The short answer is: Absolutely!
A current case study:
St. Anne Catholic Church in Boulder Junction, WI decided they were ready to launch their capital campaign for facility renovations and expansion this past summer.
St. Anne is a small parish located in a summer recreational area of northern Wisconsin. The leadership wanted to launch their campaign when most of their “seasonal” parishioners were present.
St. Anne’s engaged The James Company in June of 2020 and we got to work. One of the first decisions we made was that the campaign would need to be a totally “virtual” experience because of Covid-19 restrictions. This did not deter them. From meetings, to trainings, to visitations, to events…would be remote. That said, The James Company was prepared to engage the parish with all of the best practices, resources, and campaign management tools that would be utilized in any in-person approach.
The campaign goal was $1.9M. As of January 11, the parish has raised $1,822,663. With follow-up still in place, the parish is confident that they will exceed their goal.
So, what made this campaign successful? And was the “remote” approach a detriment?
Here are the top 7 things they did right:
- They had a compelling case for support
- They had strong campaign lay/clergy leadership
- They invited parishioners to tell the story of why the parish and the campaign were important to them personally
- From early pre-campaign conversations they knew there was financial support
- They were not afraid to approach likely high potential donors for a major gift
- The leadership had weekly Zoom meetings (60 -90 minutes) which made it convenient for everyone to easily attend
- They did not “fear” doing things differently because of the pandemic and discovered that the remote approach was not a detriment.
The James Company has also completed a number of campaigns that were paused when Covid-19 hit, but have since re-engaged where they left off and successfully completed their initiatives.
You are invited to contact us for a complimentary discovery conversation if you would like to discuss your particular situation.
John V. Clark, President/Partner
The James Company
(815) 353-8997
Email: jclark@jamescompany.com
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