The moment a major gift falls through, a construction issue pops up, or a key leader steps away can feel like a turning point. Yet these situations often reveal how much control organizations actually have during a capital campaign.

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore the practical actions nonprofit leaders can take when campaigns encounter real-world bumps; from project delays to leadership changes and unexpected donor situations.

Campaigns unfold over long periods of time, which means surprises are almost guaranteed. Amy and Andrea outline the four most common categories of challenges: project complications, staff transitions, board disruptions, and donor or gift issues. They share stories from campaigns where discoveries during construction altered entire timelines, where board members created friction just as solicitations were ramping up, and where donor misunderstandings required recalibration of expectations. You’ll hear how organizations found footing again, often with stronger clarity and focus than before.

A key theme in this conversation centers on defining success. Instead of locking success to a specific number, Amy and Andrea encourage leaders to look at whether the project itself moved forward in meaningful ways. They describe campaigns that raised less than the initial working goal but still transformed services for the community, and others where early enthusiasm pushed the goal higher. Their message: success reflects the full picture of outcomes, strategy, and impact, not a rigid starting figure.

The episode also introduces the two core levers every organization controls: the working goal and the timeline. By using a flexible goal during the quiet phase, campaign leaders maintain room to adjust based on donor feedback, project changes, or unexpected opportunities. Likewise, timeline extensions can be used effectively when genuine prospects remain. Amy and Andrea explain why extensions only make sense when the prospect list supports additional solicitations, and how leaders can recognize the moment when calling the campaign complete is the most strategic move.

Listeners gain insight into how campaigns can evolve, why most campaigns eventually adjust their plans, and how confidence grows when leaders recognize that these shifts are normal. Amy and Andrea close with a discussion about aspirational goals; goals that stretch an organization toward the full potential of its donor community. They emphasize that reaching slightly below a bold stretch goal often produces a far more powerful outcome than aiming safely from the start.

This episode offers a grounded perspective, seasoned guidance, and encouraging examples to help nonprofit leaders stay steady and strategic through the full arc of a campaign. Anyone planning or managing a capital campaign will walk away with a stronger sense of how to respond when circumstances shift and how to maintain momentum through uncertainty.

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!