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The ideal leadership candidate for a capital campaign is someone who
makes a top-level
gift commitment, is recognized in the community, and is willing to be an
advocate,
recruiter, and solicitor on behalf of the campaign.
By: Roy P.
Wheeler, Jr.
There are four essential elements to every successful capital campaign:
the Case; Leadership; Prospects; and, the Plan. This article is second in a series
addressing each element. This discussion will specifically focus on the critical
importance of leadership in a capital campaign.
People give to people, not causes. Therefore, one of the first and most
important tasks of a capital undertaking is to recruit appropriate leaders. The ideal
leadership candidate for a capital campaign is someone who makes a top-level gift
commitment, is recognized in the community, and is willing to be an advocate, recruiter,
and solicitor on behalf of the campaign.
Where do we find such people? To begin, it is helpful to form a small
working committee, a “kitchen cabinet”, to have sessions whose aim is to
identify top donor prospects and to evaluate and prioritize those that are most likely to
make a top-level gift. Begin with a list of 20-25 prospects that includes board members
(there are no better, more informed and passionate advocates of your organization than
your volunteer leaders), previous major donors, major local employers, and others whose
support, because of their standing and recognition in the community, would give the
campaign momentum and influence others to support the campaign. Then, build from the top
down—find your campaign chair(s) first.
The first and most obvious source of recruiting leaders is the
organization’s board, with their responsibility of making sure that the organization
meets its mission. One of the single most important functions of meeting the mission is to
ensure that the organization has the resources it requires—i.e. the funds it needs.
Whether it is to build new facilities, institute new programs and/or services, build an
endowment, etc., the ultimate aim of any capital effort is to assure the future viability
of the organization. Therefore, the success of extraordinary fund-raising initiatives for
the organization is the direct responsibility of the volunteer leadership.
Closely examine which of your board members has demonstrated significant,
continuing commitment to the organization and is financially capable of supporting the
campaign at the highest levels. Develop a strategy to approach that person or persons and
present them with a specific request that asks for the financial commitment and to take a
specific leadership role. Once they have accepted, involve them in the recruitment of the
next leader and so on. Often, an individual’s likelihood of giving to an organization
is directly related to the closeness of their position vis-à-vis the organization. The
most likely candidates are those that have been the most generous givers for the longest
time and those serving in positions of leadership.
Once recruited, the volunteer leadership of a campaign is typically
organized into a committee, such as a Campaign Executive Committee (CEC), which is
responsible for the successful implementation of the campaign. They are the beginning,
first as donors, then as organizers, campaigners, advocates, and recruiters. The leaders
on the CEC are tasked with implementing the campaign plan and reporting to the
organization’s board.
Typical leadership roles include:
All of which are members of the CEC, along with other top givers to the
campaign. The Campaign Chair(s) should conduct all CEC meetings. The Chair of the Board of
Directors and the President of the organization should also serve on the CEC. The CEC can
be comprised of the Divisional chairs, members of the board of directors, and other
volunteers. The Campaign Executive Committee’s responsibilities include:
Regular review and reporting
Complete oversight of campaign activities
Selecting the name, logo, theme and colors of the campaign
Recruitment of additional leadership
Development of preliminary lists of Major Gift prospects
Evaluation of Major Gift prospects
Authorizing the procedures, systems and policies concerning the
processing of gifts and expenses
Approving the campaign plan, case statement and supporting operative
materials
Developing and approving the solicitation strategies for select major
gift prospects
Solicitation of major gift prospects
Significant personal financial support
Implementation of the campaign plan
Participation in all campaign events
Additionally, leaders:
Make a top-level gift
Provide linkage to corporate, foundation, and individual prospects
Participate and host campaign events
Publicly endorse the campaign
Assume responsibility for the success of the campaign
Attend all campaign meetings
Serve as key campaign spokespersons
Recruit other leaders
In summary, the success of a capital campaign is directly related to the
quality of its leadership. When leaders are recruited that give top-level gifts and bring
others to the table, they raise expectations and set the pace for future giving. Success
depends on the campaign being led by people of stature, recognized in the community.
Because of their commitment and willingness to ask others to support the effort, they will
give the campaign critical early momentum and raise significant dollars. That credibility,
once obtained, is highly valued by prospective donors – everyone likes to be part of
a winning team.
Roy P. Wheeler, Jr. is
executive vice president of Custom Development Solutions, Inc. (CDS). CDS
has become one of North America's best and most sought after fundraising consulting firms
specializing in the strategic planning and tactical execution of capital campaigns for
non-profits throughout the United States and Canada. More information on CDS can be
found on the web at www.cdsfunds.com.
If you have a fundraising question for Roy, please call 800-761-3833 or send an email to rpw@cdsfunds.com.
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