Campaign Gift Models: Perfunctory and Under-Utilized?
Campaign Gift Models are generally perfunctory exercises and under-utilized tools in both planning and evaluating major fundraising campaigns.
In my experience, when thoughtfully developed and periodically reviewed a Campaign Gift Model, as illustrated below, can be a valued tool in determining:
- Prospective Donors: Number of prospects required as compared to prospects identified to date within specified gift ranges.
- Campaign Feasibility: Preliminary assessment of campaign feasibility based on projected dollars from prospects identified to date.
- Campaign Phasing: Sequential phasing of campaign based on number of prospects required to meet sequential dollar goal objectives, e.g. silent, leadership, major and general gift solicitation phases.
- Campaign Materials: Number and nature of printed materials and visual presentations required during each phase of the campaign based on number of prospects required to be engaged.
- Campaign Volunteers Needed: Number and capability of volunteers to engage in personal contact with prospects required in each phase of the campaign.
- "Naming" Opportunities: Specific opportunities, based on donors required within indicated gift ranges, to "name" major facilities and features of project(s) to be funded through the campaign.
- Campaign Honor Roll: Categories of donors to be honored within selected gift ranges at the conclusion of the campaign.
- Campaign Staff and Budget: Assigning staff and allocating budgeted resources to each campaign phase based on reasonable expectations for cost/result fundraising effectiveness.
- Campaign Mid-Course Evaluations: Possible mid-course corrections in fundraising strategy and/or tactics when results to date are compared with the initial Campaign Gift Model projections.
| 10 MILLION CAMPAIGN GIFT MODEL | CURRENT PROSPECTS | |||||
| GIFT RANGES | DONORS REQUIRED | PROSPECTS REQUIRED | DOLLARS | PROSPECTS IDENTIFIED | PROJECTED DOLLARS | |
| $2 million + | 1 | 2 | $2,000,000 | |||
| $1 million + | 2 | 4 | $2,000,000 | |||
| $500,000 + | 2 | 4 | $1,000,000 | |||
| $250,000 + | 4 | 8 | $1,000,000 | |||
| $100,000 + | 10 | 30 | $1,000,000 | |||
| $50,000 + | 20 | 60 | $1,000,000 | |||
| $25,000 + | 40 | 120 | $1,000,000 | |||
| $10,000 + | 50 | 150 | $500,000 | |||
| Less than $10,000 | many | many | $500,000 | |||
| Total | 129+ | 378+ | $10,000000 | |||
Phone: (310) 247–0963 |
This article has been authored by Gary W. Phillips and must not be reproduced, in whole or in part, or otherwise distributed without prior written approval to do so. 05/09
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