The following sample timetable is designed to suggest a rough ordering of tasks and goals in executing a capital campaign.

Holy Comforter on-the-Springs
Hypothetical Capital Campaign Timetable
$1,500,000 Goal

Phase I: Preparation (Several months or longer)
During this period, all major preparations are completed. The campaign’s leadership is enlisted, congregational approval secured, schedules and budgets finalized, campaign materials created, promotional plans finalized, and volunteer solicitors trained. This phase ends when volunteers begin asking for gifts.

Tasks

• Establish preliminary campaign schedule
• Select campaign chair and recruit campaign executive committee
• Develop master prospect list
• Identify designated gift opportunities
• Create campaign brochure
• Begin campaign kick-off event preparations
• Select keynote speaker for kick-off
• Prepare campaign plan and case for support
• Evaluate all prospects’ giving potential
• Conduct volunteer training sessions

Phase II: Advance Gifts (Six to eight weeks)
In this phase of the campaign, all major gifts are solicited. In addition, pledges from the vestry and campaign executive committee are secured. Plans for the general solicitation and campaign kick-off are completed as the parish prepares for the every-member solicitation phase.

Tasks

• Finalize all volunteer recruitment
• Create pledge accounting systems
• Establish donor recognition methods
• Solicit advance and leadership gifts
• Begin donor acknowledgment and thank-you programs
• Enlist and train general gifts solicitation teams
• Complete preparations for the campaign kick-off event

Phase III: General Gifts (Six to eight weeks)
This portion of the campaign starts with the campaign kick-off event and concludes with the victory celebration. This is the public portion of the campaign and often is the most intensive. At the half-way point in this phase, campaign volunteers will have solicited all members of the congregation.

Tasks

• Hold the campaign kick-off event
• Conduct the prayer vigil
• Provide speakers at adult forums and at worship services
• Canvass the entire parish
• Hold youth committee special event
• Regularly update the congregation on the campaign’s progress
• Complete campaign with “Celebration Sunday”

Phase IV: Wrap-up and follow-up (Two weeks; then ongoing)
During this period, all the remaining "loose ends" are attended to, and the money raised is employed for the purpose toward which it has been designated.

Tasks

• Evaluate campaign results
• Identify continuing gift opportunities
• Recognize volunteers and donors
• Begin prospect follow-up activities
• Audit all campaign records
• Transfer all gifts other than cash
• Implement pledge collection and reporting procedures
• Begin using the resources raised for the purpose(s) toward which they have been given

Michael P. Stephenson, June 18, 2005