Should We Do A Capital Campaign Now?

 "We have a compelling need , we have an exciting vision, and we have a great church community. How can we put it all together to raise the funds we need for our building?" This is a common question for churches of all sizes 75 - 7,500--that want to raise funds to:

	Renovate an existing facility
	Purchase or build a new facility
	Pay off existing debt

From the initial planning to commitment Sunday, a campaign will take four to five months.  An additional month will then be needed to follow up with those who have not made a commitment, and set up a process for ongoing monitoring of the actual payment of commitments.  If you add a planned giving component to the campaign, you will need an extra month to six weeks.

the church

development foundation

3 West 63rd Street,
Kansas City, MO 64113
(816) 333-8111
or
toll free 800-443-2413

email: info@tcdf.org

A successful capital campaign neither begins nor ends with pledges from your members.  Planning for a capital campaign needs to begin six to 12 months before you ask your members for a commitment.
 

Long-Range Planning & Visioning

The questions you and your congregation will want to answer in this component are:  Where would you like your church to be in 5, 10 and 20 years?  What programs or ministries do you the congregation want to offer?  What are the desirability of and the potential of attracting new members and keeping them?  What is your mission within the community you serve?  This is the basis for the financial forecast and building plans.

Forecast

This analysis will help you determine the possible dollar goal of your current and future capital campaigns.  Components of the equation include the church's giving history, current annual giving, growth rate, potential growth rate, potential growth, current debt and past capital campaigns.  The financial forecast will lay the groundwork for the facilities master plan and the feasibility study.  It cannot, however, replace an in-depth feasibility study.

Master Plan for Construction

This is the point at which you develop a master plan based on Steps 1 and 2.  Working with an architect or contractor, you will be able to estimate square footage, type of construction and site development costs if you are building new.  If renovating, a contractor can help you estimate the cost.  This will also suggest whether you need to conduct the project in phases, borrow money or plan a series of capital campaigns.

Fundraising Feasibility Study

Through interviews and surveys your members will give you feedback on the conclusions established in Steps 1-3.  The feasibility study also helps determine the congregation's level of commitment and helps uncover any dissatisfaction with the process.  The study will also identify members of your congregation who are willing to volunteer for a campaign committee.

Capital Campaign

The actual campaign follows the 5-12 months of preparation time in the above steps.  A process that emphasizes prayer, involvement, and communication is the most productive.  The feasibility study and the campaign will take about 4-6 months.  Involving the congregation in a variety of activities prior to asking for a financial gift is essential to building trust, obtaining a commitment to the project and generating gifts.

Follow up

In the end, a capital campaign will succeed only with good follow up.  This includes acknowledgement of participation and inviting non-participants and new members to make a pledge.  It also requires sending statements and reminders to those who make a commitment.