A Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising
How to Raise Game-Changing Money for Your Nonprofit
By Amy Eisenstein, ACFRE and Sarah Plimpton
Leading a nonprofit through a capital campaign can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re expected to raise more money than ever before without a clear roadmap for success.
Nonprofit CEOs, development directors, and board members often try to piece things together on their own with generic fundraising guides or by turning to peers (or AI) for advice. Yet uncertainty remains around setting the wrong goal, losing momentum, or falling short in very public ways.
A Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising removes the fear by explaining step by step how successful capital campaigns actually work. This book offers a clear, practical framework for nonprofit capital campaign planning, board fundraising, and major gift fundraising — without relying on jargon, hype, or outdated myths.
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The book launches June 25th!
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About the Book
Amy Eisenstein and Sarah Plimpton, nationally recognized experts in nonprofit fundraising and capital campaigns, bring their insight and expertise to help organizations raise game-changing money with confidence, structure, and shared understanding.
You’ll learn how to:
- Set realistic capital campaign goals and fundraising plans based on donor capacity, not guesswork
- Define clear roles for nonprofit board members so fundraising feels less scary and even enjoyable
- Identify and cultivate the right major donors for your campaign without falling into the trap of costly events or broad appeals
- Ask for large gifts with confidence—without pressuring friends, family, or fellow board members
- Avoid common capital campaign mistakes that stall progress and drain energy
This is the only fundraising guide written specifically for nonprofit board members planning a capital campaign. By the end, you’ll understand the campaign process as well as how to align your board and move forward with confidence.
If your organization is considering a capital campaign, this book belongs in every board member’s hands.
About the Authors
AMY EISENSTEIN
Amy Eisenstein is the CEO and co-founder of Capital Campaign Pro and a nationally recognized expert in nonprofit fundraising and capital campaigns. An ACFRE and AFP Distinguished Fellow, she has over 20 years of experience as a development leader, consultant, author, and speaker. Amy helps nonprofit boards and leaders raise major gifts with clarity and confidence.
SARAH PLIMPTON
Sarah Plimpton is Vice President and Chief Happiness Officer at Capital Campaign Pro and a trusted expert in capital campaign fundraising. She has led countless campaigns for education, healthcare, and conservation organizations. Sarah lives in Portland, Maine, with her husband and two daughters and helps nonprofit boards lead campaigns with clarity and confidence.
How to Get Your Copy
Available June 25th on Amazon for individual copies. Bulk orders for boards, clients, conferences, and training programs available are directly through Capital Campaign Pro.
ONE COPY
Pre-order or buy on Amazon
MULTIPLE COPIES
Place a bulk order (10+ copies)
What Nonprofit Leaders Are Saying…
“If an organization is serious about engaging its board as active partners in fundraising, this guide is one of the best resources available. It empowers board members to move from uncertainty and apprehension to understanding and action—and that can make all the difference in the success of a campaign.”
BIRGIT SMITH BURTON, Founder & CEO, African American Development Officers Network (AADO)
“After serving on countless nonprofit boards and capital campaign committees, I can say with confidence: this book is long overdue. Board members are often asked to help raise transformational gifts, yet few are ever taught how capital campaigns really work. Amy Eisenstein and Sarah Plimpton have filled that gap with a practical, engaging guide that demystifies the process and equips board members to make a real difference. If you’re serving on a campaign committee — or thinking about launching a campaign — read this book.”
JAY LOVE, Co-Founder, Bloomerang & eTapestry
“Extremely readable, practical and actionable. I will be buying multiple copies to give to the EDs of organizations I serve on the boards of. Based on my 50-odd years of fundraising, and at least six capital campaigns that I can recall, this has a LOT of good advice, and not just for first-timers. I am really impressed.”
PAUL BURMEISTER, board member
Common Questions Board Members Ask
Who should read A Board Member’s Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising?
Nonprofit board members, board chairs, CEOs, executive directors, and development directors who are planning a capital campaign or who want to be better prepared for one in the future. The book is designed to be shared across an entire board, leadership team, or staff.
How is this book different from other fundraising books for board members?
Most fundraising books are written for development professionals. This one is written for board members: the people who lead campaigns but rarely get a guide built for them. It replaces fear and confusion with a clear, practical roadmap, in language designed to be shared with an entire board.
What will board members learn from this book that they can apply immediately?
How to set a realistic campaign goal, clarify board roles, identify and cultivate major donors, ask for large gifts with confidence, and avoid the mistakes that derail campaigns. Each chapter is built around practical takeaways your board can act on at its next meeting.
What does a board member actually do during a capital campaign?
Board members play a strategic and supportive role in capital campaigns: setting the vision, opening doors to major donors, making a personal leadership gift, and helping cultivate and steward key relationships. The day-to-day execution lives with staff and consultants; the campaign’s credibility and success depend on the board’s leadership.
Do board members have to give money to their organization’s capital campaign?
Yes. One of the most important signals to outside donors is 100% board giving at a level meaningful to each member. The amount matters less than the participation. A unanimous board gift demonstrates that those closest to the organization believe in it enough to invest.
How can board members help raise money if they can’t make a major gift themselves?
Board members can open doors, make introductions, host cultivation events, write personal thank-you notes, share their own story about why they give, and accompany staff on solicitation visits. Money is not the only currency in fundraising. Relationships and credibility are equally valuable.
What’s the difference between a board member’s role and the staff’s role in a campaign?
Development staff manage the daily operations of the campaign: prospect research, gift tracking, donor communications, and event logistics. Board members lend their relationships, time, and personal financial commitment. Both roles are essential; neither substitutes for the other.
