Expert Answers to Common Capital Campaign Challenges: Donor Recognition, Feasibility, Wealth Screening, and Managing the Workload

In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt, the co-founders of Capital Campaign Pro, invite listeners behind the scenes of a recent Campaign Conversations session: a live Q&A forum where nonprofit leaders ask their most pressing campaign questions.

Four guests join to discuss real-life challenges many organizations face during their campaigns:

• Randy Whipple of the Working Ranch Cowboys Foundation shares his organization’s plans to build a new headquarters and asks for advice on donor recognition ideas. Amy and Andrea explain why donor motivation comes from mission connection, not from names on plaques or bricks, and they describe how naming opportunities can be handled thoughtfully and effectively.
• Miranda Latchie from a church community seeks guidance on how to get started with a capital campaign. Amy and Andrea outline the first steps: defining a clear vision, estimating costs, assessing funding potential, and conducting a feasibility study. They also discuss the importance of planning early and engaging expert support before launching the campaign.
• Maria Harlow raises questions about using wealth screening tools to identify donor prospects. The conversation covers the benefits and limitations of data-driven insights, ethical considerations, and why curiosity and genuine donor relationships often reveal more than analytics alone. Amy and Andrea share how their team uses wealth screening as one part of a comprehensive strategy, not as a standalone solution.
• Amy McNeely, working in a busy development role at a homeless services organization, asks for advice on balancing campaign planning with day-to-day fundraising responsibilities. Andrea and Amy offer practical suggestions for prioritizing tasks, delegating effectively, and making the case for additional staffing or consulting support. They also stress the importance of campaign consultants in training staff, keeping leadership aligned, and preventing burnout.

Throughout the episode, Amy and Andrea provide candid, experience-based guidance drawn from decades of supporting campaigns of every size. Their discussion emphasizes planning with intention, engaging key donors personally, and setting organizations up for long-term fundraising success.

Whether you’re preparing for your first campaign, refining your donor engagement strategies, or juggling multiple fundraising priorities, this episode offers insights that will help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

Key Topics Covered:

• How to approach donor recognition meaningfully
• Early planning and feasibility assessment for campaigns
• Understanding the role and limits of wealth screening
• Managing time, priorities, and staff resources during a campaign
• The value of campaign consulting and leadership education

To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist. This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!