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CAMPAIGN STRATEGY STUDY

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Go Beyond A feasibility Study and Gain Insights With a Campaign strategy Study

More than a Fundraising Feasibility Study

Your want practical information from your “feasibility study” to make informed and strategic campaign decisions for your nonprofit. For this reason, the fundraising consultants at Alexander Haas designed the Campaign Strategy Study. We have moved beyond the old fundraising feasibility study model and created a six-phased process that evaluates your nonprofit’s readiness — externally and internally — to conduct a campaign successfully, offering comprehensive fundraising counseling along the way.

The Campaign Strategy Study was developed to expand on the traditional “feasibility study” to ensure that a nonprofit organization is prepared to execute a campaign at the highest possible level successfully. The study not only considers the likely contributions from your top donors but also assesses the giving capacity of your entire constituency base through our Constituency Capacity Analysis.

In addition, we conduct a web-based survey to gather feedback from a broader cross-section of your stakeholders to market the campaign and give us an element of “interest and buy-in” that we can overlay on the Capacity Analysis. The Alexander Haas Strategy Study goes beyond simply determining if a campaign is “feasible.” We provide strategies and specific actions to be implemented for a successful campaign that will become a memorable experience for your nonprofit’s volunteers, staff, and donors.

The main characteristics that differentiate our Campaign Strategy Study from a traditional fundraising feasibility study are:

  • The report emphasizes providing concrete and specific recommendations for action so that the campaign can get underway with positive early momentum.
 
  • Our Constituency Capacity Analysis allows us to understand the true makeup of your donor pyramid so that we recommend a campaign strategy that is specific to your donor pool.
 
  • The Internal Readiness Assessment evaluates the readiness of your staff, systems and process to undertake a successful campaign.
 
  • Our focus is on transparency with your donors. Alexander Haas does not position the study interviews as confidential. We have often found that counsel conducts these types of interviews under the promise of confidentiality, only to violate that promise by either overtly or covertly sharing the content of the conversation. We don’t feel that your donors should be treated in this way. Therefore, we are clear with interviewees from the onset that we are collecting information, which we may share directly with our client, as appropriate so that sound decisions can be made. We believe our credibility and yours are at stake in how information is gathered and used.

A Six-Phased Process​

There are six phases of the Campaign Strategy Study, all of which are equally important in determining how prepared your institution is to launch a campaign.

  • Phase I
    Determining Internal Campaign Readiness
 
  • Phase II
    Developing the Case Summary/Campaign Prospectus
 
  • Phase III
    Engaging Your Volunteers in the Campaign Strategy Study
 
  • Phase IV
    Discussions with Your Prospects: The Study Interviews and Web-based Survey
 
  • Phase V
    Assessing Your Constituency: Constituency Capacity Analysis
 
  • Phase VI
    Results: Recommendations for Action to Undertake the Campaign
 

What Will Be The Focus Of The Study?

The Campaign Strategy Study will focus on the following three major areas, which are fundamental to the success of any campaign:

Case for Support

  • What will be the most compelling components of the campaign?
  • What are the needs? Are the financial objectives commensurate with those needs?
  • How will the campaign enable your institution to better serve your constituency?
  • What will be the most persuasive presentation?

Leadership

  • Are volunteer leaders sufficiently committed to leading the way in attracting funds — both by example and by enlisting the help of volunteers?
  • Which individuals are best qualified to undertake specific campaign leadership responsibilities?
  • Is top leadership available?
  • How are they to be recruited?

Financial Support

  • What are the major sources of philanthropic funds — individuals, foundations, corporations — for the campaign?
 
  • Are there sources for a challenge gift?
 
  • What approximate amount of funds can be raised from the top ten prospects?
 
  • What is the giving potential of your constituency, and how engaged are they with your organization and the campaign objectives?
 
  • What is the highest achievable goal, and how do you get there?
 
  • Most importantly, what are your immediate, specific next steps?
 

How Long Will The Process Take?​

The Campaign Strategy Study process generally requires 10 to 16 weeks, depending upon the following factors:

  • How much information the organization has already gathered about the objectives of the campaign and the associated costs that will form the basis of the case summary (campaign prospectus).
 
  • How many interviews are to be conducted, and what is the availability of those interviewees.
 

Benchmarks For Success​

The Alexander Haas Campaign Strategy Study is an outside, objective analysis that reveals facts, attitudes and perceptions that may not be readily available to those within the institution. The Study will provide an overview of the feedback we receive from interviewees and identify the top projected gifts. We will also offer a range-of-gifts table for the campaign balance rooted in your donor base’s giving capacity. 

Our report will provide recommendations and critical information to help you make important decisions and strategize effectively for a campaign — to determine the goals, presentation of the case, schedule, organization, leadership and, most importantly, outline a specific plan of action.

All of our Studies are conducted by our highly experienced Partners and are subjected to the rigors of peer review by fellow Alexander Haas Partners. This ensures each Study meets our high standards. In addition, you receive a financial analysis of the goal that is recommended, based on actual potential gifts — not our “gut feeling.” This analysis includes specific identification of the top ten gift possibilities and constitutes the basis for the recommended goal.    

What Are Campaign Strategy Studies?

These Studies are called “campaign strategy studies” for a reason — they provide you with a strategy to initiate the campaign, not just an opinion on the “feasibility” of undertaking a campaign. Because we conduct our interviews with your donors openly and honestly, we are free to share with you the facts as to how and why we came to our conclusions and recommendations.

How Can Our Fundraising Consultants Help You?

Contact Alexander Haas today to learn how we can help your organization meets its fundraising and capital goals.

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