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

Could reaching your capital campaign goal mean your organization is leaving an opportunity on the table? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, co-hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore what campaign success really means, and why it may be bigger and more flexible than one fundraising number. For many organizations, success sounds simple: set a goal, raise that amount, and celebrate. But what if your donors are ready to give more? What if project costs change, the building plan shifts, or new prospects emerge? Amy and Andrea make the case that a successful capital campaign raises all the money an organization can for its project or vision at that time. They explain how organizations develop a preliminary campaign goal, test it through a campaign planning study or feasibility study, and refine it based on what they learn from their largest potential donors. As a campaign moves forward, donor feedback, changing project costs, and new opportunities may all affect what is possible. In many campaigns, organizations end up raising more than they originally planned. Momentum can build as more donors become engaged and want to be part of the effort. The conversation also looks at what happens when a project changes during a campaign. A building plan may shift, a different property may become available, or the organization may discover a better way to carry out its mission. Staying in touch with donors helps keep them engaged as plans evolve and can create opportunities to raise more for the work the organization hopes to do. Amy and Andrea also address the difficult question of what to do when a campaign is unlikely to reach its original goal. They discuss options such as using other funding sources, adjusting the project’s scope, or giving the campaign more time. Extending the timeline can make sense when there are additional prospects to cultivate and solicit, but it requires a clear reason and a plan. Campaign success reaches beyond dollars raised. A well-planned campaign can strengthen board engagement, help staff become more effective at major gift fundraising, sharpen the organization’s message, and deepen donor relationships. Donors may make larger gifts than ever before, and thoughtful stewardship can help those increased gifts continue beyond the campaign. Whether your organization is setting a campaign goal, entering the quiet phase, deciding whether to keep fundraising after reaching goal, or reassessing a project, this conversation offers a more useful way to think about progress and possibility. Amy and Andrea explain how campaign strategy gives leaders room to refine their definition of success while staying focused on the mission and the project donors want to support. Subscribe to All About Capital Campaigns for more conversations about capital campaign planning, major gift fundraising, donor engagement, and nonprofit leadership. Follow @CapitalCampaignPro for more campaign guidance and resources. Episode topics: 00:00 — What does campaign success mean? 03:07 — Raising all that’s possible for the project 04:10 — Testing and revising the goal 06:59 — Momentum and changing project plans 10:35 — Whether to keep fundraising after reaching goal 12:16 — Adjusting the project when fundraising falls short 13:25 — The lasting effects of a campaign 16:35 — How campaign strategy helps refine success 19:57 — Changing the goal or timeline 21:45 — When extending the timeline makes sense #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Nonprofits

Your capital campaign needs an executive director who can steady the team, stand up to the board, and secure the resources to succeed. In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Capital Campaign Pro co-founders Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt discuss four essential responsibilities for nonprofit CEOs and executive directors leading a capital campaign. Drawing on a recent conversation with nonprofit leaders, they explain how the person at the top sets the tone for campaign confidence, board engagement, staff morale, and the investment needed to raise more money than the organization has ever raised before. First, Amy and Andrea explore what it means to project confidence when the outcome still feels uncertain. Capital campaigns can bring sleepless nights, tough decisions, and anxiety for everyone involved. Leaders need a deep commitment to what the campaign will accomplish for their community, backed by preparation, donor conversations, a feasibility study, and access to experienced campaign counsel. That combination helps them communicate a clear sense of direction while doing the work required to make the campaign successful. Next, they address a responsibility that can be uncomfortable to discuss: protecting fundraising staff from destructive board behavior. When a board member publicly criticizes or embarrasses a development director, the executive director needs to address the behavior and create a better setting for legitimate concerns. Amy and Andrea also discuss the positive side of this role: recognizing staff contributions, encouraging the team, and making sure the people doing difficult campaign work feel appreciated. The conversation then turns to board communication and the influence that often operates outside formal meetings. The loudest person in the room may not be the person others listen to most. Executive directors need to know who holds influence, build relationships with those board members, and discuss important decisions before they reach the board agenda. Amy and Andrea consider how virtual board meetings have changed the informal conversations that once happened in parking lots, and why intentional outreach matters. Finally, they explain why the CEO must advocate for an adequate capital campaign budget. Campaign planning requires a realistic investment in staffing, expertise, and support over the life of the effort. They discuss including campaign expenses in the fundraising goal, planning ahead rather than revisiting every expenditure, and responding when board members assume existing staff can simply take on the campaign. One example brings that challenge into focus: a small organization hired its first development professional, then was surprised when that person recommended bringing in campaign counsel. Amy and Andrea explain why even capable fundraisers may need specialized support for a campaign they have never led before. Whether you are an executive director preparing for your first capital campaign, a development director seeking stronger leadership support, or a board chair helping your organization plan, this episode offers practical guidance for building a more confident, supported campaign team. Share this episode with your CEO, executive director, or board chair to start a conversation about the leadership your campaign needs. To see if your organization is truly ready for a capital campaign, download this free Readiness Assessment https://capitalcampaignpro.com/assess - This guide will help you evaluate six aspects of your organization, including the board and your case for support. #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Leadership CHAPTERS 00:00 The executive director’s role in a capital campaign 01:40 Leading with confidence 05:26 Protecting and encouraging fundraising staff 08:53 Communicating with influential board members 13:22 A Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising 14:24 Advocating for the campaign budget 18:29 Four leadership responsibilities to remember

What if your next campaign update was already there when you needed it, with your progress, major gift prospects, and path to goal in one place instead of scattered across reports and spreadsheets? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, co-founder Andrea Kihlstedt talks with Capital Campaign Pro’s Director of Engagement and Technology, Steven Shattuck, about a challenge familiar to development directors: tracking a capital campaign and explaining its progress in a way that builds confidence. A campaign total tells only part of the story. Your organization might have raised $3 million toward a $5 million goal, but board members will still want to know where the remaining $2 million will come from. Which prospects could make the lead gifts? Where are they in the solicitation process? What happens if an expected gift comes in smaller than planned, or does not come in at all? Answering those questions often means pulling information from a nonprofit CRM, updating a separate spreadsheet, and building yet another presentation for a meeting. Andrea shares the story of Alexandra O’Connor, a development director whose sophisticated spreadsheet helped campaign leaders see several possible paths to success. Steven explains how that idea became the Capital Campaign Pro Major Gift Dashboard, an online tool for tracking campaign goals, gift ranges, prospects, and progress. They discuss how a clear view of the numbers can help fundraising staff decide what to do next and help board members understand the plan behind the goal. You’ll hear why so many nonprofits turn to spreadsheets when they begin a capital campaign, even if they already have a CRM. Andrea and Steven also discuss the time spent maintaining those files, the risks of relying on a spreadsheet stored on one computer, and the value of giving campaign leaders a shared place to see current information. The dashboard works alongside an organization’s existing CRM; the conversation focuses on the select group of prospects and gifts that will determine the campaign’s outcome. The discussion goes beyond reporting. Andrea describes how development directors can use different gift scenarios to explore the consequences of a prospect’s decision and identify their next steps. Steven explains how a clearer view of the remaining gift ranges and prospects can make a difficult board conversation more productive. Instead of simply reporting what has been raised, a fundraiser can show who may help close the gap and how the team plans to move those relationships forward. They also cover access to the dashboard, its use across different types of campaigns, and where to see it in action. If you are preparing for a campaign committee meeting, managing major gift prospects, or trying to give your board a more useful progress update, this episode offers a practical way to think about the numbers and the decisions behind them. Explore the Major Gift Dashboard: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/dashboard Follow @CapitalCampaignPro for more guidance on capital campaign planning and fundraising. #NonprofitFundraising #Fundraising #Nonprofit Episode chapters: 00:00 Why campaign progress can be hard to explain 01:18 The spreadsheet that inspired the dashboard 04:00 Turning campaign data into a clearer path to goal 06:31 Why campaigns end up in spreadsheets 09:25 Showing the board how to close the remaining gap 11:13 Using gift scenarios to decide what comes next 12:24 Saving time on campaign reporting 15:03 Who can use the dashboard and where to find it

What if the most valuable part of a feasibility study is the donor conversation your consultant never has? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Capital Campaign Pro co-founders Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt challenge a longstanding assumption about capital campaign feasibility studies: that an outside consultant should conduct confidential interviews with your largest donors. Traditionally, a consultant meets with prospective donors, gathers their opinions about a proposed campaign, and returns with a report and recommended fundraising goal. Amy and Andrea explain why they began questioning that approach and what happened when they tried a different model. In a guided feasibility study, nonprofit leaders meet with donors themselves after receiving training and support from an experienced campaign advisor. The advisor helps them prepare for the conversations, interpret what they hear, and use the findings to shape a realistic campaign plan. The change raises understandable questions. Will donors speak candidly to an executive director or board leader? Can staff listen without trying to sell the project? Where will nonprofit leaders find time to meet with 30 potential campaign supporters? Amy and Andrea take each concern seriously and share what they have learned from years of guiding organizations through these conversations. They also discuss what a confidential interview can leave out of the process. If a donor raises a concern with a consultant, the organization may receive an anonymous summary without knowing whom to follow up with or how to repair the relationship. When leaders hear feedback directly, they can ask better questions, understand the context, and carry the conversation forward. That firsthand knowledge can help them assess the campaign goal and make more informed decisions before asking for gifts. For Amy and Andrea, these interviews do more than test whether a campaign is feasible. They invite major donors to help shape the plan while giving nonprofit leaders practice in having thoughtful, strategic conversations about money and mission. A leader who has listened to a donor’s hopes, questions, and concerns is also better prepared for a future solicitation. The relationship continues from a real conversation instead of beginning again after a consultant hands over a report. Andrea shares what donors told her about their preference for speaking directly with the organizations they support. Amy recounts an executive director’s experience of having unusually open conversations with donors after 15 years in the role. Together, they make the case for treating donors as partners in campaign planning and for using the feasibility study to build skills that will serve your team throughout the campaign and beyond. If your organization is considering a capital campaign, choosing a feasibility study model, or wondering how to engage major donors before making an ask, this conversation will help you think through who should be in the room and what your team could learn by being there. Episode chapters: 00:00 Why revisit the traditional feasibility study? 01:13 How consultant-led interviews became the standard 04:35 Will donors speak candidly to nonprofit leaders? 09:15 Can staff conduct interviews without bias? 10:53 Finding time for conversations with major donors 13:15 What changes when leaders conduct the interviews 14:34 What donors prefer 16:29 Transparency and firsthand feedback 19:01 Using early conversations to prepare for the ask 21:44 Building lasting major gift fundraising skills 23:43 Closing thoughts and next steps Learn more about guided feasibility studies and capital campaign planning at https://capitalcampaignpro.com/. Follow @CapitalCampaignPro for more practical campaign guidance. #Fundraising #Nonprofits

More than $2 trillion designated for charitable purposes is sitting in foundations and donor-advised funds. Why isn’t more of it reaching the communities that need it now? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein speaks with Glen Galaich, CEO of the Stupski Foundation and author of Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience with major donors, foundations, and community leaders, Glen examines how donor control shapes modern philanthropy and prevents charitable resources from achieving their full potential. Glen once helped donors develop highly strategic approaches to philanthropy. Over time, he began questioning an assumption at the center of that work: that people who accumulated great wealth were inherently best equipped to decide how social problems should be solved. He explains how this donor-centered model can overlook the knowledge, priorities, and solutions already present within communities. Amy and Glen explore why private foundations often prioritize protecting and growing their portfolios. Board members may feel more comfortable discussing investments, perpetuity, and family legacy than examining the immediate needs of nonprofits. That preference can turn the preservation of the foundation into a higher priority than the charitable purpose the money was intended to serve. Glen also challenges the idea that foundation assets remain private money. Once donors place money in a charitable foundation and receive a significant tax benefit, he argues, they assume an obligation to act as public stewards of those resources. The central question shifts from what feels comfortable for the donor to what will benefit the public. For nonprofit leaders and fundraisers, this creates a difficult power dynamic. Asking a funder for what an organization truly needs can feel risky. Yet asking only for what the funder appears willing to provide reinforces chronic underfunding. Glen encourages organizations to communicate the real cost of their work, the urgency of community needs, and the consequences of leaving charitable assets invested rather than putting them to use. The conversation also examines community-led philanthropy, donor-advised funds, foundation payout rates, trust-based grantmaking, and the difference between spending out and spending down. Glen shares lessons from the Stupski Foundation, which expects to distribute approximately $650 million over ten years and conclude most of its grantmaking operations in 2027. Spending down does not have to mean closing a foundation. Glen describes how foundations can release a meaningful portion of their assets during periods of urgent need and then continue operating with a smaller endowment. Even a modest shift away from perpetuity could direct billions of additional dollars to nonprofits and communities. This episode offers nonprofit executives, development professionals, board members, major donors, and foundation leaders a candid look at who controls charitable money, whose expertise shapes funding decisions, and what could happen if philanthropy placed greater trust in the people closest to the challenges. In this episode: 00:00 Why foundations and major donors can frustrate nonprofits 00:52 Introducing Glen Galaich and Control 03:52 Glen’s path into philanthropy 06:46 The rise of donor-centered strategic philanthropy 09:19 Why Glen began questioning the traditional model 12:26 The $2 trillion charitable bottleneck 16:54 How fundraisers can challenge donor control 19:40 Asking funders for what nonprofits truly need 23:05 Why communities should shape funding decisions 26:38 The Stupski Foundation’s $650 million spend-down 30:56 Starting difficult conversations with funders 32:18 Glen’s challenge to fundraisers and donors Learn more about Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short: https://stupski.org/control/ Purchase the book from Wiley: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Control-p-9781394352425