Campaign Leadership: The Surprising Truth About Capital Campaign Chairs

For decades, conventional fundraising wisdom has told nonprofits that every capital campaign needs a prominent, well-connected campaign chair.

But the latest research tells a different story.

According to our 2026 Capital Campaign Benchmark Report, only 61% of organizations use volunteer campaign chairs. That percentage has declined in each of the three years we have conducted the research.

At the same time, the campaigns represented in the study report remarkably strong results:

• 95% campaign success rate
• 110% average goal attainment

In other words, many organizations are exceeding their campaign goals without a traditional campaign chair. The role appears not to be as necessary as many might believe. However, that does not mean campaign chairs are ineffective or obsolete. A strong campaign chair can lend credibility, open doors, make introductions, solicit gifts, and inspire other volunteers.

But a campaign chair is not mandatory.

You Need Campaign Leadership, Not Necessarily a Campaign Chair

In their new book, A Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising: How to Raise Game-Changing Money for Your Nonprofit, Amy Eisenstein and Sarah Plimpton address this issue directly.

Chapter 8, “Who Should Chair Our Capital Campaign?” begins by identifying several common myths, including:

“You cannot start your campaign without a chair.”

Amy and Sarah make their position clear:

“You need campaign volunteers, but you do not need a campaign chair.”

That distinction matters.

Every successful campaign needs leadership. It needs people who are committed to the vision, willing to make meaningful gifts, able to introduce others to the campaign, and prepared to help solicit support.

But all of those responsibilities do not have to rest on the shoulders of one person. The goal is not to fill a particular title. It is to build the volunteer leadership structure your campaign needs.

The Wrong Campaign Chair Can Do More Harm Than Good

Some organizations become so committed to the idea of having a chair that they recruit the first person willing to accept the title. Others assume the chair should automatically be the wealthiest board member, the largest donor, the most enthusiastic volunteer, or the person with the most time available.

Those are not necessarily the qualities that make someone an effective campaign leader.

A good campaign chair should be respected, reliable, collaborative, generous, and willing to follow sound campaign practices. Ideally, that person can use their relationships to benefit the campaign and is comfortable encouraging others to give.

When that person does not exist, leaving the position vacant may be the wiser choice. As Amy and Sarah explain in the book:

“Many campaigns succeed without a formal chair in place. In fact, it’s far better to move forward without a chair than to appoint someone who isn’t the right fit.”

The wrong chair can slow decisions, discourage staff, create tension among volunteers, and make it more difficult to recruit other leaders. No chair is better than a chair who cannot or will not do the job.

Consider a Capital Campaign Leadership Team Instead

If one person does not have all the necessary attributes, divide the responsibilities among several people.

Campaign Leadership Team Composition

A capital campaign leadership team might include:

• Two or three co-chairs
• A lead gifts chair
• A board campaign chair
• An alumni or constituent chair
• A quiet phase chair
• A public phase chair
• A campaign kickoff chair
• One or more honorary chairs
• Members of a campaign steering committee

This structure allows each volunteer to contribute according to their strengths, interests, relationships, and availability.

One person may have strong community connections but little time for meetings. Another may be comfortable asking for gifts but prefer to remain out of the public spotlight. A third may excel at organizing volunteers and keeping assignments moving.

Together, they can provide stronger leadership than any one person could offer alone.

A team structure may also make campaign leadership easier to recruit. Asking someone to chair a multiyear campaign can feel overwhelming. Asking that same person to lead a defined portion of the campaign, with clear responsibilities and a realistic time commitment, may receive a much warmer response.

Honorary Chairs Can Add Credibility Without Managing the Campaign

An honorary chair can be useful when a respected community leader supports the campaign but cannot commit to its day-to-day work.

The honorary chair’s name can lend credibility, attract attention, and help open doors. The person might speak at important events, make select introductions, or participate in a few key solicitations.

Meanwhile, active campaign volunteers and staff handle meetings, assignments, communications, and campaign progress. This arrangement gives the campaign the benefit of a prominent association without placing unrealistic expectations on the honorary chair.

Let Your Feasibility Study Surface Potential Leaders

You do not need to identify a chair before beginning campaign planning. In fact, recruiting someone too early may prevent you from finding a better candidate later.

The feasibility study offers an excellent opportunity to identify potential campaign leaders. Ask interview participants whom they respect, who might open doors, and who they believe could help lead the campaign.

The same names may come up repeatedly. You may also hear the name of someone you had never considered.

Use the early stages of your campaign to create meaningful volunteer opportunities. Pay attention to who attends meetings, follows through on assignments, works well with others, and demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for the campaign vision.

Your leadership structure can develop over time.

Build the Leadership Structure That Fits Your Campaign

A traditional campaign chair can be a tremendous asset, but the role is not mandatory for every campaign. Some organizations succeed with co-chairs, a broader volunteer leadership team, or several people responsible for distinct parts of the campaign. In some cases, staff and board leaders may decide that assigning a formal campaign chair would add little value.

The findings from Capital Campaign Pro’s 2026 benchmark research reinforce this point. Campaign chairs are becoming less common, while campaign success and goal attainment remain exceptionally high.

Stop asking, “Who can we convince to chair our campaign?”

Start asking, “What kind of volunteer leadership will help this campaign succeed?”

The answer may be one exceptional chair. It may be a pair of co-chairs, an honorary chair supported by active volunteers, or a leadership team with responsibilities shared across several people. Choose the structure that serves your campaign, your volunteers, and your organization best.