All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit

Preparing to hire a high-level fundraiser or campaign manager for your capital campaign? The person you actually need may have a very different job description. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt challenge a common assumption about capital campaign staffing and explain how nonprofits can expand their capacity without necessarily adding another senior development professional. The conversation begins with the story of Jersey Community Hospital, a small organization serving a community of approximately 25,000 people. When the organization first approached Capital Campaign Pro, it was considering a $2 million campaign. It ultimately raised more than $5 million while adding just one part-time staff member. That does not mean nonprofits should attempt a campaign without sufficient staff. Instead, Amy and Andrea argue that organizations should think carefully about which responsibilities require senior-level expertise and which can be handled by a capable administrative or development support professional. Capital campaigns require two distinct kinds of help. The first is campaign-specific expertise: strategy, planning, guidance, training, and support from someone who has worked through many campaigns. The second is execution on the ground, including scheduling donor meetings, entering data, preparing reports, managing follow-up, sending acknowledgments, and keeping countless campaign details organized. Many organizations assume they should hire a campaign manager or major gift officer to take over the most important donor relationships. But those relationships usually belong to people who are already part of the organization. The executive director, development director, board chair, founder, and other organizational leaders know the donors, understand the community, and have the credibility required to secure the campaign’s largest gifts. That matters because capital campaign fundraising is highly concentrated. Successful campaigns are often made or broken by approximately 20 leadership gifts. Securing those gifts is not a broad-based fundraising exercise. Each prospective donor requires an individual strategy involving identification, cultivation, engagement, solicitation, and follow-up. The right administrative support can free an organization’s existing leaders to spend more time with those donors. Other responsibilities, such as grant writing, event planning, or elements of the annual fund, may also be delegated, streamlined, or outsourced during the campaign. Amy and Andrea also address the anxiety many executive directors and development professionals feel about personally leading major gift conversations. Most nonprofit leaders have never raised money at the level their campaign will require. That is where an experienced capital campaign consultant can provide strategy, training, coaching, and the perspective gained from working through many different campaign situations. Listen to learn how to evaluate your existing team, identify the gaps that could interfere with campaign execution, and hire strategically so that your most experienced leaders can concentrate on the donor work that will determine whether your campaign succeeds. Need help determining whether your nonprofit is prepared to staff and launch a capital campaign? Schedule a free introductory call: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/start/ Find more episodes of All About Capital Campaigns: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/category/podcast/ Subscribe to @CapitalCampaignPro for practical capital campaign guidance, fundraising strategies, and major gift advice. #Fundraising #Nonprofit #MajorGifts #CapitalCampaign

A board filled with wealthy, well-connected fundraisers may sound ideal, but it is not a requirement for a successful capital campaign. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt address a concern shared by many nonprofit leaders: Can an organization conduct a capital campaign when its board members care deeply about the mission but do not have access to wealthy networks and do not see themselves as fundraisers? The short answer is yes. Amy and Andrea explain why most nonprofit boards are not assembled primarily for their fundraising connections. Board members may be chosen for their professional knowledge, community perspective, lived experience, or connection to the people the organization serves. Expecting every member of a 12-, 15-, or 20-person board to bring substantial wealth and an extensive donor network is usually unrealistic. That does not leave the board without meaningful campaign responsibilities. Amy and Andrea distinguish between the role of the board as a governing body and the responsibilities of individual board members. Collectively, the board establishes the organization’s vision, approves its campaign plans, safeguards its financial health, and makes sure the campaign has an adequate budget, qualified staff, and outside expertise when needed. Individual board members have a different role. Each member should understand why the campaign matters, support its goals, make a personally meaningful campaign gift above their regular annual giving, and speak positively about the campaign in the community. The amount will differ from one person to another. What matters is that every board member makes a thoughtful commitment they are proud of. Amy and Andrea also caution against treating a capital campaign as a solution to serious financial instability. An organization operating at a deficit or struggling to maintain its annual fundraising may need to strengthen its financial foundation and donor relationships before launching a campaign. Capital campaigns require investments in staff, planning, training, and fundraising expertise. So who leads the fundraising when board members cannot open doors to the largest prospective donors? In many campaigns, that work is carried out through a broader volunteer structure that extends well beyond the board. Campaign chairs, steering committees, core leadership groups, donors, community leaders, and short-term volunteers can all help introduce prospects, offer advice, solicit gifts, and move the campaign forward. A major campaign can become an opportunity to engage people who care about the organization but do not want to serve on its board. Some of the organization’s most generous donors and influential supporters may prefer a focused campaign assignment, an advisory role, or a place on a campaign committee. Their participation can help the organization build philanthropic relationships that remain strong long after the campaign ends. Most important, organizations should not assume that all their largest gifts will come from strangers who are waiting somewhere outside their existing community. Campaign planning begins with the donors, families, volunteers, and supporters who are already involved and invested in the mission. Learn more about A Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/books/board-members-guide-book/

What happens when a small rural hospital foundation that typically raises $200,000 to $300,000 per year is asked to launch a $2 million capital campaign and ultimately raises more than $5 million? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Andrea Kihlstedt speaks with Charity Roth, Executive Director of the Jersey Community Hospital Foundation, about the remarkable campaign that transformed her organization’s fundraising capacity and brought an entire Illinois community together. When hospital leaders first asked Charity to raise $2 million toward a $20 million expansion project, the goal felt enormous. The foundation’s fundraising had centered primarily on its resale shop, special events, and smaller projects. Charity was the foundation’s only full-time employee, and she had never led a capital campaign. Yet the foundation went on to raise $5.27 million, more than twice its original campaign goal. Charity explains how a guided feasibility study changed the direction of the campaign. Through candid conversations with donors and community members, the foundation discovered that local support was far stronger than it had anticipated. The study did more than test the campaign goal. It gave Charity an opportunity to understand why residents valued their local hospital, what they wanted for its future, and how they hoped to participate. Those conversations gave the foundation the confidence to increase its goal from $2 million to $5 million. The campaign received an early boost from a $1 million lead gift made by the family of a beloved longtime physician. Near the end of the campaign, the same family stepped forward again with another gift and a matching challenge that helped carry the campaign across the finish line. Charity and Andrea also discuss how donor recognition can reflect the character of a community. One of the campaign’s most memorable gifts came from 19 members of a local farming family who pooled their contributions to secure a naming opportunity. Their gift showed that meaningful recognition does not have to be reserved for a community’s wealthiest residents. It can celebrate families, shared history, and collective generosity. This campaign was not without complications. The hospital experienced a CEO transition, the campaign temporarily lost momentum, and Charity initially approached the work as an “army of one.” She shares how part-time staff support, two committed volunteer co-chairs, board participation, and community business leaders helped make the larger campaign possible. For nonprofit leaders considering a capital campaign, Charity offers a simple but compelling lesson: dream beyond what your organization has raised in the past. A successful capital campaign is grounded in relationships, a willingness to listen, strong volunteer leadership, and honest conversations about what donors care about. Andrea closes with one of the episode’s most useful fundraising principles: find out what your donors want to accomplish, then encourage them to do it. When fundraisers understand a donor’s connection to the mission, they can invite that donor to give from a place of meaning rather than obligation. To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist . This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!

How much should your board give to a capital campaign? The answer is not a universal percentage, but there is a practical way to arrive at a goal your board understands and supports. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explain how nonprofit leaders can establish a realistic collective board giving goal, prepare board members for the conversation, and build early financial commitment from the people closest to the organization. Capital campaigns are built from the top down and the inside out. That makes the board of directors one of the first groups an organization should engage and solicit. Amy and Andrea explain why there is no standard answer. A board made up largely of people with significant giving capacity may account for a substantial portion of the campaign goal. A board that reflects the community an organization serves may contribute a smaller percentage while still demonstrating meaningful commitment. The right target depends on the composition, capacity, and culture of the board. Every board member should make a gift that is meaningful and significant for them, but those gifts will not be equal. A few may make very large commitments, several may give in the middle, and others may make gifts that represent a real stretch. Andrea introduces a helpful way to picture this distribution. While a campaign gift chart typically resembles a pyramid, board gifts often form a diamond: a few large gifts at the top, a few smaller gifts at the bottom, and most commitments clustered in the middle. By estimating a reasonable high and low range for each board member, a small group can calculate a defensible range for the board’s collective goal before bringing the question to the full board. Amy and Andrea also recommend speaking privately with influential board members and informally confirming likely leadership gifts before the full discussion. This gives the board evidence that the proposed goal is achievable and helps prevent one vocal skeptic from derailing the process. You will also learn a confidential index-card exercise that invites every board member to estimate their giving range without making a pledge. The cards are totaled and compared with the committee’s advance estimate. This turns an abstract number into something tangible and creates room to discuss pledges, gifts from assets, and stretching over time. These conversations can feel uncomfortable. Thoughtful preparation, confidentiality, and experienced guidance can make the process productive. The episode closes with a firm warning: entering a capital campaign with financial commitments from only a small fraction of the board is a serious problem. Full board participation, at personally meaningful levels, signals belief in the project and strengthens the case presented to other major donors. For more board engagement tips, be sure to download our free Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising - https://capitalcampaignpro.com/board-members-guide . It answers the questions board members most frequently ask, or wish they could ask.

A capital campaign may be the largest fundraising effort your nonprofit ever undertakes, but is hiring a campaign consultant really worth the investment? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explain why experienced capital campaign counsel can make such a significant difference when the goals are high, donor relationships are at stake, and your staff and board are entering unfamiliar territory. Most nonprofits conduct a capital campaign only once every 15 or 20 years. Even seasoned development professionals may have participated in only one campaign or handled a small piece of the process. Campaign consultants develop a different level of expertise by guiding organization after organization through feasibility studies, campaign planning, quiet phases, major gift solicitations, public launches, and the inevitable challenges that arise along the way. Amy and Andrea discuss the difference between a consultant and an additional staff member. A consultant should not be hired simply to take campaign tasks off your team’s plate. Staff members and volunteers still bring the relationships, institutional knowledge, and day-to-day implementation a campaign requires. A strong consultant supplies the strategy, structure, training, sequencing, accountability, and judgment that keep everyone moving in the right direction. You’ll also hear why an outside consultant can often address sensitive issues and work across organizational levels more effectively than someone on staff. Consultants can speak with board members, executives, development professionals, campaign volunteers, and support staff without becoming caught in internal politics. Their experience also helps them recognize problems quickly, recommend the right next step, and prevent organizations from losing months or years to avoidable mistakes. The conversation also takes on a timely question: Can AI take the place of a capital campaign consultant? Amy and Andrea are enthusiastic users of AI, but they explain why a generated campaign plan cannot replace the judgment, relationships, accountability, and in-the-room guidance of an experienced advisor. AI may help your team generate ideas or complete tasks. It cannot read a campaign committee meeting, recognize when a donor strategy is going off course, or draw on firsthand experience from dozens of campaigns. Finally, Amy and Andrea share questions every nonprofit should ask before selecting a campaign consultant. How many campaigns has the person led from beginning to end? Were those campaigns successful? Can the consultant provide references from organizations they guided through the full process? Your capital campaign is too consequential to become someone else’s training ground. This episode will help nonprofit executives, development directors, board members, and campaign leaders decide whether they need outside counsel, understand what a consultant should contribute, and identify the experience that matters most. To see how many nonprofits hire a consultant to help with their capital campaign, as well as many other benchmarks with which you can compare your organization to, be sure to download our annual Capital Campaign Benchmark Report .

What can a nonprofit with just 650 active donors—and a median gift of only $100—teach us about raising millions through a capital campaign? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Andrea Kihlstedt speaks with Sister Marilyn Lacey, founder and executive director of Mercy Beyond Borders, about how her small international nonprofit raised more than 75% of its $8.5 million campaign goal in less than 11 months. Mercy Beyond Borders works in some of the world’s most challenging environments, including South Sudan, Haiti, Malawi, and refugee camps in Uganda and Kenya. Its mission is to help women and girls living in extreme poverty learn, connect, and lead. After 18 years of demonstrating that its model works, the organization launched an ambitious growth campaign to reach more girls and expand the long-term impact of its programs. The campaign began with an unexpected $1.5 million anonymous gift, followed by a remarkable $3 million pledge from a donor whose first contribution—made roughly 20 years earlier—was just $125. Sister Marilyn explains how that relationship developed gradually through conversations, storytelling, coffee, ball games, and genuine friendship. Her experience is a powerful reminder that today’s modest donor may become tomorrow’s transformational campaign supporter. But this episode is not simply a story about securing large gifts. It is a practical and inspiring conversation about donor relationships, capital campaign planning, feasibility studies, storytelling, and the mindset nonprofit leaders bring to fundraising. Sister Marilyn shares why she prefers to frame fundraising asks as invitations rather than requests for money. Instead of emphasizing organizational need or approaching supporters from a place of anxiety, she invites donors to participate in work that is hopeful, effective, and transformational. Her guiding advice is refreshingly simple: exude joy and confidence. As she puts it, no one wants to join a sinking ship. You’ll also hear how Mercy Beyond Borders uses a monthly email newsletter to deepen donor engagement without constantly asking for gifts. Each edition centers the story of one woman or girl and shows supporters what their generosity is accomplishing. Combined with personalized thank-you letters and thoughtful individual touches, this consistent stewardship has helped the organization achieve an impressive 59% donor-retention rate. Sister Marilyn also discusses the value of bringing structure to an ambitious campaign. Although she was confident in her ability to connect with donors, Capital Campaign Pro’s feasibility study process, campaign framework, templates, and weekly advising sessions helped Mercy Beyond Borders test its plans, engage prospective donors, and move forward with greater confidence. This episode offers valuable capital campaign guidance for small nonprofits, international organizations, founders, executive directors, development professionals, and anyone wondering whether their donor base is large or wealthy enough to support a major fundraising initiative. Mercy Beyond Borders proves that a relatively small organization can pursue a bold campaign goal when it has a compelling mission, loyal supporters, authentic leadership, strong donor stewardship, and the courage to invite people into something meaningful. To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist - https://capitalcampaignpro.com/checklist/ - This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!

Capital campaign terminology can be surprisingly confusing—and choosing the wrong campaign structure could make it harder for your board, donors, and staff to understand exactly what you are raising money for. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt untangle the differences among capital campaigns, capacity campaigns, combined campaigns, comprehensive campaigns, building campaigns, and endowment campaigns. They explain what these commonly used fundraising terms actually mean—and why the distinction matters when your nonprofit begins planning a transformational fundraising initiative. At its broadest, “capital campaign” is an umbrella term describing a specific kind of fundraising: a concentrated, top-heavy effort in which a significant portion of the campaign goal is raised through leadership gifts from a relatively small group of donors. Although capital campaigns are often associated with new buildings or major renovations, a campaign can fund much more than construction. It may also include new equipment, program expansion, additional staff, endowment funding, maintenance reserves, and other investments that increase an organization’s long-term capacity. Amy and Andrea explain how these components can be combined into a single campaign goal—and why “capacity campaign” may sometimes be the most accurate description, even if it is not the term most organizations use. The conversation then turns to one of the most important decisions nonprofit leaders must make: Should annual fundraising be counted as part of the campaign goal? Universities and other large institutions often conduct comprehensive campaigns that count nearly every dollar raised during a defined period. A multiyear university campaign might include annual giving, facilities, scholarships, faculty positions, programs, and endowment contributions in one enormous fundraising goal. For most community-based nonprofits, however, that approach may create more confusion than clarity. A food pantry, theater, human services organization, or environmental nonprofit typically has an ongoing annual fund that supports day-to-day operations. At the same time, it may be raising special campaign gifts for a major expansion or another one-time investment. Keeping those goals separate helps donors understand that the organization needs both their continued annual support and an additional, above-and-beyond campaign commitment. Amy offers a useful household analogy: If your home needs a new roof, you cannot stop buying groceries or paying the electric bill to fund it. The roof is a special capital expense, while groceries and utilities remain essential ongoing costs. Your nonprofit’s annual fund and campaign goal work much the same way. The hosts also address a common fear: Will a capital campaign cannibalize annual giving? Their experience suggests the opposite. During a well-run campaign, nonprofits communicate more frequently, strengthen donor relationships, generate excitement, and become more visible in their communities. As a result, annual giving can increase—even while many of the same donors make substantially larger campaign commitments. The essential distinction is not whether you discuss annual and campaign giving with the same donors. You can, should, and often must ask for both. The question is whether annual fundraising is included in the official campaign goal or tracked separately. This episode will help nonprofit executives, development directors, board members, and campaign leaders establish a shared vocabulary, select the right campaign structure, and communicate their funding needs clearly and confidently. For more free capital campaign resources, visit https://capitalcampaignpro.com/campaign-resources .

A capital campaign is too large, too complex, and too consequential for one staff member to carry alone. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explain why engaging more people in your campaign can lead to larger gifts, stronger decisions, and a far less lonely experience for the person responsible for fundraising. For many development directors, involving volunteers can feel like creating more work. Volunteers may miss meetings, arrive unprepared, dominate conversations, or fail to follow through. Faced with these possibilities, nonprofit leaders may decide it would be faster and easier to manage the campaign themselves. Amy and Andrea make the case that this instinct can limit a campaign’s success. Drawing on decades of capital campaign experience, Andrea shares that volunteers frequently account for 60% to 70% of the people who ultimately give to a campaign. When people participate in shaping a campaign, they become more connected to its purpose. That engagement often makes them more likely to contribute and more willing to make a significant gift. The solution is not to recruit one large campaign committee and ask every member to serve for several years. Instead, Amy and Andrea recommend creating a series of short-term, phase-specific committees, task forces, or working groups. One group might help develop the case for support during pre-campaign planning. Another might participate in the feasibility study. Later groups can assist with campaign planning, leadership gifts, the public kickoff, or a campaign celebration. Each assignment has a defined purpose and a limited duration. This structure makes it easier for busy people to say yes. A prospective volunteer may hesitate to accept a three-year commitment but gladly agree to attend three meetings or work on one defined project over two months. It also gives campaign leaders a natural way to identify their most effective volunteers. People who contribute useful ideas, complete assignments, and work well with others can be invited into future phases. Those who are unreliable or disruptive can be thanked and released when the short-term group concludes. Volunteer engagement offers another benefit that goes beyond fundraising. Staff members, no matter how experienced, see the organization and its campaign from a limited perspective. Volunteers can challenge assumptions, sharpen the case for support, share lessons from other campaigns, and contribute expertise the staff may not possess. For example, a volunteer with real estate experience may help an organization evaluate property or identify potential sites. Someone who has served on another campaign committee can explain how they approached donor conversations. A longtime community leader may know how different audiences will respond to the proposed project. These perspectives can produce a stronger campaign plan and a more compelling case. The central lesson is simple: campaign volunteers are not merely extra hands. They can become donors, advocates, problem-solvers, connectors, and future campaign leaders. With clear assignments and thoughtful committee structures, involving more people does not have to create chaos. It can distribute responsibility, strengthen the campaign, and help your organization raise more money. For more free capital campaign resources, visit https://capitalcampaignpro.com/campaign-resources .

What if asking for a major gift didn't feel uncomfortable at all? The best fundraising conversations aren't about persuading donors—they're about helping them discover how they want to make a difference. In this Best of All About Capital Campaigns summer re-run, Andrea Kihlstedt is joined by Capital Campaign Pro Senior Advisor Kent Stroman, author of Asking About Asking: Mastering the Art of Conversational Fundraising . Together, they explore a refreshingly different philosophy of major gift fundraising—one built on listening, curiosity, and authentic relationships rather than pressure or persuasion. Many nonprofit leaders dread solicitation meetings because they assume fundraising means convincing someone to give. Kent challenges that assumption by introducing the concept of conversational fundraising, where success isn't measured by simply securing a gift, but by helping donors make thoughtful, well-informed decisions that align with their passions and values. Throughout the conversation, Andrea and Kent explain why traditional fundraising techniques often create unnecessary resistance and how changing your approach can transform both the donor experience and your own confidence as a fundraiser. You'll learn why asking thoughtful questions is far more powerful than delivering polished presentations, why listening is the fundraiser's most valuable skill, and how genuine curiosity can uncover a donor's deepest motivations for giving. They also compare Kent's "10-Step Staircase" framework with Andrea's "Arc of the Ask," highlighting the shared principles behind both models: preparation, patience, intentional listening, and allowing donors to become active participants in the conversation. Along the way, they discuss why fundraisers should stop trying to overcome objections, how to ask questions that reveal a donor's purpose, and why rushing the solicitation process often undermines long-term relationships. Whether you're preparing for your first major gift conversation or looking to refine your solicitation skills before your next capital campaign, this episode offers practical techniques that can immediately improve the quality of your donor conversations. Perhaps most importantly, Andrea and Kent remind us that fundraising isn't about convincing people to give. It's about discovering what matters most to them—and helping them invest in something they genuinely care about. For more free capital campaign resources, visit https://capitalcampaignpro.com/campaign-resources .

Every successful capital campaign depends on more than compelling fundraising asks. It depends on delivering the right message to the right people at the right time, and knowing when not to communicate publicly. In this Best Of summer episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt revisit one of our most practical conversations about capital campaign communications. Rather than thinking of communications as simply creating a case for support, they explain how successful campaigns require a thoughtful communications strategy from the earliest planning conversations through the final public celebration. Many nonprofit organizations spend months developing campaign goals, gift charts, and solicitation strategies, but far less time planning how they'll communicate throughout the campaign. That's a missed opportunity. Every phase of a capital campaign requires different audiences, different messages, and different communication tools. Amy and Andrea walk through the three major phases of campaign communications: Pre-campaign planning: Learn how to communicate with board members, executive leadership, campaign volunteers, and key donors while your plans are still taking shape. Discover why draft documents, confidential meetings, and carefully tailored conversations are far more effective than polished marketing materials at this stage. The quiet phase: As you begin securing leadership gifts, your communications become more polished while remaining highly targeted. You'll hear what materials major donors actually need, why campaign leadership matters, and how thoughtful reporting builds confidence among board members and volunteers. The public phase: Once you've built momentum, it's time to broaden your message. Amy and Andrea discuss campaign websites, videos, social media, press outreach, kickoff events, campaign thermometers, donor recognition, and the importance of creating excitement without launching public communications too early. Along the way, they explain why campaign communication is really about three simple questions: Who is your audience? What message do they need? What is the best medium for delivering that message? You'll also hear why regular campaign updates are essential for maintaining confidence, how to weave campaign messaging into your organization's existing newsletters and donor communications, and why strategic communication planning should begin long before your first solicitation. Whether you're preparing for a feasibility study, conducting major gift conversations during the quiet phase, or planning a public campaign launch, this episode provides a practical framework you can apply throughout your campaign. If you're looking for a more organized approach to campaign messaging, donor communications, board updates, and public engagement, this conversation offers a roadmap that will help your campaign build momentum from beginning to end.

In this episode, hosts Andrea Kihlstedt and Amy Eisenstein dive deep into the world of soliciting major gifts, particularly focusing on the top 10 to 20 donors. Discover the strategic complexity behind soliciting these substantial gifts and why they can make or break your campaign's success. The hosts emphasize the importance of meticulous planning and thorough research in the solicitation process. You'll gain insights into crafting a compelling plan, understanding your donor's motivations, and assembling the right cultivation team. Learn how to initiate exploratory conversations that lead to mutual understanding and trust-building with your potential donors. The hosts share real-life examples of how organizations navigated the solicitation process, including challenges and solutions they encountered along the way. You'll hear about the power of patience, negotiation, and adaptability in building relationships that result in successful major gifts. If you're ready to elevate your major gift solicitation game and secure significant contributions for your campaign, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in now and unlock the secrets to effectively soliciting top donors for your nonprofit's success.

Board members play a critical role in every successful capital campaign—but too often, they're expected to lead without ever being taught how campaigns actually work. What if there were a practical guide written specifically for them? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Andrea Kihlstedt interviews Amy Eisenstein and Sarah Plimpton about their new book, A Board Member's Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising: How to Raise Game-Changing Money for Your Nonprofit . Drawing on decades of experience advising hundreds of nonprofit organizations, Amy and Sarah explain why they wrote the book, what board members need to know before a campaign begins, and how nonprofit leaders can use the book as a practical tool to educate and engage their boards. Board members are often enthusiastic supporters of their organizations, yet many have little or no experience with capital campaigns. They may wonder why campaigns unfold the way they do, what they're expected to contribute, how fundraising actually works, or why campaign consultants and feasibility studies are necessary. Those unanswered questions can create uncertainty and anxiety at exactly the time organizations need confident, informed leadership. Amy and Sarah explain how the book was designed to meet board members wherever they are in their fundraising journey. Rather than assuming prior campaign experience, it answers the most common questions boards ask in clear, approachable language. The book covers campaign fundamentals, board leadership responsibilities, fundraising expectations, campaign strategy, feasibility studies, common misconceptions, and practical advice for navigating challenges that arise during a campaign. One of the most distinctive features of the book is the discussion questions included at the end of every chapter. Rather than simply providing information, the authors encourage executive directors, development directors, board chairs, and campaign leaders to use the book as the foundation for ongoing board education. Amy and Sarah discuss how organizations can incorporate the chapters into regular board meetings, committee discussions, and campaign planning over the course of many months. The conversation also offers practical advice for nonprofit leaders preparing for a future campaign. Rather than waiting until fundraising begins, Amy recommends introducing the book to board members a year or more before launching a campaign, creating shared understanding long before major decisions and solicitations take place. Whether you're a nonprofit CEO, executive director, development professional, campaign volunteer, board chair, or trustee preparing for a capital campaign, this episode offers valuable insight into one of the most overlooked ingredients of campaign success: an informed, confident, and engaged board. In this episode, you'll learn: Why board members often struggle during capital campaigns What inspired the creation of A Board Member's Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising The questions board members ask most often How the book is organized for practical use Why readability matters when educating volunteers How to use the discussion questions during board meetings When organizations should introduce campaign education to their boards Why campaign preparation should begin long before fundraising starts How board education reduces anxiety and improves campaign leadership Practical ways executive directors and development staff can use the book throughout a campaign If you've ever wished your board better understood capital campaigns—or if you're a board member who wants greater confidence in your fundraising role—this episode introduces a resource designed specifically for you. To purchase A Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising, visit https://capitalcampaignpro.com/books/board-members-guide-book/

Think your capital campaign plan is set in stone? Think again. The most successful campaigns aren't the ones that unfold exactly as planned—they're the ones that adapt when reality has other ideas. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore one of the most important—and least discussed—truths about campaign fundraising: campaign plans change. Whether it's unexpected zoning challenges, rising construction costs, delayed approvals, shifting project scopes, lost funding sources, or entirely new opportunities that emerge along the way, nonprofit leaders must learn how to navigate uncertainty while keeping their campaigns moving forward. Most organizations begin a capital campaign with a carefully developed vision, a fundraising goal, and a project plan that has been tested through a feasibility study. Donors express enthusiasm. Leadership gains confidence. Momentum builds. But what happens when circumstances change after the campaign is already underway? Amy and Andrea share real-world examples from nonprofit organizations that encountered major obstacles in the middle of successful campaigns—and ultimately emerged stronger because of them. One organization faced an unexpected opportunity to purchase a neighboring property while already stretching to fund a major building project. Another struggled with escalating construction costs that threatened the viability of its entire campaign. In both cases, leadership teams discovered that the answer wasn't to retreat, panic, or hide the problem from donors. Instead, they invited donors into the conversation and treated them as true partners in solving the challenge. The discussion highlights a common mistake nonprofit leaders make when campaign plans encounter difficulties: circling the wagons and attempting to solve problems internally before communicating with supporters. While the instinct to protect donors from bad news is understandable, Amy and Andrea explain why transparency often leads to better outcomes. Donors who have already invested in a project want it to succeed. When organizations openly share challenges and seek advice, donors frequently contribute ideas, connections, resources, and solutions that leadership teams would never have discovered on their own. Listeners will also learn why feasibility studies are about much more than testing fundraising potential. They're actually designed to test a specific project plan and gather feedback before an organization commits to a final direction. That's why campaign plans should always be viewed as drafts rather than fixed blueprints. As circumstances evolve, leaders must remain willing to adjust their plans while staying focused on the mission and desired impact. Throughout the conversation, Amy and Andrea emphasize the importance of flexibility, creativity, and resilience. Sometimes the very obstacle that seems most threatening becomes the catalyst for a better solution. A construction cost crisis can lead to a more efficient project design. A property challenge can open the door to a more strategic opportunity. A setback can spark innovation that would never have emerged otherwise. If your campaign isn't unfolding exactly as planned, you're not alone. This episode will help you approach challenges with greater confidence, creativity, and optimism—and may inspire you to see opportunity where you once saw obstacles. To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist . This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!

What happens when a nonprofit thinks it's ready for a capital campaign—but discovers it still has critical groundwork to complete before moving forward? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein sits down with Jacqueline House , Vice President for Communications and Community Engagement at Safe Children Coalition, and Paula Peter , Capital Campaign Pro Campaign Advisor, to explore the remarkable story behind a campaign that grew from an initial $3 million goal to nearly $10 million raised for a new youth shelter serving vulnerable children across Florida's Suncoast region. Safe Children Coalition serves more than 10,000 children each year through foster care, adoption, prevention, and diversion programs. Faced with the need to replace an aging youth shelter originally built in 1959, the organization embarked on a capital campaign that would ultimately far exceed its original fundraising expectations. But the path to success wasn't straightforward. Jacqueline shares how her organization initially believed it was already in campaign mode when, in reality, important campaign planning and donor development work still needed to be completed. Rather than rushing ahead, the organization made the difficult decision to pause for six months and focus on strengthening the foundation necessary for long-term campaign success. Listeners will learn why strategic pauses are often a sign of campaign strength—not weakness—and how organizations can use these periods to clarify project plans, secure key assets, build internal alignment, strengthen campaign leadership, and prepare compelling answers to donor questions. The conversation also explores one of the most important shifts in modern capital campaign fundraising: the evolution of the feasibility study process. Jacqueline explains how conducting donor interviews herself, rather than relying on an outside consultant, helped her build meaningful relationships with prospective major donors, gain candid feedback, and increase both her confidence and effectiveness as a fundraiser. Paula offers a fascinating perspective from her decades-long career in campaign consulting. Having conducted traditional confidential feasibility study interviews since the early 1990s, she candidly discusses why she initially resisted the guided feasibility study model and what ultimately convinced her that empowering nonprofit leaders to conduct their own donor conversations produces stronger fundraising outcomes and more confident campaign leaders. The episode also provides valuable insights for nonprofit executives, development directors, and campaign volunteers working in organizations with limited fundraising infrastructure. Jacqueline describes how she navigated a campaign with a relatively small development operation, a board that was supportive but inexperienced in fundraising, and a leadership team that was simultaneously managing a major construction project. Whether you're planning your first capital campaign, evaluating campaign readiness, considering a feasibility study, or looking for strategies to strengthen donor relationships, this episode offers practical lessons and real-world insights from a nonprofit that transformed its fundraising capacity while successfully completing a major campaign. If you're preparing for a capital campaign or looking to improve your campaign strategy, this conversation offers valuable guidance from leaders who successfully navigated the challenges and opportunities of a transformational fundraising effort. To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist . This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!

What if the “slow” periods in your capital campaign are actually some of the most productive opportunities for building donor relationships and campaign success? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore the natural ebbs and flows that every capital campaign experiences—and why nonprofit leaders should stop viewing slower periods as setbacks. Whether you're in the quiet phase of a campaign, preparing for a major fundraising push, or wondering how seasonal changes affect donor engagement, this conversation offers practical insights that can help you manage campaign momentum more effectively. Many nonprofit leaders assume a capital campaign should operate at full speed all the time. But campaigns are multi-year endeavors, and maintaining maximum intensity for years simply isn't sustainable. Amy and Andrea discuss why successful campaigns naturally move through periods of high activity and quieter stretches, and how understanding these cycles can reduce stress, prevent burnout, and improve fundraising outcomes. The discussion begins with an examination of seasonal fundraising patterns. Is summer really a slow time for fundraising? The answer depends on your organization, your donors, and your community. For some nonprofits, summer presents unique opportunities to connect with donors who are more relaxed and available. For others, donor travel patterns may create different challenges. Either way, making assumptions about donor availability can cause organizations to miss valuable opportunities. Amy and Andrea share examples of nonprofits that successfully leveraged summer activities and informal gatherings to deepen donor relationships and move campaign conversations forward. They discuss how cultivation often works best during periods when both staff and donors feel less rushed and more open to meaningful conversations. The conversation also addresses an important but often overlooked reality of campaign leadership: the emotional and organizational strain that accompanies major fundraising efforts. Capital campaigns involve large goals, significant stakes, and extended timelines. Amy and Andrea explain why nonprofit leaders should intentionally build breathing room into their campaign plans rather than attempting to maintain constant pressure throughout the life of a campaign. Listeners will learn how to identify productive ways to use quieter campaign periods, including donor cultivation, strategic planning, relationship building, and organizational reflection. Rather than viewing slower seasons as lost time, nonprofit leaders can use them to strengthen the foundation that supports future campaign success. If you're leading a capital campaign, preparing for a feasibility study, managing campaign volunteers, working with major donors, or looking for ways to sustain fundraising momentum over the long term, this episode provides valuable perspective on the rhythms and realities of campaign fundraising. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why every capital campaign experiences natural ebbs and flows How seasonal timing affects donor engagement and fundraising activity Why summer can be an ideal time for donor cultivation Jerry Panas's powerful donor meeting scheduling strategy How to avoid campaign burnout while maintaining momentum Ways to use quieter periods productively How to balance urgency and sustainability in campaign leadership Why strategic pauses can strengthen campaign results To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist . This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!

What does it actually take to launch a $40 million campaign when your organization has almost no fundraising history? Andrea Kihlstedt sits down with Wendy Connors, CEO of the Hertz Foundation, for a candid, behind-the-scenes look at one of the most remarkable campaign transformations in recent memory. The Hertz Foundation supports science and engineering PhD students — but for most of its history, it barely fundraised at all. When Wendy joined to lead development, the board didn't even know the difference between an annual gift and a campaign gift. What happened next is a masterclass in what capital campaigns can actually do for an organization. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Wendy refused to outsource the feasibility study interviews — and what she gained by doing them herself How the Hertz Foundation tripled its volunteer force and what it did to giving The pivotal moment two co-chairs made major gifts that unlocked the entire public phase How a community that preferred anonymity and didn't pledge learned to give at a transformational level Three things Wendy says every nonprofit leader should do before launching a campaign This is a must-listen for any nonprofit leader who wonders whether their organization has what it takes — and wants to hear from someone who found out firsthand. Ready to start your own campaign study? Get the full guide at capitalcampaignpro.com/feasibility-study-ultimate-guide/

Where are your biggest campaign donors going to come from? If you're like most nonprofit leaders, the answer feels like "somewhere out there" — a major philanthropist who just needs to hear your story. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt are here to challenge that assumption — and bust the three most common donor myths that derail capital campaigns before they even get started. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your low-level annual donors may have far more major gift capacity than you realize The real reason most nonprofits haven't unlocked big gifts from their existing base (hint: it's not the donors) Why Mackenzie Scott, Oprah, and Bill Gates are not your campaign strategy — and what is The truth about what campaign consultants actually do (and what they absolutely don't) How one couple made one of the campaign's largest gifts after years of $50 donations — and why the organization almost missed them This is a must-share episode for board members, executive directors, and leadership teams who are still waiting for a magical major donor to show up. Ready to find out where your campaign really stands? Start with our free Campaign Readiness Assessment at capitalcampaignpro.com/assess

Three clients. One week. All of them over goal. And then the question no one fully prepares for: what do you do the day after? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt celebrate a remarkable milestone — three CCPro clients crossed their campaign finish lines in the same week — and walk through exactly what nonprofits should do in the hours, days, and weeks that follow. Because going over goal is not just a moment to celebrate. It is a pivotal window for relationship-building, staff recognition, and strategic communication that will shape your organization’s fundraising future. This episode is your guide to handling it well. In this episode, Amy and Andrea cover: Why your first move should be a prioritized list — not a press release or social post How to identify and personally reach out to the 20-30 people who made your campaign possible The “onion” communications strategy: sequencing your outreach from innermost stakeholders outward How to meaningfully recognize staff before they transition into months of pledge collection How challenge gifts can push a campaign across the finish line at the critical moment Why how you handle this milestone affects donor retention, volunteer loyalty, and future campaigns Whether you’re wrapping up a campaign right now or still years away from your finish line, this episode will help you plan for the moment that makes all the hard work worth it. Ready to start planning? Visit capitalcampaignpro.com/board-members-guide to download the free Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising.

What do you do when your biggest donor wants to fund something that isn’t in your campaign plan? Or when a wealthy prospect makes you uneasy but you can’t quite explain why? These are the kinds of ethical gray areas that surface in nearly every capital campaign—and most organizations aren’t prepared for them. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Andrea Kihlstedt and Amy Eisenstein tackled the uncomfortable but essential topic of fundraising ethics. Prompted by the ongoing Epstein revelations—where major institutional leaders maintained relationships with a known bad actor long after red flags surfaced—the conversation expanded into the everyday ethical dilemmas that development directors and nonprofit leaders face during campaigns. The Epstein case is extreme, but the underlying dynamic is common: a donor with deep pockets and wide influence offers access, introductions, and large gifts. When something feels off, the temptation is to look the other way because the money is too important. Andrea and Amy’s message was clear—if you have a feeling in the pit of your stomach, pay attention to it. And more importantly, don’t carry it alone. Surface your concerns to board members, your executive director, or an ethics committee. These decisions should never rest on one person’s shoulders. But ethics in campaigns aren’t always about bad actors. More often, they show up as values conflicts. Andrea and Amy walked through a real scenario from a current client: a private school running a capital campaign received a million-dollar offer from a parent—but only if the money funded a new gymnasium, which wasn’t part of the strategic plan. The gift sounds generous, but accepting it could siphon other donors away from the campaign’s actual priorities, leaving science labs, scholarships, and teacher training underfunded. For organizations preparing for these kinds of board-level decisions, Capital Campaign Pro’s guide for board members offers a practical framework. Their recommended approach: don’t say no outright, and don’t say yes in isolation. Take it to the campaign committee. Consult lead donors. Explore a “yes, and” response—perhaps the gym becomes the next project after this campaign, and the donor leads that effort. The key is making it an organizational decision, not a one-person call. Andrea also shared a cautionary story about a community youth orchestra whose founding values of inclusivity were overridden by a small group of wealthy parents who wanted the orchestra to pursue elite performance. They gained board seats, shifted the mission, and eventually forced out the founders. The community ended up with two competing organizations, neither of which survived. It was a stark illustration of what happens when money is allowed to override mission. The practical takeaway: don’t wait for an ethical dilemma to arrive before figuring out how to handle it. Build the framework now. Discuss scenarios with your board before the campaign launches. Establish who gets consulted when a donor’s request falls outside the plan. Create a small committee or protocol for when something feels wrong. You don’t need all the answers in advance—you just need a process for finding them together. Planning a capital campaign? Download Capital Campaign Pro’s free Campaign Planning Checklist to make sure your team is prepared for every stage—including the conversations nobody wants to have: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/checklist/

When most nonprofit leaders hear "capital campaign," they picture a new building. A groundbreaking ceremony. Architectural renderings. But what if the most transformative investment your organization could make isn’t a building at all — it’s the people who do the work? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns , Andrea Kihlstedt spoke with Esther Landau, Senior Director of Advancement Services at the Arc San Francisco, about a $3.3 million capital campaign that had nothing to do with bricks and mortar. Instead, the campaign funded staff pay increases to reduce crippling turnover and shrank a waitlist that was keeping adults with developmental disabilities from accessing services they needed. The Arc San Francisco, now celebrating its 75th anniversary, serves roughly 800 adults across three Bay Area counties. When their strategic planning process surfaced the root problem — staff wages were not sustainable, which meant they couldn’t hire enough people, which meant the waitlist grew — the campaign became the solution. Of the $3.3 million goal, $2.5 million went directly to increasing staff compensation, and $800,000 funded program growth including a new internship program with San Francisco Rec and Park. With one month left in the campaign and only $150,000 to go, Esther reflected on the surprises along the way. One donor she’d prepared to ask for $7,500 immediately responded with $25,000. Clients of the Arc — people the organization serves — asked to donate to the campaign themselves, raising important questions about ethical fundraising and the universal desire to contribute to something meaningful. For organizations considering whether they have the internal capacity to run a campaign, Capital Campaign Pro’s campaign resources offer a practical starting point. Not every moment was easy. Esther described stretches that felt like dragging a bag of rocks — donors who answered every email except the one about making a gift, months of cheerful persistence before a single meeting materialized. Her advice: the campaign moves at the speed of your donors, not the timeline your board wants. And if you haven’t gotten a no, the answer isn’t yet no. Some of the most creative work happened in cultivation. For the public phase launch, Esther’s team built an immersive experience where attendees assumed the identity of someone trying to access disability services and navigated real-world barriers — bureaucracy, transportation, waitlists — with outcomes determined by a roll of the dice. Some didn’t make it through. The ten-minute exercise gave donors a visceral understanding of the problem the campaign was solving. Esther also championed low-tech, high-touch donor outreach. When emails went unanswered, she recorded short personal video messages — casual, unpolished, like popping into someone’s office to say hello. Donors watched them. And they responded. As she put it: people feel it when you’ve made the personal effort to do something just for them. The takeaway from the Arc’s campaign is simple but powerful: capital campaigns don’t have to be about buildings. They can be about building capacity, building wages, and building the ability to serve more people. And sometimes that’s the most important building you can do. Considering a capital campaign for your organization? Download Capital Campaign Pro’s free campaign resources to explore your options and plan your path forward: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/campaign-resources