Requirements of a Successful Campaign• Compelling Needs and a Credible Plan

-What is the community need that the organization is seeking to fill through this project?-Why has the organization elected to undertake this project?-How does the organization plan to carry out the project?-Who is going to make it happen?-When will it happen?The answers to the above questions form the nucleus for the case for support

• Strong Case for Support• A realistic goal

The right goal stretches an organization beyond what is easily accomplished yet it is agoal that is achievable!

• Previous Fund-raising successCampaigns depend on well-defined annual giving programs to help identify campaignprospects and volunteers

• Sufficient number of Qualified ProspectsQualified prospect are those who either are already donors to the organization, have areason to give to the organization, or are part of the community leadership base that isknown for giving to campaigns of similar organizations.A generally accepted campaign rule states that the top ten prospects will produce eightyto ninety percent of the gifts, with the remainder comingfrom a considerably largergroup of donors of relatively small gifts.

• Strong staff support and resourceA campaign director will need an adequate budget for promotional materials, cultivationactivities, and campaign events. "Spend money to make money. "

• Full and early commitment by the boardA committed board is critical to a campaign's success.Beyond the dollar value, there is a symbolic value in board gifts as well. Other donorslook to see whether the board wholeheartedly supports the campaign.

• Effective volunteer leadershipCampaigns are made or broken by the quality of their volunteer leadership.At least some of the volunteers in leadership positions must have stature in thecommunity, the ability to make a lead gift, and a willingness to follow through on theirjobs.

• Clear campaign organization• Clear campaign policies• Realistic timetable• Identification and early solicitation of Major Gift Prospects

The success of most campaigns is determined by the top ten gifts. And successfulcampaign keep their focus on those gifts from the beginning. Not only are these top tendonor extremely important because of the gifts they can make but also because they areusually the people who have the clout, commitment and ability to solicit the nextfiftygifts.

• Written proposals suggesting specific requests• Personal solicitations by trained volunteers• "top-down, inside-out" Order of Solicitation