Results of the individual interviews are woven into the findings and recommendations throughout this report. CRITICAL FACTORS FOR CAMPAIGN SUCCESS Drawing on John McLaverty’s experience working with charitable organizations of all sizes and representing the full scope of the not-for-profit sector, the following factors have been identified as being critical to achieving fundraising success: A Strong and Positive Image: With a strong image, organizations are top-of-mind among potential donors and volunteers, and stand out from competing appeals. A Compelling Case: Organizations seeking support must communicate urgency for their plans, find specific and appealing opportunities to participate, and tie their plans to the mission and vision of the organization. An Ambitious but Attainable Goal: It is important that a fundraising initiative’s financial objective be considered ambitious but attainable by those who will be asked to support the initiative financially and in a volunteer capacity. Demonstrated Support: In John McLaverty’s experience, significant pacesetting investments are invariably required to achieve success in major appeals. In addition to their contribution to the fundraising initiative’s financial objective, these major gifts help to raise the giving sights of other potential donors. Committed and Influential Leadership: Major fundraising initiatives must have access to high-level volunteer leadership to achieve success. Ideally, volunteers should flow from the institution’s governing and fundraising bodies, and they should be community leaders who can champion the organization to prospective donors. Readiness to Fundraise: Organizations must consider how external factors such as economic conditions and other campaigns might affect their fundraising efforts, and ensure that internal structures such as staffing and fundraising infrastructure are equipped to undertake a major fundraising initiative. The following section details John McLaverty’s key findings regarding Emmanuel Christian High School’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to these key success factors. Our findings are based on internal and external interviews and focus groups. These findings, when
In John McLaverty’s experience, significant pacesetting investments are invariably required to achieve success in major appeals. In addition to their contribution to the campaign’s financial objective, these major gifts help to raise the giving sights of other potential donors. John McLaverty measured the potential for financial support by asking participants how they would rank Emmanuel Christian High School relative to their personal and/or corporate philanthropic priorities, and if they or the organization they represent would consider making a major gift to ECHS. KEY FINDINGS A large percentage of individual respondents indicated an interest in supporting ECHS, and quite a few gifts were self-identified, indicating that donors’ sights are raised in order to achieve major gift goals. Interviews: Just over 70-75% of the external respondents saw ECHS’s philanthropic priorities to be a “high” personal priority. However, a further 10% saw it as at least a “medium” personal priority. The combination of “high-medium” personal priority in giving to ECHS was a solid 87%! Only 12% saw giving to ECHS as a “low” personal priority. Over 90% of external interviewees were willing to give personal support to ECHS. Most interviewees self-identified at the lower level of the Chart of Standards. Over 80% of external interviewees said they would give either on an annual basis or as part of their gifting to an ECHS capital campaign. ECHS has a few loyal donors who deeply respect the work they do.