A basic capital campaign strategy is to organize the campaign based on three key principles:

1. Identification of specific prospects for specific potential donation levels.
2. Organizing the campaign to ask for donations from specific prospects at these levels.
3. Sequencing the campaign so that larger potential donors are asked first.

The campaign steps or phases follow these principles, by starting with the top prospects, often called the "quiet phase" or "pacesetter phase".  Underlying these principles are a strong commitment by the Board and management demonstrated by personal giving and support of the campaign and their ability to recruit campaign leaders and volunteers, who will also make personal financial commitments to the campaign and dedicate their time, influence and resources to ensure campaign completion and success.

The following provides a more detailed description of these principles:

 Campaign Principle 1 - Identification and Solicitation of Specific Prospects

Success in a capital campaign depends on the size of donations more than the number of donations.  For planning purposes, about 100 donations are required for campaign success. Early in the campaign process, specific prospects for specific sizes of donations will be determined through a prospect review process. This process may not identify all of the prospects needed for the campaign, but should identify most of the prospects at the top giving levels.  The levels of gifts required for the campaign are illustrated in the diagram shown below.  A more detailed description of the Capital Campaign Gift Standards Chart can be found on this site. 

Campaign Principle 2 – Campaign Organization

The pacesetter phase of the campaign, focusing on the top donations is the first phase to get underway.  This phase will be substantially complete before moving to the next step of the campaign.  

In preparation for the next phase of the campaign, the “Momentum” phase, your organization should recruit a campaign chair and a small group of volunteers who will make solicitations for donations from individuals and corporations, asking them to consider donations in the middle levels of the gift standards chart  The campaign team will expand with additional volunteers until the next level of donations are secured and the campaign has achieved about 75% of its goal. 

When this phase of the campaign is substantially complete, a broader “Public” phase of the campaign will begin. This phase will require more volunteers, willing ask for donations less than those given in the first two phases.  It is not necessary that volunteers active in the early stages of the campaign will continue throughout, although they may wish to do so.

The reporting structure of the campaign team is shown in the diagram on the campaign organization page of this site. The campaign team is essentially an ad hoc committee of the Board, comprised of community volunteers, that is accountable to the Board and will report to the Board on a regular basis.  The campaign team is a somewhat fluid structure in which individual members may be active for a time and then decrease their activity as specific proposals are completed. The campaign chair will oversee all activities, coordinated by the organization's staff and the campaign manager.  The “Terms of Reference” for the roles of campaign leaders and staff are in the campaign plan.

Campaign Principle 3 – Timing

The diagram on the timeline page of this site shows timing for a campaign.  Of course, the actual times will vary for each phase of the campaign depending on the size of the campaign.  The key is to estimate the length of time for each phase at the outset and to move to subsequent phases only after the earlier phase is substantially complete.

There are usually three “benchmark” events during the time of a campaign.  Often the first is a groundbreaking/ribbon cutting event to open a facility or launch construction. There is also a “public launch” of the campaign and donor recognition event about at the end of the pacesetter phase before the momentum phase begins. This event recognizes the contributions of the donors and volunteers to date, officially names some of the facilities and draws attention to the campaign in the media. The third event will be a campaign wrap-up and recognition event when the campaign goal is reached. 

A timeline for the campaign is developed based on the capital campaign gift chart.  There are preparations that must occur before campaign can start and should be taken into account.  The early phase of the campaign, often called the leadership or pacesetter phase, will focus on recruitment of campaign leaders and presentations to the potential donors identified at the top levels of the gift chart.  The length of time of this phase will depend on the size of the donations being requested and the number of prospects. It is not uncommon for this phase of the campaign to take one or two years.  The other phases of the campaign will roll into place, using the dollar amounts in the gift chart as a guide.

There will be benchmark events planned to signify the movement of one stage of the campaign to the next.  The first will likely involve a meeting of the campaign team and key management people. The second will be a major public event and the third will be a wrap-up, celebration event.