Customized Capital Campaign Planning for Fundraising Success

Campaign planning is vital to successful fundraising. At Fellowship Development, we use the data from the feasibility study to customize a campaign plan that will engage all donors and inspire giving.

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Steier Group By the Numbers

3.4

Billion Raised

123

Of Fundraising Goal

Million Raised from Foundations

States and Provinces Served

Capital Campaign Planning Rooted in Faith and Research

A successful campaign starts with a strong foundation. Our feasibility studies gather donor opinions and provide vital information. Fellowship Development creates a customized campaign plan for each client – no cookie-cutter approach here.

Campaign planning leads to fundraising success

A successful Christian capital campaign is a complex fundraising effort, involving leaders, staff members, fundraising consultants, volunteers and, most importantly, donors. A campaign is often years in the making. And the pledge period will extend for three or more years. All of which is to say that to embark upon a capital campaign without a plan would be setting your organization up for failure. That’s why Fellowship Development recommends a comprehensive feasibility study. It allows our team to craft a thorough campaign plan. Here are a few of the important steps in a campaign plan:

1. Craft your case statement

Your donors want to support your organization and mission. They are already in your corner. But a Christian capital campaign requires giving above and beyond their usual generosity. In order to make that fundraising request, it is important to have an appealing case for support. And to share how a donor’s support will help your community. This foundation is vital to a success campaign and one of the key steps in a campaign plan.

2. Train your staff and volunteers

Even with a fundraising consultant, like Fellowship Development, working with you every step of the way, a campaign plan will fail without a team approach. Your volunteers and staff will meet with donors and ask for support. Each of our campaign plans includes time for gathering a volunteer team and training them in the art of the fundraising request.

3. Research your donors

During the feasibility study, Fellowship Development analyzes the data to understand how best to approach each donor and to set ask amounts. The process of setting ask amounts is an important step in the campaign plan. Aiming too high could turn donors off and stunt fundraising. Aiming too low could leave your organization short of goal. That’s why wealth research and data analysis are an important part of campaign planning.

4. Foundation research

While a campaign plan should not hinge on the support of foundations, researching grant opportunities and other avenues of support helps make sure your organization leaves no rock unturned. Fellowship Development has a team of foundation researchers and grant writers to maximize this part of the campaign plan.

What Sets Our Campaign Planning Apart

Comprehensive Information Gathering

Fellowship Development conducts in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and conduct large-scale online surveys to learn as much as we can about your community. The provides great data for campaign planning.

Comprehensive communications

Our campaign plan includes a comprehensive communication strategy to communicate your goals and mission to every part of your donor base.

Independent Third-Party Insights

Because we’re not embedded in your parish, we can gather candid, unbiased feedback from donors and stakeholders during the feasibility study. And our campaign plan will reflect this important information.

Backed by Faith-Filled Campaign Expertise

Our team specializes in Christian fundraising — and every campaign plan is designed to reflect your mission and values.

Named one of the “Best Fundraising Companies in 2025” by The Lead Pastor

What people are saying about partnering with Fellowship Development

“Most importantly, and distinct from the other firms we considered, the Steier representative was in town, on-site, and personally available for weeks, not one or two, as the campaign was developed and begun. As the campaign went on, our Steier representative came back for visits as well as other personnel from their home base. The services they provided were personally delivered.”

Rev. Dr. Bradley R. Stoltenow

Senior Pastor, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church – Centennial, Colorado

“Where we benefitted most from our partnership was in the design and grant writing processes, along with the organization of our donor outreach efforts. There was never a time throughout this journey where we felt lost or misguided. In fact, the opposite was true – we felt overwhelmingly prepared to tackle this fundraising effort from the get-go.”

Pastor Matt Schulte

Executive Director, Youth for Christ – Lincoln, Nebraska

“Our on-site campaign manager implemented a capital campaign that helped us garner support from the entire Norfolk community, including members of the Christ Lutheran congregation, school parents, alumni, members of the other LCMS churches in the area and local businesses. He fit in well with our staff and volunteers and he truly cared about our project. He kept us on track the entire way … making our 20-year-old dream a reality.

In addition to our on-site campaign manager, the support we got from the entire team was outstanding. The graphic artist did a beautiful job of designing our campaign materials, including our signature piece, the campaign case statement. A grant writer identified multiple foundations and helped us approach them for support.”

Drew Urban

Principal, Christ Lutheran School – Norfolk, Nebraska

“The experience was transformative for our cathedral community. Not only did we raise the most money that we’ve ever raised for a single project in our 163 year history, but we emerged with more energy and enthusiasm for the future, grew closer to one another, and learned deeper ways to trust our lives, and our life together, to God’s love and the Holy Spirit’s power. It also has helped deepen our spirituality around stewardship, and is moving us toward a healthier and more robust culture of giving, which is grounded in an experience of God’s abundance.

I agreed to write this letter to help introduce the Steier Group to Episcopal churches because I care deeply about the future of our tradition, and I believe the Steier Group can be an important partner in helping us to be faithful stewards of all that we have been entrusted with as Episcopalians, and strengthening our life together and our witness to the good news of Jesus Christ in the world.”

The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya

Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, former Dean of Trinity Cathedral – Omaha, Nebraska

Connect with us today! Tell us about your organization’s vision, goals and funding needs. Let us design a plan that helps you achieve your goals and advance your mission.

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How can Fellowship Development assist you?

Connect with us today! Tell us about your organization’s vision, goals and funding needs. Let us design a plan that helps you achieve your goals and advance your mission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a feasibility study?

Yes! A campaign plan without a feasibility study is like driving in the dark without your headlights on. You may reach your final destination, but the chance’s of disaster are much higher. Campaign planning without gathering the important data during a feasibility study will achieve much worse results.

What does a campaign plan include?

A typical campaign plan will include a campaign timeline, a developed case statement, thorough data analysis, a customized communications strategy, volunteer and leadership training.

Who long does a campaign plan last?

Campaign length depends on the scope of the project, number of donors involved and more. A typical Christian church campaign will only be a few months of active solicitation. A Christian school campaign may last a year.