The Design and Marketing Phase includes everything normally associated with a "feasibility study" PLUS it creates a detailed fundraising plan, case statement, and cultivates potential leaders and donors. It is our recommended "first step" in launching a capital campaign.

Unlike much of the rest of this website which provides generic advice, this particular section is best written by explaining what Capital Quest does as part of its pre-campaign planning process. It can give you a detailed accounting of what we believe is a thorough pre-campaign planning/feasibility study. We believe it is the most thorough in the industry.

Capital Quest does not direct traditional feasibility studies. Our experience shows that most traditional "feasibility studies" are very limited in scope – focusing on whether a particular goal can be reached instead of focusing on how a campaign should be undertaken to achieve the pre-determined goal.

The Capital Quest Design and Marketing Phase (feasibility study) includes all of the following:

1. Feasibility: Determination of the expected maximum and minimum amounts that COULD be raised in a capital campaign.
    
2. Fund Raising Plan: A written fundraising plan outlining, month-by-month, how a campaign will unfold. This plan includes a full disclosure of potential donors and suggested request amounts, a synopsis of the availability of key leaders, costs for the campaign, timetable, constituency goals, chart of gifts and organizational structure. This plan includes the identification of the conditions and steps needed to maximize the campaign’s chances for success.
    
3. Case Statement: In addition to feasibility and the campaign plan, the Design and Marketing Phase includes an initial draft of a comprehensive Case Statement. This Case Statement is Capital Quest’s recommendation on how the case should be presented to attract the highest level of support possible. Our recommendations for positioning the case are not based our opinions, but the information gleaned through the Design and Marketing process.
    
4. Cultivation and Education of Donor and Donor Constituencies: Instead of interviewing only 30 or 40 community leaders (as is often done in the more limited feasibility study), the Design and Marketing Phase includes an unlimited number of interviews, focus groups, direct mail surveys, and research into corporate and foundation prospects. By focusing on cultivating and educating potential leaders and donors, the organization can be assured that the greatest degree of buy-in from the constituent community is received PRIOR to even launching the campaign. From this point, the rest of the campaign will strengthen these connections with prospective donors and leaders.
    

The Design and Marketing Phase is the launching point of the campaign. Without this information, the organization will be running a campaign without a fund raising plan, which is a little like building a house without blueprints.

A Capital Quest Design and Marketing Phase gathers information via four methods.

1. Personal Interviews: Similar to a traditional feasibility study, Capital Quest executives will interview internal and external leaders to evaluate such issues as the image of the organization, its case for funding, available leadership, quantity and quality of donors, whether resources exist to conduct the campaign, and various fund raising plans.
   
   Unlike most traditional feasibility studies, we do not put a limit on the number of interviews we will conduct. While it is true that, after 30 or so interviews, some of the information gathered is repetitive, extending the number of interviews means more community leaders and potential donors have had input and feel involved in the process. Offering people a chance to share advice is often a precursor to larger gifts. This opportunity for one-on-one dialogue shouldn’t be limited to 30 or 40 people.
   
   Another significant difference in Capital Quest’s approach is the lack of "anonymous interviews". Unless specifically requested by the interviewee not to share the information, Capital Quest shares specifics of each interview with the client. Our logic is two-fold. First, emphasizing the anonymity of the interview does not lead to more or better interviews. Second, we feel the information gleaned from the interviews should be evaluated by the client, so that the client can make better decisions.
   
   We also believe if a potential donor offers a major gift during the interview, we should be able to share this information with the client. By the same token, if a perceived major donor is interviewed and indicates that he or she is not supportive, this information should be shared as well. This sharing of information is not possible if an interview is "confidential."
   
   Ultimately we believe this partnership approach works better for our clients than an approach where we gather information but cannot share it with those who need it most – our client. We believe the issue of anonymity is central to the effectiveness of a Design and Marketing Phase and enjoy the opportunity to discuss this unique philosophy in person.
   
   Please see the "Sample Materials" section of this website for a sample Interview Request Letter.
    
2. Direct Mail Surveys: Capital Quest believes that the strategic use of direct mail surveys can be a powerful cultivation and education tool. Even if only a small percentage of surveys are returned, the education potential is still substantial.
   
   Please see the "Sample Materials" section of this website for a sample Direct Mail Survey.
    
3. Focus Groups: Focus groups represent a rare opportunity to educate and learn from key constituencies. Since it isn’t possible to interview every internal leader, focus groups represent an opportunity to share the details and learn opinions of a larger group.
    
4. Research: Prior to launching a campaign, foundation and corporate giving prospects should be identified and, at a minimum, basic contact and financial information should be researched. Included in a Capital Quest Design and Marketing Phase is this basic research, including interviewing the leadership of top foundation and corporate prospects, if appropriate.

Included in the research will be a careful review of competing capital campaigns, including interviews and research of past area campaigns.

Capital Quest conducts a very thorough pre-campaign process. We start with internal interviews including senior administrators, key managers, board members and members of any fund raising committees. As part of these interviews, additional "external" interview candidates are identified. While some of these external interview candidates will be personally known by the internal leader, many will be suggested based on community reputation or past giving history to other organizations.

We believe that all campaigns succeed because the internal leaders are deeply committed to the campaign. Therefore, it is essential to begin the process by interviewing internal leaders first. Additionally, internal interviews allow Capital Quest staff to learn more about the organization and the reasons for the capital campaign.

In addition to interviewing candidates suggested by internal leaders, Capital Quest evaluates other local campaigns to identify potential donors and leaders, evaluate foundation and corporate giving sources and key leaders, and political/social sources to further expand the interview list.

Additionally, instead of trying to identify "the best" 20 or so specific leaders from the beginning, Capital Quest uses the process to identify even more leaders as potential interview candidates. Through a specific series of questions in each interview, Capital Quest is able to identify more people to be interviewed. This is another reason why we do not limit the number of interviews we will conduct - every interview leads to additional people to interview.

Instead of relying just on our knowledge and experience, we believe our clients are best served by a comprehensive process that builds on each preceding step. Only through this process can the organization be assured of a thorough evaluation of its own situation, and not a canned report based on "past experience".

At the conclusion of the Design and Marketing Phase, the Organization will have received the following benefits:

1. A private Executive Summary outlining specific prospects’ and leaders’ opinions about the organization and case. Included in this summary is Capital Quest’s opinion as to the giving potential and likelihood of each prospect, and a leadership rationale for each identified campaign leader.

Because Capital Quest does not promise anonymity (but honors it if requested), we have the opportunity to share more specific information with campaign leaders. Information such as gift levels and willingness to lead a campaign is very helpful to leaders when they decide whether to go forward with a campaign.

2. A report outlining Capital Quest’s opinions regarding feasibility, including a well-reasoned outline of why we hold these opinions.

3. A written fund raising plan outlining how a campaign should unfold including: the role of key internal leaders, timetable, costs, prospects, leaders, a month-by-month management by objective plan, fundamentals of fund raising, goal by constituency, and chart of gifts with identified prospects.

4. An initial draft of a Case Statement. This initial draft can help crystallize internal leaders thinking on how to position the campaign to gain the most support. It will also help the leaders gain insight into what details still need to be resolved.

5. An educated and cultivated prospective donor base including friends, constituents, potential major donors, and state and local leaders.

A good pre-campaign planning study can help launch a campaign quickly and efficiently. It can also keep an organization from making a mistake in attempting things it an not accomplish from a fund raising standpoint. It’s important to have an objective evaluation of the potential – and not create an environment where the study is just a sales vehicle for the consultant.

Logic should rule in evaluating a pre-campaign study report … don’t be fooled by generalities and vagaries. Reports with unlimited anonymous quotes and generic plans are more about a consultant selling its services than preparing an organization for a campaign.