Nonprofit Capital Campaign Readiness: 10 Questions to Ask

How do we know if our organization is ready for a capital campaign?

If your nonprofit has asked this question, you’re not alone. Capital campaigns are major undertakings, and nonprofits want to ensure they’re ready before they get too deep into planning. 

However, the desire to be ready can also lead to paralysis, resulting in nonprofits never seeing their goals come to fruition. To cut out the ambiguity and get your nonprofit moving in the right direction, this guide will explore 10 questions nonprofits should ask to assess their capital campaign readiness. 

1. What will your campaign raise money for, and why does it matter to anyone outside your organization?

Capital campaigns aren’t like regular annual fundraising drives. These campaigns are meant for specific, large-scale projects that your usual fundraising revenue can’t easily cover. For instance, you might plan to launch a new mission-driven project or construct a new facility. 

To decide if a capital campaign is the right move for your nonprofit, ask these questions about your goal:

• Can our typical annual funding cover this expense?
• Will this project have a major impact on our mission?
• Is there a specific reason why we need to raise funding for this project now?

The project you intend to fund should be a major undertaking that will significantly impact your nonprofit and must be completed as soon as possible. 

Additionally, consider why others outside your organization should care about your project. After all, to earn donations, you’ll need to put together a compelling case for support that explains what your project is, why it’s important, and how a capital campaign will help you achieve it. 

2. Do you have a functional donor database?

Capital campaigns rely on support from both major and small-dollar donors. As such, your donor database needs to be up to the task of helping you manage, reach out to, and research your supporters. 

Ensure your database has the following basic capabilities:

• The ability to create lists of major giving candidates
• Easy data entry
• Personalized and segmented communication 

Before your capital campaign, consider performing a tech audit to determine if your current tools are up for the task or if it’s time for an upgrade. 

3. Who are your major donors?

Our State of Capital Campaigns 2024-25 report found that the average capital campaign earns 70% of its funding from just the top 20 gifts. This means that major donors are vital to your campaign’s success. 

Before launching your campaign, have a good idea of where your major gifts will come from. While a few major donors might surprise you by being able to give more or less than expected, you should still have a minimum of 15 major gift candidates in mind. 

If you’re unsure who your major donors will be or lack the confidence that they’ll be willing to give, you should instead invest your efforts into building out your major giving program. 

4. Which of these major donors can make lead gifts?

Drilling down into specifics, you should be able to not just make a list of major donors but assess which of those supporters will provide your top three gifts. These initial contributions will fuel your campaign, inspire others to follow suit, and ensure you have a strong fundraising foundation. Your lead gift amounts will depend on your fundraising goal. Create a gift range chart that breaks down your goal into concrete giving tiers and the number of donors you need at each level. For instance, check out this example gift range chart for a capital campaign with a goal of $2,500,000:

When determining lead gifts, assess your relationships with major donors to make educated assumptions about how many of them would be willing to give and at what levels. Again, it’s always possible for your donors to surprise you, but you should have a few fairly concrete names in mind. If not, you can improve your readiness for future campaigns by shifting focus to improving your major giving program.

5. Can you identify potential campaign leaders and make a plan to enlist them?

Every campaign needs volunteer leadership. These leaders might come from your:

• Board, such as members who have connections to major giving candidates or who can help fund your campaign themselves
• Staff, such as your marketing team, major gift officers, and development team
• Community, such as volunteer coordinators and fundraisers during the public phase of your capital campaign

Prior to launching your campaign, assess whether your team has the necessary skills to run your capital campaign. If not, research training resources that can bring them up to speed, such as attending workshops, taking online courses, or working with a capital campaign advisor. 

6. Do you have experienced, capable staff?

No nonprofit can go from raising $100,000 per year to earning over $1 million without additional staff and resources. If your capital campaign goals require raising two, five, or ten times your normal annual funding, you will need new staff, resources, and fundraising infrastructure.

When setting your campaign budget, remember to factor in salaries and training costs for internal staff and consulting fees for external agencies. 

7. Do you have the necessary property secured?

If you need to buy land or are constructing a new building, secure the necessary property before your campaign’s official launch. Nonprofits may hesitate to make these investments ahead of their campaign due to worries about making investments that their upcoming fundraiser will need to cover. 

However, most donors won’t give to your campaign if you only have an idea about finding property. Ultimately, you need to believe enough in your campaign’s success to secure land before fully committing to a campaign.

If you do need funding to secure the right property, ask a few dedicated donors to support your initial purchase. Afterwards, you can head into campaign planning. If, for some reason, you decide not to move ahead, you can always sell the land.

8. Does your board fully agree with your vision for a capital campaign?

When taking on a project with the magnitude of a capital campaign, you need full support from your board. Engaged, committed boards can provide vital funding, help you build connections, and ensure your campaign has the backing it needs to succeed. 

After finalizing your capital campaign plan outline, your boardroom should be one of your first stops. Ensure your presentation covers the following:

• How your nonprofit will benefit from a capital campaign 
• Steps you’ve taken to confirm that your nonprofit has the necessary resources to launch a capital campaign 
• What your capital campaign needs from your board members to succeed (e.g., initial donations, help with outreach, etc.) 

This is an opportunity for your board to ask questions, clarify expectations, and ensure they will support your campaign as both donors and advocates. 

9. Do you have board members with access to potential campaign donors?

Major donations can come from a wide range of places, and your board is a key resource for identifying these giving candidates. As part of your capital campaign readiness assessment, have frank conversations with your board about their networks and ability to source major gifts. 

10. Is your board willing to be more active in fundraising than it is now?

Contrary to popular belief, wealthy boards aren’t necessary for a successful capital campaign. In fact, our 2024-25 capital campaign report found that, on average, board members only gave 15% of capital campaign funding. 

However, this doesn’t mean that boards shouldn’t contribute in other ways. Board members who actively help you identify major giving candidates and pitch your capital campaign can be instrumental in your success. Our report also found that board member involvement improved small nonprofits’ ability to hit their fundraising goals. 

You can encourage your board to take an active role in fundraising by:

• Setting clear expectations. When your board members know exactly what your campaign needs from them and how they’re expected to contribute, they’re far more likely to follow through. Write down your expectations and meet with your board to clarify their role in your campaign to prevent miscommunication. 
• Providing necessary tools and training. Provide them with the tools they need to succeed. When it comes to training, look for a capital campaign consultant who is willing to engage your board and give them actionable, practical tips for achieving your fundraising outcomes. 
• Play to your board members’ strengths. Instead of forcing everyone to complete the same handful of tasks, encourage your board to take on roles that match their strengths. For instance, one board member may be a great speaker, while another enjoys planning logistics. You would then find opportunities for your public speaker to pitch your cause to donors, while the planner could organize events. 

If you answered “yes” to the prior two questions, your board should be ready and willing to help you succeed. You just need to meet them where they’re at with the right resources and a strong fundraising plan. 

Assessing Your Capital Campaign Readiness Answers

If you answered “yes” to all of the above questions, you are well on your way to being ready for a capital campaign. However, if your answers were “no” or “we’re working on it,” don’t be discouraged. Use this checklist as a tool to find areas of improvement so when you do launch a capital campaign, you’ll be prepared. 

To get an even better understanding of your nonprofit’s capital campaign readiness, check out these top guides:

• Development Office Readiness Assessment »
• Board Readiness Assessment »
• Systems & Technology Readiness Assessment »