Capital Campaign Infrastructure

Written By: John Hammett, JFSG Associate

Infrastructure within an organization is as important as the foundation on a home. If it is not strong, one will, at this point, experience problems. In the J.F. Smith Group, a strong process-based infrastructure emphasizes process, efficiency and effectiveness, which drives a successful capital campaign.

·         The infrastructure process starts with the Project Manager, who begins 3 to 4 weeks before the campaign. The team also includes the Assistant Project Manager and a JFSG technology team member, who help with materials, SharePoint, and tracking.

 ·         Central to JFSG’s process is the 10-week plan. Over these weeks, technology tools are used for data management, reporting, and communication with clients, team members, and donors. The campaign’s strategy follows a "top down – inside out" approach: top represents the client’s leadership, down focuses on high-capacity donors, and out includes those interviewed in the feasibility study.

·         The PM and APM conduct regular visits and frequent Zoom meetings to ensure the 10-week plan stays on track. Weekly or biweekly team calls help maintain progress. Printed materials, including agendas, campaign workbooks, pledge cards, and solicitation letters, are crucial to the campaign's success.

·         JFSG uses regular reports to track progress, such as the Executive Report, WAR, Follow-up Report, and GTSS report. Committee work, including the Prospect Verification and Executive Planning Committees, is essential for determining donor requests and ensuring the plan is followed.

·         A software program is important to track proposal presented, dollar raised, follow-up and sending out pledge reminders. Sending out pledge reminders in a timely manner will allow you to reduce your default rate.

The process-based infrastructure of JFSG is a solid foundation for any fund-raising effort for colleges/universities, non-profit organizations, and private schools. Creating infrastructure before starting a campaign or fund-raising effort assures a higher percentage of success when you start.