Shows / All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
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…
Episodes
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow One Community Foundation Built a $100 Million Endowment Campaign
What does a $100 million endowment campaign look like when there is no building to name and the real impact will unfold over generations? In this episode of…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitTop-Down, Inside-Out: A Capital Campaign Strategy for Major Gifts
A campaign can raise millions and still stall if the team approaches donors in the wrong order. Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explain how a top-down…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe Fundraising Metric Every Nonprofit Leader Should Know
A simple question can reveal whether an organization is ready to plan for a major campaign: How much does it raise from philanthropy each year? In this episode…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhat Does a Successful Capital Campaign Really Look Like?
Could reaching your capital campaign goal mean your organization is leaving an opportunity on the table? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe Executive Director’s Role in a Capital Campaign: 4 Essential Responsibilities
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow to Track Capital Campaign Progress and Show Your Board a Path to Goal
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitShould Consultants Interview Your Donors? Rethinking the Capital Campaign Feasibility Study
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhy $2 Trillion in Charitable Funds Isn’t Reaching 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitCapital Campaign Staffing: Who Should You Actually Hire?
Preparing to hire a high-level fundraiser or campaign manager for your capital campaign? The person you actually need may have a very different job…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitCan You Run a Capital Campaign Without a Wealthy, Well-Connected Board?
A board filled with wealthy, well-connected fundraisers may sound ideal, but it is not a requirement for a successful capital campaign. In this episode of All…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow a Rural Hospital Turned a $2 Million Capital Campaign Into $5.27 Million
What happens when a small rural hospital foundation that typically raises $200,000 to $300,000 per year is asked to launch a $2 million capital campaign and…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow Much Should Your Board Give to a Capital Campaign?
How much should your board give to a capital campaign? The answer is not a universal percentage, but there is a practical way to arrive at a goal your board…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitShould You Hire a Capital Campaign Consultant? What Nonprofits Need to Know
A capital campaign may be the largest fundraising effort your nonprofit ever undertakes, but is hiring a campaign consultant really worth the investment? In…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow a Small Nonprofit Raised 75% of an $8.5 Million Capital Campaign in 11 Months
What can a nonprofit with just 650 active donors—and a median gift of only $100—teach us about raising millions through a capital campaign? In this episode of…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitCapital vs. Capacity vs. Comprehensive Campaigns: What’s the Difference?
Capital campaign terminology can be surprisingly confusing—and choosing the wrong campaign structure could make it harder for your board, donors, and staff to…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe Importance of Involving People in Your Campaign Process
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow to Turn Donor Conversations Into Joyful Yeses
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitCampaign Communications: More than Just Your Case for Support
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitUnlocking Major Gifts: The Art of Soliciting Top Donors
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe Capital Campaign Book Every Board Member Should Read
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhen Your Campaign Plan Changes: Turning Roadblocks Into Opportunities
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow a Small Development Team Raised $10 Million for a Youth Shelter Campaign
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe Natural Ebbs and Flows of a Capital Campaign (And How to Use Them to Your Advantage)
What if the “slow” periods in your capital campaign are actually some of the most productive opportunities for building donor relationships and campaign…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThree 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhen 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhen 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitNot 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhy 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitFrom 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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhat to Do When a Donor Gives Before You Ask
What do you do when a donor gives before you even ask? In this episode, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore one of the most overlooked—and potentially…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitTranscend or Transmit: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Break the Burnout Cycle
You got into nonprofit work to make a difference. So why does it feel like you’re running on empty most days? On this episode of All About Capital Campaigns…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitIs the Sky Really Falling?
When the economy dips, political tensions rise, or a major funder pulls back, nonprofit leaders often hear the same refrain from anxious board members: "Maybe…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhy Capital Campaigns Should Start with Ideas Instead of a Campaign Brochure
Many organizations assume a polished campaign brochure is one of the first things they must create for a capital campaign. That assumption can slow down the…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitStop Nagging Your Campaign Committee and Start Getting Results
If your campaign committee members agreed to make calls but nothing is happening, this episode will change how you respond and improve your results. In this…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWill Your Capital Campaign Cannibalize Your Annual Fund? What Really Happens
Will a capital campaign drain your annual fund or strengthen it in ways you never expected? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe Secret to Major Gifts Success is Making Time for Donor Conversations
What if the biggest barrier to your capital campaign success is the phrase “we don’t have time”? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhat the Data Really Says About Capital Campaign Success
Most capital campaign advice comes from stories and experience. This episode brings three years of real data that confirms what actually works and what common…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitCrisis, Clarity, and Capital Campaign Leadership: How Smart Donor Engagement Strengthens Decisions
A snowstorm shuts down a city, a systems failure brings operations to a halt, or a major campaign gift suddenly falls apart. Moments like these reveal how…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow to Hire the Right Capital Campaign Consultant and Get Your Board Fully On Board
Hiring a capital campaign consultant can quietly shape the success of your entire campaign, long before a single dollar is raised. In this episode of All About…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitYour Biggest Capital Campaign Donors After the Ask: What Happens Next Matters Most
Your largest capital campaign donors often give early, generously, and then quietly disappear from view. That silence can cost you far more than most…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitCapital Campaigns Without a Traditional Board: How Small and Grassroots Organizations Raise Big Money
When your board lacks time, wealth, or fundraising experience, does that mean a capital campaign is out of reach? In this episode of All About Capital…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitIs There Ever a Bad Time to Run a Capital Campaign?
There is always someone in the room who believes the timing is wrong, the moment feels uncertain, and waiting sounds safer than moving forward. In this episode…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow to Create a Behind the Scenes Power Team
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, campaign experts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt discuss why it matters that your board chair, executive…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitCan you Raise Money for Endowment Through a Campaign?
Capital campaigns are not well suited for raising money for endowment. The most successful endowment fundraising is done through concentrated work on planned…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow Neuroscience Shapes Donor Decisions in Capital Campaigns
Stories change how people think, feel, and choose to act, and the science behind that process has direct implications for fundraising success. In this episode…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhen Capital Campaigns Hit a Snag: How to Respond, Adjust, and Keep Moving Forward
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…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitFive Feasibility Study Myths That Hold Campaigns Back
Some long-held assumptions about feasibility studies can slow an organization’s progress long before a campaign begins. Many teams believe they should polish…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitFinding and Securing Lead Donors for a Successful Capital Campaign
Curiosity about who your earliest campaign leaders could be often sparks surprising discoveries and opens paths to support you may not have recognized. In this…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitThe Most Important Principle of Capital Campaign Fundraising
A core principle shapes the success of every capital campaign, and this conversation clarifies exactly how it works and why it matters. In this episode of All…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitWhen to Hire an Owner’s Representative for Your Capital Campaign Building Project
If your capital campaign includes a construction or renovation project, there’s far more to think about than fundraising goals and donor lists. In this episode…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitStepping Beyond Your Comfort Zone: Building Confidence, Mastery, and Better Donor Relationships
What happens when you say “yes” to something that feels just a bit bigger than what you’ve done before? In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns…
All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, ToolkitHow to Use Video to Strengthen Your Capital Campaign Messaging
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore how nonprofits can use video to connect with donors, share…
- All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
Expert Answers to Common Capital Campaign Challenges: Donor Recognition, Feasibility, Wealth Screening, and Managing the Workload
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt, the co-founders of Capital Campaign Pro, invite listeners behind the…
- All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
When Leadership Changes Mid-Campaign: How to Stay Steady and Keep Your Capital Campaign on Track
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, co-founder Andrea Kihlstedt is joined by senior advisor Jeff Hensley to discuss what to do when leadership…
- All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
How Nonprofits Can Embrace AI for Greater Impact with Alonda Williams
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein sits down with Alonda Williams, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, to…
- All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
Three Steps to Prepare Your Board for a Successful Capital Campaign
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt outline three essential steps that nonprofit leaders should take to prepare…
- All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
Staying Positive in Fundraising: Joan Garry on Motivation, Metrics, and Creative Approaches
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein welcomes nonprofit leader, coach, and advocate Joan Garry for an inspiring conversation about…
- All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit
Capital Campaign Budgets: How to Plan, Staff, and Fundraise Effectively
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt tackle one of the most important and often misunderstood aspects of a…