Posts by Amy Eisenstein
Pledges: The Secret Sauce for Capital Campaign Success
The success of a capital campaign relies heavily on the ability to request, secure, and collect pledges from donors. Multi-year pledges are the secret sauce for capital campaign fundraising because they provide a sense...
Train Board and Staff for a Capital Campaign (But Don’t Call it Training!)
One of the key aspects of a successful capital campaign is how you train your board and staff members. Most people haven’t experienced a capital campaign. If they have, they’ve been part of one aspect or another, but...
4 Time Management Tips to Best Optimize Your Capital Campaign
There’s one universal thing we never seem to have enough of... time. Nonprofit leaders are especially strapped for time because they are generally understaffed. In “normal” times, development professionals and...
3 Reasons to Start a Capital Campaign During Uncertain Times
The last few years have been challenging, to say the least. Between COVID, the economy, and politics, there’s a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. You may also have had challenges within your organization like leadership...
How To Use Your Campaign to Become a More Powerful Fundraiser
If you’re considering a capital campaign, it’s inevitable that you’re going to need to discuss money with your donors at one point or another. Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned and socialized to believe speaking...
Sometimes Words Aren’t Enough: An Expression of Our Appreciation
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s likely you’ve got gratitude on your mind. One question I’ve been struggling with is how to express my sincere thanks to YOU in a meaningful and authentic way during the...
Overcoming Your Fear of a Big, Scary Capital Campaign
If you’re considering a capital campaign, it means you have a big, hairy, audacious goal (BHAG) looming -- or at least you should. If your goal is relatively easy to achieve and it doesn’t scare you, it’s time for you...
Why You Need a Big, Bold Vision to Fuel Your Campaign’s Impact
To have a successful campaign, you need literal and figurative buy-in from donors and supporters. And to get buy-in from donors, you’ll need a BIG, bold vision. During a campaign, you’ll ask donors to consider giving...
Overcoming Capital Campaign Obstacles with Grit and Wit
Capital Campaigns are not for the faint of heart. However, anyone who completes a campaign will tell you they are well worth the stress and aggravation. In other words, the pros outweigh the cons. Of course, you know a...