“Understanding and utilizing the concept of a capital campaign allowed our church to move our goals from a dream to a reality.” BRYAN Parkey

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How does a Capital Campaign work?
A. The Consultant meets with the pastor and church board. The Campaign Project is decided upon. This may be a remodeling project, building a new church, purchasing land or retiring debt. A Campaign Goal is decided (typically between $200,000 and $2 million.) The pastor and board decides whether a Feasibility Study is needed and if so, it is scheduled. Then the Campaign is scheduled. After the Campaign is launched, four-months of intensive activities begin with the appointment of teams. These teams include the Campaign Coordinators, Awareness Team, Prayer Team, Youth Team, Continuation Team, Secretary/Treasurer, Education Team, Literature Team, Transportation Team and others. At the end of four months the commitment service takes place. At this point, each member of the church makes a financial commitment to pledge an amount each month for the next three years. This amount is over and above the regular tithe and offerings. At this point, the Campaign Goal should be met and shortly the three-year period starts. As the funds begin to come in, they are available to use on the Campaign Project.
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Q. Why should we ask Master Plan Services to help us?
A. Master Plan Services has assisted churches to successfully meet their special fund-raising needs. Through our work we have gained an appreciation of how to approach a variety of challenges development needs of different churches. The Consultants of Master Plan Services understand fund-raising concepts as they are supported by Biblical instruction. This combination of fund-raising expertise with Biblically based knowledge provides a leader for your fund-raising program usually not found in most Christian organizations. Some pastors think you can use some other church's materials or buy a Campaign program and conduct the Campaign themselves.  It rarely works.  Church stewardship Campaigns are very personal - you can't buy "your Campaign" pre-packaged - it has to be written for you and your people.  Generic Campaigns do not inspire.  And if you purchased it only to give you ideas, then you have the situation where the pastor has to spend large quantities of time using the guide to develop a Campaign program -- and if the pastor has never done that before, how good is he likely to be in developing such programs.
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Q. What are the advantages of a Professional Consultant?
A. With a Consultant, you have an unbiased professional assessment as to your fundraising potential, enabling you to set a challenging, yet realistic goal. You will realize much more money because of your access to professional advice and techniques. A Consultant gives you security, making you more confident in your ability to carry out a successful Campaign. Use a professional to help you design the most effective Campaign materials and to negotiate reasonable and cost effective prices. A Consultant knows the hundreds of things that must be done in a successful Campaign, and how to prioritize these actions to create the most enthusiasm and build the most momentum. Using a Consultant for a fixed period of time, you put the entire organization on notice that you have a Campaign timetable, complete with specific action steps. For a very short time, you have professional help to enable you to achieve your goals. This greatly increases the motivation of volunteers and board members to act now, increasing your chances for success. Without this incentive to act immediately, Campaigns drag on and lose the sense of urgency, which is essential to a successful Campaign.
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Q. Why can't we do our own in-house Capital Campaign?
A. Campaigns using professional Consultants will raise 50 to 67% more funds.  Just as you are a pastor and others in your congregation are plumbers, bankers and doctors -- a church stewardship Consultant knows how to do Campaigns. The Consultant is in the trenches with you and knows your congregation - thus he makes recommendations based on current knowledge and experience.
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Q. The cost of a professional Consultant increases our fundraising costs. Will that turn our members off?
A. Perhaps some people will be disappointed, but if you are honest with them, and the costs are reasonable, most people will understand. In fact, the net amount raised should be higher with a Consultant, making the cost per dollar raised (which is the most important factor) lower with your Consultant than without. And, there is nothing more costly for a non-profit organization than a failed Campaign.
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Q. Will the Consultant do an effective job? What if we fail?
A. While success is never guaranteed, it is much more likely if a professional Consultant is involved. Even the most highly talented and well-trained musicians make more beautiful music when under the direction of a competent conductor. If your constituents do not care about your organization or if the board is unwilling to make the Campaign a priority, you will likely struggle whether your Consultant is involved or not. Your Consultant has a contractual obligation to give you competent direction-otherwise you are not required to pay the fee.
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Q. Will paid professionals push too hard, alienating our church members?
A. This is a good question, but it is highly unlikely. Ethical considerations in the fundraising consulting industry long ago made working on a contingency or percentage basis unethical. Your Consultant has no incentive (financial or otherwise) to risk antagonizing church members or potential donors by pushing too hard. While your Consultant wants to motivate all parties to work toward success, they do not want to "bite the hand that feeds them," so to speak.
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Q. Will this Campaign require a large amount of the pastor's time? How will we find the time to show Consultant everything and to teach them about the church?
A. No! If the pastor and team members are willing to give the Campaign a few hours per week, on average, that will be more than enough time. And, with regard to spending time training the Consultant, relax. Our Consultants are quick to study a church to learn what we need to know. What they cannot learn from reading your marketing and internal material, they will learn from talking to management and board members and asking questions. They will not need you to "hold their hands." In fact, we expect that they will be holding your hands very quickly and offering you advice.
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Q. What is the role of the Pastor in a Capital Campaign?
A. While the pastor is the spiritual leader of the flock, he should not be expected to be consumed with all the details of the Campaign. However, the Campaign's success depends on his enthusiasm, his grasp of the dynamics, his strong leadership, example and encouragement to the Campaign teams. During the four-month period, he should be free and available to work closely with the teams and attend every weekly meeting and show strong support from the pulpit. He will preach sermons on stewardship and promote the theme of the Campaign. His attitude and involvement can make or break the Campaign.
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Q. Are all Campaigns the same for each church?
A. No. Because of the unique nature each congregation, the Campaign plan must vary from church to church including such things as the number of committees, the method of solicitation, how to set a goal, newsletter format, literature, video, sermons, how to incorporate the youth, etc.
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Q. Why should we pay someone else?
A. Penny-wise/Pound-foolish -- would you rather spend a little and raise $500,000 or spend $40,000 and raise $750,000 to $900,000?  Obviously, the numbers differ, but the concept holds true.
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Q. Is there a best time of the year to initiate a special fund-raising effort?
A. The best time is when the need exists to increase current support or to expand your ministry via a Capital Campaign. No one particular time of the year is better or worse to initiate such efforts.
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Q. How much can we expect to raise in a Capital Campaign?
A. If a Feasibility Study is not conducted, goals should be set in accordance with figures that have proven to be valid over time. There are considerations that a church must face when looking at the "how much" question. This includes the size of congregation, size of annual budget, number of family units, amount of existing debt, quality of leadership, experience in stewardship Campaigns, and what is the project? There are no guarantees, but if all ingredients in the Campaign work together, a church Capital Campaign should realize:
Debt Retirement or Renovation
Goal 1.5 - 1.8 times the annual budget
Expansion, New Construction
Goal 1.9 -3.0 times the annual budget
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Q. Will I need to have a Feasibility Study first?
A. Often a feasibility study needs to be conducted prior to a Campaign.  The study must be objective and confidential and that requires a professional outside Consultant.
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Q. Will our Campaign include an Estate Planing Seminar?
A. Yes. The optional Estate Planing Seminar is scheduled on one weekend during the four-month Campaign.
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Q. What is the role of Master Plan Services during Follow-up?
A. Follow-up is a major reason for success or failure in commitments being fulfilled.  A Consultant makes sure you stay on track to get the commitments collected and to introduce the Campaign to new people.
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Do you have a question we haven't answered here? Feel free to let us know, and we'll do our best to help you.