campaign.
Case for Support
There must be a clear, compelling case for support
which inspires and motivate donors. The case is
often referred to as being “bigger than the
organization.” The case talks about the people
who will be served by this building, the importance
of this project to the community, and the difference
the donor can make in the lives of people by supporting
this campaign. Once the preliminary case is tested
during the planning study, it should be reviewed
again in light of the input received by community
leaders. If it is found that the case is not strong
enough, it may not be the right time for the organization
to run a campaign, at least not for this project.
The case forms the basis form which all campaign
materials will be developed; therefore, it needs
to be written early on in the campaign. It will
be used to inspire volunteers and donors.
Board of Directors
Board commitment must be present before making a
decision to proceed with a campaign. The board should
pass a resolution approving the campaign once the
planning study report is received and discussed.
Board commitment means that the board is committed
to this campaign in every respect—emotionally,
mentally, spiritually and financially. At last five
or six Board members should be willing to serve
on the Campaign Cabinet. One hundred percent of
the Board must make their financial commitment before
any other gifts are solicited for the campaign.
It is will be crucial to show other funders that
the “family” of the organization has
made its commitment first, and at the highest level
possible for each Board member. This is the time
to ask Board members to stretch their giving to
a truly visionary level.
Volunteer Leadership
Good leadership can make or break a campaign. It
is essential to select a Campaign Chair or Chairs
that can inspire others to become involved and to
support this campaign. The selection of the Campaign
Chair may take several months in order to identify,
cultivate and recruit the right person(s). Prepare
a recruitment package that includes the case for
support, the campaign timeline, and position descriptions
for each member of the Campaign Cabinet along with
an organizational chart. Whenever possible, the
Campaign Chair should be someone who has been involved
with the organization. The Chair should always be
someone who believes in the organization's mission
and supports it wholeheartedly. The Campaign Chair
should also be someone who is known and respected
in the community and has the ability to both give
a leadership gift themselves, and solicit leadership
gifts from others. Once the Campaign Chair is in
place, others key positions should be filled on
the cabinet. These volunteers will, in turn, recruit
others to serve on the campaign as needed.
With effective volunteer leadership, full Board
commitment and a compelling case for support, most
campaigns will succeed.
