FAQs

How do we know if our organization is in a strong position to launch a capital campaign?

David Mallison recommends that this important decision must be based on several positions: An organization must have a case for support and table of needs that grows from a recent strategic plan. In addition, the case for support and table of needs are usually tested through a feasibility study to ensure that the campaign is successful with leadership support and volunteer participation. Finally, an organization’s development (or advancement) office must be professionally staffed with strong infrastructure systems and deep preparation. With these building blocks in place, a Board will have the right kind of information (1) to consider launching a capital campaign and (2) to ensure its successful completion. David Mallison’s counsel usually begins at the early assessment and strategic planning stages, which often lead to his conducting a feasibility study.

Do we really need a strategic plan?

By far, a strategic plan is the best way for a nonprofit organization to document and articulate its needs and set a course for the future. Many Boards make the mistake of hastily creating a strategic plan, thereby obviating the crucial opportunity for representatives from all constituencies to participate in the planning process. Strategic planning must include reflection on the organization’s mission and vision, analysis of its finances and resources toward sustainability, definition of program and facility strengths and future needs, and agreement upon prioritized goals and a timeline to achieve them. Once completed, the strategic plan does not languish on a shelf; instead, it becomes a vital action plan for the future.

Is a feasibility study necessary?

Nonprofit organizations often face the decision to retain fund raising counsel to conduct a feasibility study. With a strategic plan completed and approved by the Board, its goals for growth opportunities and sustainability must be shared and reviewed in confidence by key volunteers, especially those with the capacity to support them. These goals usually take the form of a new (or increased) endowment, purchase/renovation of real estate, a building, or spaces, and expanded programs. Sometimes a combination with other needs is recommended. All will require fund raising, volunteer involvement, and staff working at deeper and more sophisticated levels.

At the same time, many organizations recognize that their family of active supporters may be too small in number or, while the donor base is growing, the promise of leadership giving is unfulfilled. Potential major gift donors representing new constituency support may be willing to help but await leadership and a plan. An institution’s own development and support staff — and often its Board — may be limited in size, experience, and direction to deliver new donors, much less meet a capital fund drive’s increased responsibilities.

At this stage, fund raising counsel and a feasibility study are a crucial strategy. David Mallison personally conducts all feasibility study interviews (a range of 30 to 65 interviews depending on the organization’s size and needs). Interviews are face-to-face, and confidential. 

Do we really need a consultant?

The right time for a Board or executive management to consider retaining fund raising counsel will depend on many factors. Whether there is a need to build internal fund raising strength, seek institutional growth, or achieve financial sustainability, outside counsel may ensure that these goals are met. While there are examples of organizations involved in these three areas that do not retain counsel, the majority of successful projects and campaigns seek outside help. To answer the question from another perspective, David Mallison regularly receives calls from organizations that forged ahead in a fund drive without counsel, only to discover that its goal cannot be achieved. In some of these cases, he can help restart the effort. In most cases, he could have helped the organization build and position its campaign for success from its earliest planning stage. 

We cannot afford a consulting firm that offers resident counsel, yet we want to have a capital campaign.

In 1991, David Mallison began his consulting business after recognizing that resident counsel (when a large consulting firm places a full-time campaign manager in an organization’s development office to manage the entire campaign) is not cost effective. Apart from the extraordinary expense of paying for a full-time campaign manager plus an additional consulting fee for a period of 2-3 years, organizations watch this person leave the development office at the end of the campaign. In effect, all of the knowledge about the organization’s donors and the expertise in maintaining a sophisticated fund drive walks out of the door forever.

David Mallison developed a better strategy along with a more reasonable fee structure. Instead of installing resident counsel for a campaign, David Mallison helps an organization hire its own campaign staff and offers mentoring on a regular basis to ensure that they become accomplished professional fund raising officers.

Will you be the consultant with whom we actually work?

In every case, David Mallison will be your fund raising counsel. You will have the benefit of over two decades of successful fund raising experience at all levels from the perspectives of the Board, management, fund raising staff, and volunteers.