How to Staff Up for a Capital Campaign Without Overloading Your Team

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 strategies for expanding your team in ways that support both short-term campaign success and long-term fundraising growth. They emphasize that campaigns are not just about raising money—they’re about strengthening your organization’s capacity, including your development infrastructure.

Listeners will learn:

• Why staffing up for a campaign is not optional, and why the better questions are when and how to do it
• How to involve your executive director more fully by freeing up their time through administrative support
• When to consider adding new positions like a campaign manager, major gifts officer, or dedicated support for annual giving
• How to use simple, self-assessment exercises to clarify staffing needs across executive leadership and development
• The value of outsourcing specific functions like grant writing, communications, and prospect research
• When to leverage virtual assistants to add flexibility without increasing overhead
• How campaign staffing requirements shift during the different phases—from quiet to public—and how to prepare for those changes
• How to frame campaign staffing as part of your campaign budget, and why board members should see it as a strategic investment rather than an expense

The conversation also covers the importance of campaign-specific expertise. Amy and Andrea explain why engaging consulting support early on is critical to help your team develop strategy, set priorities, and remain accountable throughout the campaign.

This episode is especially useful for executive directors, development leaders, and board members who want to understand what it truly takes to support a campaign effectively. It offers grounded advice on aligning capacity with goals so that your team can succeed without burning out.

Additional highlights include:

• Why staffing is a critical piece of campaign ROI
• A phased approach to hiring and outsourcing throughout the campaign timeline
• How to help your executive and development directors assess their workload and delegate strategically
• What campaign communications should include and how to manage them without overloading internal staff

If your organization is preparing for a capital campaign - or currently trying to keep one afloat without enough hands - this episode offers clear direction and valuable insights to help you structure your team for success.

Be sure to check out the Development Office Readiness Assessment, a free downloadable tool mentioned in the episode, available here and at capitalcampaignpro.com under the Resources tab.