American Cancer Society
Tucson, Arizona
Raised: $650,000
Fundamental Fundraising Principles of Capital Campaigns
A. Objectives
The fund-raising strategy
should have three major objectives:
Raise a minimum of $x,xxx,xxx;
Position the organization
for future growth, especially in the area of community
recognition and fund raising; and
Build upon the growing
base of visibility and respect for the organization as a
community partner.
Strong board
participation, financially and soliciting, was the
hallmark of this campaign. This new headquarters for
Southern Arizona is bright and spacious - the opposite
of the old headquarters!
B.
Personal/Peer Solicitation
Personal solicitation will
prove to be the most effective means of soliciting leadership
support to the campaign.
All gifts of $5,000 and
above will be sought through personal solicitation.
All volunteers will
receive instruction on effective solicitation methods.
All solicitations should
utilize a personalized prospectus/brochure.
C.
Emphasis on Major Gifts
The success of the campaign
will be heavily influenced by the success of the Major Gift
effort.
The top 10 gifts will
have a significant impact on the total amount raised.
Major Gift solicitation
will be conducted in a phase-by-phase approach.
Prospects for the Major
Gift phase will be developed within all constituencies:
Executives, Boards, Individuals, Corporations, Foundations,
Vendors and others.
D.
Large Gifts Early - Within Each Phase
In order to set the pace for
giving and to generate momentum, larger gifts will be solicited in
advance of general giving.
Even when dealing with
internal gifts, a select number of leadership gifts will
be sought in advance of general solicitation.
Lead gifts are generally,
but not exclusively, received from the Campaign Steering
Committee members.
Phase-by-phase approach
applies to Major Gifts and all other segments of the campaign
to set the pace for giving.
E.
Specific Gift Requests
All potential donors to the
capital campaign should be asked to consider a specific gift plan
based on the table of gifts required for achieving the minimum
campaign goal.
All gifts will be
requested over a five-year pledge payment period.
All donors will be
offered forms of commemorative recognition.
F.
Commemorative Gift Opportunities
An attractive commemorative
system will be implemented in order to stimulate donors to give
the large leadership gifts required for success.
Leadership will approve
commemorative recognition opportunities.
All prospective major
donors will be presented with a suitable commemorative giving
opportunity.
