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

Capital Campaign Pro
  • 4.9 (34)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Weekly

All About Capital Campaigns is your weekly source for nonprofit fundraising advice. Each week hosts Andrea Kihlstedt and Amy Eisenstein, co-founders of Capital Campaign Pro (capitalcampaignpro.com) and special guests, provide practical tips about raising more money for your nonprofit organization. Topics include capital campaigns, feasibility studies, working with your board, donors, major gifts, volunteers, and more. This is a great resource for nonprofit Executive Directors/CEOs, Development Directors, Board Members, or others looking to learn about nonprofit fundraising.

  1. How a Capital Campaign can Turbo-Charge a Modest Fundraising Operation

    22h ago

    How a Capital Campaign can Turbo-Charge a Modest Fundraising Operation

    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 herselfHow the Hertz Foundation tripled its volunteer force and what it did to givingThe pivotal moment two co-chairs made major gifts that unlocked the entire public phaseHow a community that preferred anonymity and didn't pledge learned to give at a transformational levelThree things Wendy says every nonprofit leader should do before launching a campaignThis 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/

    32 min
  2. Three Myths About Where Your Biggest Campaign Donors Come From

    May 26

    Three Myths About Where Your Biggest Campaign Donors Come From

    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 realizeThe 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 isThe 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 themThis 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

    19 min
  3. When Your Campaign Goes Over Goal: What to Do Next

    May 19

    When Your Campaign Goes Over Goal: What to Do Next

    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 postHow to identify and personally reach out to the 20-30 people who made your campaign possibleThe “onion” communications strategy: sequencing your outreach from innermost stakeholders outwardHow to meaningfully recognize staff before they transition into months of pledge collectionHow challenge gifts can push a campaign across the finish line at the critical momentWhy how you handle this milestone affects donor retention, volunteer loyalty, and future campaignsWhether 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.

    18 min
  4. When Big Donors Push Back: Navigating Ethics in Your Capital Campaign

    May 12

    When Big Donors Push Back: Navigating Ethics in Your Capital Campaign

    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/

    26 min
  5. Not Every Capital Campaign Builds a Building — But This One Changed 800 Lives

    May 5

    Not Every Capital Campaign Builds a Building — But This One Changed 800 Lives

    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

    29 min
  6. The 10-Year Rule: How Often Should Your Nonprofit Run a Capital Campaign?

    Apr 28

    The 10-Year Rule: How Often Should Your Nonprofit Run a Capital Campaign?

    Most nonprofit leaders think of a capital campaign as a one-time event — a massive push that happens once, maybe twice in the life of an organization. But that mindset can actually hold organizations back. The most effective nonprofits treat campaigns as a recurring cycle, and understanding the right cadence can make the difference between an organization that grows strategically and one that stalls. On a recent Capital Campaign Pro podcast episode, Andrea Kihlstedt and Amy Eisenstein explored the timing and rhythm of capital campaigns—how often to run them, when to start planning, and what to do in between. Their core message: campaigns are healthy for organizations, and you should be running one at least every ten years. Why ten years? The math is simpler than you might think. You need roughly three years to plan what your organization will do next — strategic planning, building design, community input. Then you need three to four years to plan and execute the campaign itself. After that, donors need time to fulfill their pledges, which typically stretch over three years. Add a year to build, open, and steward, and you’re at about a decade. That doesn’t mean ten is a magic number. Some organizations move on a 12- or 15-year cycle. Others run mini campaigns in between major ones — a focused $1-2 million effort to fund a specific need like transportation, technology, or a program expansion. These smaller lifts keep donors engaged and organizational momentum alive without requiring the scale of a comprehensive campaign. For a step-by-step overview of how to prepare, see Capital Campaign Pro’s campaign planning checklist. One of the biggest mistakes nonprofits make is losing donor relationships between campaigns. Staff turns over, stewardship lapses, and the connections that powered the last campaign fade. Andrea shared a real story from just last week: a former client called to explore a second campaign after one of their major donors reached out proactively, offering to fund the next phase. That only happened because the organization had kept the donor closely involved—inviting her to events, sharing results, and maintaining a genuine relationship. Timing matters in another way too. A campaign is not a rescue plan. If your annual fundraising is struggling or your organization is operating at a deficit, a campaign will not fix that. Campaigns are designed to accelerate growth, not dig you out of a hole. The organizations best positioned for a campaign are ones with stable operations, engaged donors, and a clear vision for what comes next. The bottom line: don’t think of your campaign as a one-time event. Think of it as part of a cycle—plan, campaign, steward, repeat. If it’s been more than ten years since your last campaign, it may be time to start planning your next one. Wondering whether your organization is ready for a campaign? Take Capital Campaign Pro’s free Campaign Readiness Assessment to evaluate your position and identify your next steps: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/assess

    16 min
  7. Why More Nonprofits Are Ditching the Traditional Feasibility Study

    Apr 21

    Why More Nonprofits Are Ditching the Traditional Feasibility Study

    Before launching a capital campaign, most nonprofits hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility study. The consultant interviews donors, disappears for a few weeks, and returns with a report and a number. It’s the way it’s been done for decades. But a growing number of organizations are choosing a different path—and getting dramatically better results. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt sat down with Emily Cozart Mohammed, Vice President of Development at the Center for Investigative Reporting, to discuss her experience completing a Guided Feasibility Study for a $50 million campaign. The conversation made a compelling case for why the guided model is replacing the traditional approach. In a traditional feasibility study, an outside consultant conducts every donor interview, compiles the data, and delivers a final report. The organization gets a number and some general feedback, but the staff never hears directly from donors and often has no idea who said what. Emily put it bluntly: not having that intel within your own system feels backwards. The Guided Feasibility Study flips this model. Instead of outsourcing donor conversations, the organization’s own leaders—the VP of development, the CEO, trained board members—conduct the interviews themselves, with structured coaching and support from a Capital Campaign Pro advisor. The result is threefold: better data, deeper donor relationships, and a team that’s ready to fundraise. Emily’s team completed 55 interviews with a 2% decline rate—a remarkable response that reflects both donor engagement and organizational credibility. Donors told her repeatedly how much they preferred speaking directly with organizational leaders rather than, as one donor put it, another guy in a suit pitching one organization after another. For a deeper look at how feasibility studies fit into the campaign planning process, see Capital Campaign Pro’s ultimate guide to feasibility studies. The guided model also produced tangible early results. One donor made an early gift of $420,000 during the study. The team documented $8.5 million in planned gifts against a $10 million planned giving goal. And because every conversation was led by someone who knows the organization deeply, Emily reported a higher degree of certainty that stated gift intentions would hold. Perhaps most importantly, the process doubled as professional development. Gift officers who had never worked on a high-level campaign gained firsthand experience. The CEO became a vocal advocate for the process. Board members who participated in interviews arrived at the approval vote already informed and confident—so much so that Emily’s board presentation was met with almost no questions. Emily’s advice for organizations considering a campaign: if you’re hesitating between a traditional consultant-led study and a guided approach, don’t overthink it. The guided model is more work, but it’s not overwhelming—and the intelligence, relationships, and team readiness you gain are worth far more than a number in a report. Thinking about a feasibility study for your next campaign? Download the free Feasibility Study Ultimate Guide to understand the process, prepare your team, and set your campaign up for success.

    31 min
  8. From Ghost to Host: 7 Strategies to Re-Engage Donors Who’ve Gone Silent

    Apr 14

    From Ghost to Host: 7 Strategies to Re-Engage Donors Who’ve Gone Silent

    Every fundraiser has been there. A donor expresses interest, maybe even during a feasibility study, and then goes completely silent. Emails go unanswered. Calls aren’t returned. You’re being ghosted. It’s one of the most frustrating experiences in nonprofit fundraising, and one of the most common. On a recent Capital Campaign Pro podcast episode, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt shared a real client story and practical strategies for re-engaging donors who’ve gone dark. The story is worth telling. A client completed a guided feasibility study, during which a donor expressed strong interest in supporting the client's campaign. When the quiet phase began, and the team reached out to discuss his gift, they heard nothing. Emails, texts, calls—silence. Then, a board member who happened to know the donor asked him to host a cultivation event at his home with a celebrity chef. He said yes immediately. By changing the ask and the asker, they turned a ghost into a host. That’s strategy number one: Change the channel. If your development director has been emailing with no response, try a different person and a different request. A board member inviting someone to host an event is fundamentally different from a staff member following up on a pledge. Sometimes the shift in messenger and message is all it takes. Strategy two: Don’t make assumptions. You don’t know what’s happening in someone’s life. They may be overwhelmed at work, caring for a sick family member, or simply have a communication style that doesn’t match yours. Andrea shared a story about a longtime friend and major donor whose habit was simply not to confirm things—ever. Knowing that pattern prevented her from reading rejection into silence. Before you assume the worst, consider whether you’re actually being ghosted or just dealing with a slow responder. Strategy three: Keep your messages short. If a donor opens your email on their phone and has to scroll, they’re less likely to read it, let alone respond. Write your message, save it as a draft, come back, and cut it in half. One clear sentence with one clear ask will outperform a three-paragraph update every time. Strategy four: Propose a specific time. Fundraising legend Jerry Panas taught that the two best windows for scheduling are tomorrow and four to six weeks out. Tomorrow works because everyone knows their schedule. A month out works because calendars are open. The dead zone is the in-between. So instead of “let’s find a time,” try “I’m free tomorrow afternoon—what time works for you?” For more approaches to confident donor conversations, explore Capital Campaign Pro’s campaign planning checklist. Strategy five: Give them a graceful exit. Say: “If this isn’t the right time, I completely understand—just let me know so I’m not pestering you.” You’ll get either relief or reassurance. Either answer moves you forward. Strategy six: Try a new subject line. “Are you okay?” works surprisingly well because it signals genuine concern rather than a follow-up ask. It reframes the outreach from transactional to relational, which is exactly where nonprofit fundraising should live. Strategy seven: Remember that persistence is not pestering. One client reached out to a board member six times with no response. When confronted at a board meeting, the member said, “What do you mean? You only emailed me once.” She had no idea. Your outreach may feel repetitive to you, but donors are busy. Keep showing up. Ghosting stings. But in most cases, it’s not personal. The donors who go quiet are often still reachable—you just need to find the right door. Ready to build a fundraising strategy that keeps donors engaged from feasibility through close? Download our free Capital Campaign Planning Checklist to map out every phase of your campaign with clarity and confidence.

    23 min
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About

All About Capital Campaigns is your weekly source for nonprofit fundraising advice. Each week hosts Andrea Kihlstedt and Amy Eisenstein, co-founders of Capital Campaign Pro (capitalcampaignpro.com) and special guests, provide practical tips about raising more money for your nonprofit organization. Topics include capital campaigns, feasibility studies, working with your board, donors, major gifts, volunteers, and more. This is a great resource for nonprofit Executive Directors/CEOs, Development Directors, Board Members, or others looking to learn about nonprofit fundraising.

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