They are usually used to buy, build or refurbish a building, or increasingly to begin an endowment.
Capital campaigns allow donors to pledge a large amount and pay it off over several years.
Capital campaigns should be aimed at that part of your donor base who may own property or securities, or corporations, government, foundations, or religious institutions who might not support your annual program work. There also are individuals who give to capital campaigns but not annual appeals. Where to Start First, the board of directors must fully support the idea of conducting a capital campaign, which is a lot of extra work for everyone, and may require an initial outlay of money. Key volunteers who are not on the board and long time major donors should also be consulted. There are hundreds of buildings in the United States that are underutilized because key people in the organization did not like the idea of building a new building or did not like the proposed use of it, and did not have a forum to air their complaints.