Campaign Steps to Success

1. Establish a Steering Committee

• Recruit cross-sections of age and expertise
• Include parents and undergraduates
• Committees: alumni programming/communications, design/construction, finance, legal, major gifts, special events and volunteer recruitment

2. Conduct a capital needs assessment

• Find what resident halls, apartments and other fraternities are offering.
• Assess the chapter’s minimum needs.
• Consider what the chapter would do if money was not an issue.
• Estimate minimum to maximum costs of the project.

3. Hire an alumni programming/fundraising consulting firm

• Ask your headquarters, University and other fraternities for possible firms
• Make sure the feasibility study goes beyond supplying data - strategy, leadership, strength and weaknesses, case, timetable, budget, volunteers/donors, etc.
• Hire the right people to represent you
• Quality and quanity - conduct interviews with those of affluence and influence and input from as many people as possible
• Educate volunteers on the process
• Be cautious of a report that only tells you what you want to hear.

4. Develop alumni/parent programming

• Records management
• Newsletters
• Directory/web site
• Events
• Recognition
• Annual fund

5. Develop case statements/project summary

• Vision - preliminary plans and costs
• Timeline
• Ways of giving
• Named gifts/wall of giving
• Pyramid of giving

6. Conduct feasibility study

• Prospect research
• Alumni/parent/undergraduate surveys
• In-person/phone/mail/web surveys
• Develop “ownership in the process” among alumni
• Identify minimum number needed of gifts/volunteers
• Results/plan of action/adjust project as needed

7. Finalize timetable

• Alumni/parent programming
• Architecture/construction
• Volunteer recruitment/leadership
• Campaign
• Financing

8. Organize architectural plans

• Choose architect and select floor plans.
• Find interim housing
• Allocate a construction budget

9. Recruitment leaders

• Recruit steering committee
• Recruit general/decade chairman recruitment
• Recruit volunteers for missing periods
• Recruit parent/undergraduate volunteers
• Train volunteers/choose prospects

10. Begin campaign

• Time period - 6 to 18 months
• Solicitation phases:
  • Steering committee/board
  • Major gifts
  • Volunteers (general/decade/class)
  • Undergraduates
  • Special gifts (personal prospects/identified donors)
  • Parents
  • General Campaign
• Communication
  • Brochure/pledge form
  • Volunteer/campaign updates
  • Email/web
  • Phone
  • Meetings/events

11. Set a construction timetable

• Find temporary housing for chapter
• Determine construction start and finish
• Recruit construction manager

12. Prepare for construction

• With 75 percent of the goal raised, secure financing, bridge financing and possible mortgage
• Select a construction firm
  • Good reputation
  • Fraternity experience
  • Open bid vs. negotiated big
• Complete construction documents
• Arrange for storage

13. Begin construction

• 6-12 months
• Weekly on-site meetings
• Promote progress/on-going fundraising
• Walk-thru/punch list

14. Move in!

• Grand opening
• Donor recognition and special thanks to volunteers

15. Begin post-construction campaign

• Alumni/parent programming
• Property management plan
• Pledge collection
• Annual/planned giving