Practical Capital Campaigns: A six-phase roadmap and the AND-gift approach

# Why rethink the capital campaign If "capital campaign" evokes an all-or-nothing building push, this episode reframes it as a series of achievable steps. Daniel Hussey, campaign strategist and head coach at HPC, argues that small and mid-sized nonprofits can run effective capital campaigns when they break the work into clear phases, do upfront planning, and protect recurring giving.

# The six-phase roadmap

# Start with strategy and feasibility The conversation emphasizes doing the internal work first. Strategic planning and a feasibility study help the board and staff understand tangible goals, timelines, and capacity. That reduces board anxiety because stakeholders see evidence—research, donor feedback, and realistic timelines—rather than being asked to support an abstract ask.

# Quiet phase and major-gift cultivation Hussey highlights the quiet phase as central: pursue major prospects and secure lead gifts before going public. This approach builds momentum and credibility, and it often makes the public phase more efficient. The quiet phase is where personalized, one-to-one cultivation converts transformational commitments.

# Protect your annual fund with AND-gifts A practical fundraising tactic covered in the conversation is the AND-gift strategy. Instead of positioning campaign gifts as replacements for annual support, frame them as AND gifts—campaign support plus continued annual giving. That maintains operating revenue while allowing donors to make larger, transformational commitments to capital or endowment priorities.

# Stewardship as a long-term priority Securing gifts isn't the finish line. Long-term stewardship after a campaign preserves relationships and sustains future support. Hussey stresses that campaigns should feed into ongoing donor care plans so major donors remain connected to mission outcomes over time.

# Practical implications for smaller organizations The episode repeatedly stresses that capital campaigns aren't only for large institutions. With clear phases, realistic feasibility studies, focused quiet-phase work, and a commitment to stewardship, smaller organizations can run campaigns successfully. The roadmap turns an intimidating project into a sequence of manageable tasks.

# What to do next If you're considering a campaign, prioritize strategic planning and run a feasibility study. Build a quiet-phase plan focused on top prospects. Adopt the AND-gift framing in your materials and asks to avoid cannibalizing the annual fund. Finally, design post-campaign stewardship to convert one-time supporters into long-term partners.

# Bottom line Treat the campaign like a staged climb: prepare, test capacity, secure lead gifts quietly, run a public phase with momentum, and invest in stewardship. These concrete steps help reduce board anxiety, protect regular operating support, and position donors to make transformational gifts.