All About Capital Campaigns: Nonprofits, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Toolkit

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt talks with Rob Riley, President of the Northern Forest Center, about how his organization raised $35 million through a unique blend of philanthropy and impact investing.

Spanning 30 million acres across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, the Northern Forest Center set out to revitalize rural communities while protecting the largest continuous forest east of t...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein welcomes Capital Campaign Pro’s Director of Engagement, Steven Shattuck, to explore how nonprofit organizations can approach artificial intelligence with confidence, strategy, and purpose. Whether you’re skeptical of AI or eager to experiment, this conversation unpacks what it means to use AI responsibly while staying focused on relationships and results.

Steven, author ...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explain why a gift range chart is one of the most essential planning tools for any successful capital campaign. They break down what a gift range chart is, how to create one, and why it can guide your campaign from start to finish.

You’ll hear why setting the right top gift amount is critical, how your donor base size influences the chart’s sha...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt sits down with Graeme Watt, co-owner of Anthem Creative, to explore how nonprofit leaders can sharpen their storytelling to strengthen donor engagement and drive campaign results.

Graeme shares his journey from founding a grassroots youth nonprofit in his living room to leading large-scale digital storytelling efforts with organizations like World Vision. His experienc...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt unpack a deceptively simple question: what counts toward your campaign goal?

Getting this wrong can damage your credibility, confuse your board and donors, and throw off your reports. The good news? A clear set of campaign policies established early on can prevent most of the trouble. But clarity is not always easy.

Amy and Andrea walk through some of...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, host Amy Eisenstein is joined by nationally recognized nonprofit consultant Christal Cherry, known to many as “The Board Pro,” to talk about one of the biggest challenges for nonprofit leaders: how to find and keep the right board members.

With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Christal has helped hundreds of organizations rethink board service by focusing on pu...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt break down a true story about a $2.5 million gift — and how it started with a donor who originally gave just $1,000 a year.

Andrea shares a firsthand account from one of her coaching clients who transformed a modest corporate gift into a major, multi-year commitment. What made it happen? A mix of persistence, timing, courage, and a smart, hands-on ap...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt sits down with Cindy Mewhinney, Director of Advancement at the Shaw Festival, and Richard Quinn, Senior Advisor with Capital Campaign Pro, for a behind-the-scenes look at the Shaw Festival’s bold and inspiring $150 million capital campaign: All.Together.Now.

Cindy and Richard unpack how a campaign that began with a simple plan to rebuild the Royal George Theatre transf...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, co-founders Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore one of the most pressing and often overlooked issues in campaign planning: staffing. Whether you’re leading a small shop or part of a more established development office, running a capital campaign on top of your existing workload presents real challenges—and demands smart staffing decisions.

Amy and Andrea outline practical strat...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein hosts a conversation with Stephanie Wilensky, Development Director at CooperRiis Healing Community, and Capital Campaign Pro Senior Advisor Xan Blake.

Together, they share a compelling story of how a small fundraising team kept momentum alive in the face of extraordinary circumstances, including a devastating hurricane that left the organization temporarily disconnected...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explore a topic too often overlooked: how to include your full staff—not just your fundraising team—in the campaign process.From front-desk staff to program leaders, finance officers to communications teams, everyone has a role to play. Andrea and Amy walk through how different departments are affected by a campaign and why it's crucial that each gr...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein welcomes two experienced Capital Campaign Pro advisors, Paula Peter and Kristin Raack, for a deep conversation about assessing campaign readiness. With decades of combined experience guiding nonprofits through the early stages of major fundraising initiatives, Paula and Kristin offer practical insights to help organizations determine if the time is right for a campaign—...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt answer a key question: Do you need a feasibility study before launching a capital campaign? Their answer is a clear yes—and they explain why skipping one can lead to poor decisions, missed opportunities, and campaign failure.

They walk through how traditional feasibility studies have often kept donor feedback behind a curtain, leaving nonprofit leade...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt tackle a common challenge: well-meaning board members whose ideas can derail a campaign. From insisting on fundraising galas to asking for gifts too early—or too small—board members often act with good intentions but without a clear understanding of how campaigns actually work.

Amy and Andrea share real-life examples of how campaigns have gone off co...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explain how to set a realistic, aspirational fundraising goal for your capital campaign—without pulling a number out of thin air.

They share three essential factors to consider: the cost of your project, a multiple of your current fundraising capacity, and the potential size of your top gifts. You'll learn how these inputs come together to form a...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt unpack a common but costly mistake nonprofits make—treating donors as checkbooks instead of partners. Sparked by recent federal funding cuts to arts organizations, this conversation challenges fundraising teams to rethink how they communicate with their most committed supporters during a crisis.

Too often, when a major grant disappears or budgets fal...

In this episode, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt tackle one of the most pressing concerns for campaign leaders: the fear of failure. They explore the nuanced definitions of campaign success and failure, revealing that it’s not just about meeting financial goals but also about setting the right expectations and navigating unexpected challenges.

Listen in as they recount real-life stories of organizations that faced campaign obsta...

In this insightful episode of the All About Capital Campaigns podcast, hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt delve into the pivotal role of feasibility studies in capital campaigns. They present three compelling reasons why conducting a feasibility study is not just beneficial but essential for campaign success.​

Amy and Andrea also introduce Capital Campaign Pro's innovative Guided Feasibility Study model, which empowers no...

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt tackle a pressing challenge faced by many nonprofit organizations: managing unexpected government funding cuts. They explore strategies for launching a successful gap funding campaign, a targeted approach to securing crucial short-term donations to sustain vital programs.

Amy and Andrea explain what distinguishes gap funding campaigns from trad...