"I never wear a watch, because I always know it's now--and now is when you should do it." Steve Mariucci

By: David G. Phillips

As fundraising counsel, Custom Development Solutions, Inc. (CDS) is called in to help people develop a strategic fundraising plan and timetable and to help them execute the plan in accordance with that timetable.

One of the most difficult decisions upon which we advise clients and potential clients is simply to proceed—to do, to act and to accept risk. We can plan, we can prepare and we can develop strategy—we can cultivate, we can educate and we can cogitate—but we will accomplish nothing unless we motivate the organization to begin the process of campaigning. They must ask, if they wish to receive.

There is a particular challenge that is ours, as paid campaign consultants. Our saying, “now is the best time to begin,” sounds self-serving. Yet, this is the truth. Former U.S. President Harry S. Truman perhaps said it best, "Men make history, and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better." That is the whole story—carpe diem! Yet so many organizations let the day slip away, then the month, and then the year. Some organizations we work with have been saying they will be ready for a campaign for years, and the truth is they will probably never have a campaign until they assemble new leadership.

With anything that is important to you in this life, the time to make it happen is now. Another of my favorite quotes comes from former San Francisco 49ers Head Coach, now Detroit Lions Head Coach Steve Mariucci, who said, "I never wear a watch, because I always know it's now—and now is when you should do it."

Do you have a goal, or goals, that you would like to achieve? Do you have some personal traits you wish to change, or some skills you wish to acquire? If so, now is the time to do it. Does your organization have pressing needs, and exciting opportunities to change lives that are now going unfunded and therefore undone? If so, then now is the time to run a capital campaign to put those funds into place.

Ask yourself this: Have you ever seen a truly significant or world-class organization that is not in the midst of a capital campaign? If you say yes, I would say that is possible under only one of two very specific sets of circumstances: (1) they have just finished a major capital campaign, or (2) they are in the process of planning another ambitious effort.

Successful organizations demand dynamism and continuing improvements, and they are never satisfied with the status quo. Leaders of these institutions recognize that tuition, fees, or annual support are not sufficient to make the kinds of improvements that they insist upon. First-class organizations with passionate and driven leadership do not rest upon their laurels and wait for recognition of their greatness. They realize that greatness is relative, and that if you are not improving your institution, you are going backwards.

With what type of organization are you affiliated, and if you are a leader, what type of leadership are you providing your organization? Are you bold, and determined to do great things, or are you timidly waiting for the stars to align themselves? If you want to inject some enthusiasm into your fundraising, call me and I will show you how!

David G. Phillips is 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 David, please call 800-761-3833 or send an email to dgp@cdsfunds.com.