A Capital Campaign is a common and cost-effective strategy for raising large sums of money for special projects, such as constructing new buildings, facility renovations and expansions and/or endowment growth that are not generally a part of the overall operational budget. Capital campaigns often energize an organization, rallying staff, volunteers and stakeholders in the mission anew, building ownership and fine-tuning operational strategies. Whether operating with a campaign goal of hundreds-of-thousands of dollars to millions, tens-of-millions or hundreds-of-millions of dollars, McDonald Schaefer can help organizations test, plan and manage successful campaigns.

Matchmaking 101: Matching donors to the right projects

By Julie Cotter, Consultant Early on in my career, a…

What’s In a Name? How Naming and Recognition Can Inspire Support for Your Capital Campaign

By James Hamilton, Consultant Will your donors make a…

You are ready to build. Are you ready to raise money?

By Teresa Midthun, Senior Consultant Recently, a community…

Some thoughts on inspiring meaningful giving…

I thought “all publicity was good publicity!”… Not necessarily

An Unlikely Success – Lead Gifts Inspire

When an all-volunteer group told us they wanted to build a new $10 million YMCA in a community of just 7,500 people, we knew we had our work cut out for us. 

We Could Count our Lead Gift Prospects on One Hand!

It is a scary truth that most significant fundraising efforts depend on at least a few larger or major gifts in order to reach their goal. This is often the element that scares fundraisers the most – will they have enough major donors to make a multi-million-dollar fundraising effort possible?

Are you sure you want to hear if your campaign will succeed?

When a small conservation and environmental education organization asked us to help them raise $5 million for a new education center, we asked them if they had considered a feasibility study.

How a State Governor helped us build our Campaign Cabinet from the top down

We were once called in to direct an urgent capital campaign by a faith-based organization whose roof was failing.  Rainwater was pouring in, causing serious and expensive cosmetic and structural damage.  They needed $6 million.  Time was of the essence.