But think about this: This recession can be your biggest opportunity to raise the money you need.
"Are you out of your mind?" you think, as you choke on your coffee. No, actually not. It's logical. The biggest problem with capital campaigns is usually the preparation part. And what do you have right now? The time to do all the preliminary work—and it's a lot of work—for your campaign. And you know what else? Everyone is talking about fund raising right now—charitable giving and the pain of the recession is in the news and on everyone's mind.
You can bet your bottom dollar that when the recession eases up—and one certainty is that the economy will rebound—the time will be ripe for donors to give. According to a study cited in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 52% of donors actually plan to give the same amount this year as last year, and they are "prepared to make sacrifices to sustain their philanthropy." Will your school be in gear when you ask your donors for support?
Now is the time to take the following steps.
- Determine why you need the dollars—develop your case for support.
- Do your research—find out more about your potential future donors, so you won't be learning on the fly during the campaign.
- Find out what your donors care about and connect their goals to your school.
- Educate your donors about your school's needs, so they will be receptive when you ask for support later.
- Prepare your school community to understand your school's needs.
- Train your staff and volunteers now, when they have the time to focus, how to effectively "ask" later.
Pay attention to the structure of your campaign during this downturn. By getting the machinery of the campaign greased up now, you'll be way ahead of the game when the campaign is in full gear.
