Whether you are building facilities, creating an endowment, or launching a new initiative or major gifts campaign, DRiWaterstone can help secure resources for immediate needs and lay the groundwork for future donations. The first step in any campaign is a feasibility study—a tool that assesses what your non-profit must do to be ready to launch a campaign; identifies a realistic campaign goal; and begins to cultivate donors. DRiWaterstone has conducted numerous feasibility studies that have helped non-profits better understand their donors and lay the groundwork for campaigns that deepened their engagement.
DRi’s experience working with Board members and donors on a wide range of projects is a critical advantage to our feasibility study clients. Our leaders conduct in-depth interviews with stakeholders, preparing and presenting a test case for support in order to identify potential campaign leaders, donors, and gift levels as well as any potential donor concerns. In cases where our study reveals a gap between a non-profit’s internal campaign goal and likely donor commitments, we work to understand what drives the gap and what steps will close it. In some cases, DRiWaterstone may recommend revisions to the case for support based on stakeholder feedback. In other cases, our study may reveal that a smaller initial campaign may help set the stage for a larger campaign to succeed later.
Our conversations with stakeholders do not just assess the prospects for a campaign; they are the first step in cultivating donors to make campaign gifts. By sharing the case for support and demonstrating the careful thinking and planning that is going into the campaign preparation, we increase donors’ motivation to give. Based on the information we collect, we also begin to develop solicitation strategies for individual donors.
As an executive search and development consulting firm, DRiWaterstone can make comprehensive recommendations about campaign staffing. Based on your resources and long-term plans, we may help you develop internal positions dedicated to major gift fundraising or may recommend campaign counsel to assist in the day-to-day execution and monitoring of the campaign’s progress.
If you are considering running a capital campaign in the next year, contact DRiWaterstone to conduct a feasibility study that lays the groundwork today.
