It’s exciting! Your organization has an opportunity to grow by building or purchasing a larger facility, taking on a new program or service, renovating an existing space or … fill in the blank. Just think what you could do to further your mission, serve more people or fulfill an unmet need in the community. 

In a perfect world, when these opportunities land in a nonprofit leader’s lap, the organization already has project champions and donors ready to make your dream a reality. In most cases, however, opportunities to expand or enhance your organization do not appear when you have everything in place. That’s where a feasibility study comes in.  

A capital campaign feasibility study looks at your project from a few different angles. 

Does your proposed project align with your organization’s mission, vision and strategic plan? Does your team and board leadership agree with how the project and potential campaign will help you fulfill your mission and reach your program goals? 

How is your proposed project perceived in the community? Do potential campaign supporters and partners believe your project is a necessity in the community? How many more people will you be able to serve? How can you better serve those people because of the proposed project? How is your organization viewed in the community? 

Will people support your campaign? Are supporters enthusiastic enough to be advocates, volunteers and donors (including lead gifts) for your campaign? 

When consulting with nonprofits, our Amperage fundraising advisers have found that not all are ready to embark on a feasibility study. Beforehand, you may need to: 

• Align your staff and board with the future direction and proposed plans for a campaign. 
• Establish an internal infrastructure that allows you to raise major gifts for a capital campaign in addition to increasing annual operating funds. This may include review of office policies and procedures for accepting gifts, implementing a gift tracking system or new CRM or increasing staff fundraising responsibilities.  
• Create greater public awareness for your nonprofit organization and the needs you address in the community. 
• Build a volunteer and donor base that will support your efforts for a successful campaign. 

In situations where nonprofits are not ready to pursue a capital campaign feasibility study — or campaign in general, for that matter — Amperage can provide pre-campaign consultation. Pre-campaign consultation reveals the vital elements your nonprofit needs to prepare for a campaign and creates an action plan to prepare to launch a campaign. Pre-campaign consultation can take place months or even years before starting a feasibility study, depending upon the preparedness of your nonprofit.  

Want to learn more about where your nonprofit stands in your capital or endowment campaign journey? Download our Fundraising Checklist for Campaign Preparedness or contact me at mpence@amperagefundraising.com.  

Author Melissa Pence, CFRE, is a fundraising adviser for Amperage Marketing + Fundraising. She has worked in fundraising and development in the nonprofit sector for more than two decades.