A core principle shapes the success of every capital campaign, and this conversation clarifies exactly how it works and why it matters.
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, co-hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt talk with each other about the strategic order of solicitation and how top gifts drive momentum, confidence, and overall campaign performance.
Andrea explains why campaigns depend on gifts of varied sizes and how a thoughtful gift range chart helps leaders understand what it will take to reach a major goal. Amy expands on the Pareto principle and the 90/10 pattern that appears so frequently in campaign fundraising, reinforcing why the top group of donors must be approached early.
Together, they illustrate the concepts of top-down and inside-out solicitation (beginning with the largest donors and the most committed insiders) so the quiet phase can build meaningful early progress. They share examples of how organizations can get stuck when they start by asking everyone at once, including a story about an animal shelter that initially relied on broad direct mail outreach before learning how to focus on individual conversations with high-capacity supporters.
Listeners also hear how early board commitments strengthen the case for support, how confidence shapes donor response, and how a clear strategy influences staffing, timing, and long-term relationship building. Andrea and Amy outline the anxiety many teams feel when approaching top donors, and how a well-run feasibility study helps leaders prepare for these pivotal conversations.
By the end of the episode, you will understand the structure behind a successful quiet phase and how this approach sets the stage for a strong public launch and stronger fundraising overall.
To see if your organization is truly ready for a capital campaign, download this free Readiness Assessment. This guide will help you evaluate six aspects of your organization, including the board and your case for support.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com