Financial Sustainability case examples
Urban group discovers gifts to
jump start building campaign
Challenge:
Key fundraising volunteers were tired - they had just completed a large building campaign. Top donors didn't even want to talk about another project. But, another building was needed and a once in a generation partnership operation was on the horizon. Donors were concerned about who would pay for increased operating costs of a new building and expanded staff.
Outcome:
By designing the building campaign to include an endowment that would be secured first, before other gifts, resulted in invigorated donor confidence in the project. In advance of the fundraising for the building more than 168 bequest commitments valued at more than $8,000,000 in addition to one $1,000,000 bequest that the 90+ year old donor promised in writing. The campaign ultimately finished fundraising right on time.
client comments:
"Our thinking moved from an initial expectation that we would see some suggestions about increasing revenue to an understanding that we needed to do something bold and we needed to do it now." Chairman of the Board reflecting on work with Retriever Development Counsel, LLC
