WHY INVEST IN A CAPITAL APPEAL CONSULTANT? WHY NOT DO IT OURSELVES?
A competent consultant has the time, the training, the talent, and the temperament to guide you toward success. The right consultant will not ‘cost you.’ Rather, he or she will normally help you raise significantly more than what you could by yourselves. The added return will far outweigh the investment of the consultant fees.
New Horizons’ focus is for your organization to be as successful as possible, helping your annual stewardship (and your endowment) to grow right along-side the capital ingathering. A good consultant will help you carefully orchestrate the entire appeal process so you do not ‘rob Peter to pay Paul.’
WHAT DOES AN EFFECTIVE APPEAL LOOK LIKE?
A good consultant will lead your appeal team and entire organization through the following SIX phases:
- Preparation: The very first task of a successful appeal is the writing of a COMPELLING CASE STATEMENT. This two or three-page document guides all appeal communications by answering questions such as: Why are we doing this appeal? How does it support our vision and mission? What are the goals and desired outcomes? Why should our members take us seriously? Why should this appeal rise to the top of our members’ generosity? Until there is a significant WOW and YES to the CASE STATEMENT, your organization is not ready to move forward. The second major task is conducting the Resource Assessment where your consultant personally interviews a cross-section of your congregation, including high capacity donors. These interviews yield a very clear read on your congregation’s willingness, readiness, and capacity levels to support your appeal. Following these listening sessions, the consultant presents A Report of Findings and Recommendations to your leadership team. At that time, your consultant indicates whether or not your initial goal is realistic. Third, good preparation also includes the training of 6-9 Leadership Teams. People do support what they help to create! Involving many of your people in meaningful appeal work will greatly enhance the outcomes. Your consultant personally conducts all the training sessions, thus relieving your pastor(s) and staff of an undue added workload.
- Information: An informed people are a generous people! Your consultant works with your Communications Team to develop strategies which allow your organization to effectively communicate some 5-9 unique ways. Your consultant is available to preach upon request.
- Inspiration: People make major decisions at the ‘heart level.’ Your consultant helps you move information from head to heart through the telling of life-transforming stories. Every faith community is filled with stories of lives being touched through your organization’s ministries. These stories can be elevated and celebrated during the appeal.
- Cultivation: Effective appeals are all about relationships. Your consultant works with you to create celebrative events which bring your people together for positive congregational/ community experiences.
- Invitation: People need to be asked. Your consultant works with you, side-by-side, as your high capacity donors are invited to lead the way with generosity. Advance/Leadership gifts inspire the entire congregation to respond joyously and generously.
- Continuation: New Horizons pledges to work with you during the entire life of the appeal to make sure the pledges are fulfilled. Your consultant helps you create strategies which invite all incoming members during the life of the appeal to embrace generous, joy-filled support.
WHAT DOES THE RAISING OF CAPITAL FUNDS HAVE TO DO WITH OUR MISSION?
A capital funding appeal has as much to do with spirituality and life transformation as with the raising of dollars. Facilities are not the mission. People are always central to this work. A successful appeal helps everyone to understand that facilities facilitate mission. Furthermore, your organization can expect a whole new strata of leadership to emerge within your organization as a result of a well-orchestrated appeal.
HOW LONG DOES AN APPEAL TAKE? WHAT IS THE TIME-FRAME?
Normally, an effective appeal takes 4-6 months from the time you start recruiting leaders until the ingathering of pledges. The duration is somewhat determined by church size as well as the desired intensity of the appeal.
WHAT ARE NEW HORIZONS’ FEES FOR A CAPITAL APPEAL?
Fees are never based on a percentage of dollars pledged. The fee structure is derived from a combination of: appeal complexity and goals, worship attendance, membership size, and stewardship history.
WILL WE BE ASKED TO SIGN A CONTRACT?
Yes, prior to New Horizons commencing our work with you, you will be asked to sign a detailed contract which clearly delineates New Horizons’ deliverables.