Sacred Places Summer 2014 | Page 16

NEW DOLLARS CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS (continued) study with Partners. Their list of interviewees included a Civil War history group (the church sits on the site of a Civil War-era cemetery), a local landscaping company that receives a significant share of its business from the congregation, and the artistic leadership of a local arts organization that was interested in partnering with the church to develop underutilized space on its property into a theater venue. Pastor John L. Smith of Olivet said of his process, “The intended objectives of our feasibility study have been well worth our investment; however, the corollary benefits of energizing our congregation, linking us with community partners, and providing us with a true sense of empowerment have been incalculable.” For both Grace and Olivet, as for many others, a new approach to feasibility studies helped to identify important donors within and outside the congregation; set realistic campaign goals, timelines, and priorities; and forge important relationships in the community. These new relationships are critical to the next phase of a capital campaign - steering committee recruitment. How does a congregation begin to identify potential supporters, steward relationships with them, and cultivate them as donors to their congregation? How does a faith leader begin to understand the priorities of these external stakeholders and how they fit with the congregation’s most urgent needs? How can a parish or congregation know if these individuals would give to its campaign – and if so, how much? The answer is simple: you have to ask. The (New Dollars) Steering Committee The leadership of a large capital campaign consists of three critical components: the faith leadership, an external consultant, and a steering committee, which is responsible for helping to shape and implement the campaign strategy. This leadership is key. A traditional campaign committee includes individuals with financial expertise (a banker and/ or accountant), legal expertise (an attorney), and building expertise (an architect or engineer), as well as three to five of the largest donors to the campaign. A New Dollars steering committee includes these individuals plus key community partners. Every committee will look different. For the Church of the Good Shepherd in Hartford, CT, Partners recommended recruiting leadership from local arts service organizations. The church’s capital campaign will raise funds to make accessibility upgrades to the parish house. After these upgrades, the second floor of the building will be accessible to artists and arts organizations for auditions, rehearsals, recitals, and performances. As a result, the input and network of local arts leaders will be critical to the success of the campaign – and will help with new space-sharing partnerships. Good Shepherd’s steering committee will also leverage unique aspects of the parish’s heritage. Built by the Colts, a prominent Hartford family and founders of the Colt‘s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company, the church features unique architectural adornments featuring Colt’s legendary rifles. These features and their connections to Hartford history will serve as a compelling reason for local historians and preservationists to serve on the committee. Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago recently completed a feasibility study with Partners. Their list of interviewees included a Civil War history group and a local landscaping company. Photo by Eric Allix Rogers. 15 • Sacred Places • www.sacredplaces.org • Summer 2014 Church of the Good Shepherd h \