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

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