Campaign Study Raises More Questions than Answers
Now is the wrong time to begin a $40 million Capital Campaign. If there is a campaign the goal should be cut back sharply. These are the major findings of the Preliminary Findings of the Campaign Planning Study for the Diocese by Schultz & Williams (S & W), experts in the field of fund raising. Kathleen Watson, Senior Associate of S & W. She writes on March 21, 2006, “Recognizing that a $40 million goal cannot be achieved at the present time, the diocese should evaluate its funding priorities to identify “Phase One” priorities that can be addressed by raising an initial goal of $5 to $10 million.”
Questions
Now is the time for us as well as the Bishop, the Standing Committee, and the Diocesan Council - to ask rational and reasonable questions about the feasability of this Project. Emotion alone can’t carry the day.
•Why is now the wrong time to start such a campaign?
•Is it the state of the Diocese?
•Fuzzy financial reports?
•Inaccurate or disinformation regarding the Diocesan finances?
•Are potential donors afraid to pour money down a “black hole’?
•What are the reasons for the consultants to recommend a revised $5 to $10 million the funding goal?
•Who made that decision?
More Questions
Watson recommends, “the diocese (should) establish an ad hoc committee to develop these phase one priorities based on their importance to the diocesan mission, financial impact, donor interest and achievability.”
•What is the vision of the Diocese?
•Who created this vision?
•Do we have the right to question the vision?
•Who benefits from the vision?
•Is the vision, what ever it is, a nightmare instead of a dream for parishes and missions?
•What are the funding priorities?
•Who is responsible for defining these priorities?
•Do defined priorities reflect the message delivered by the Special Convention?
•And what was that message - e.g. congregations over a conference center?
•What, indeed, is the financial impact on parishes and missions?
Watson continues, “the process should be supported by those clergy who can influence donor sentiment throughout the diocese.”
•What is the donor sentiment at this time when the Preliminary findings say, 15% of the 20 interviewed individuals (that’s 3 out of 20 people) said yes.
•What about the low positive when the consultants say they should look for a 60% to 70% positive response”
•Will even these 15% (three possible donors) continue to say yes as the differences and conflicts in the Diocese continue to rise?
•Are they familiar with the budget decision of the Special Convention?
•How aware are these people of the mixed signals of visions, programs and budgets?
•In light of the Findings observation that seven out if 20 interviewed would give to the campaign (total of $325,000.00), what does this say about ‘donor sentiment.’?
Do You Have More Questions after Reading the Findings?
We have just scratched the service with these questions. As you read the complete “Preliminary findings from the Campaign Study interviews conducted for the Episcopal of Pennsylvania”, you may have more questions requiring answers before any major funding raising effort is begun (if at all)
Let Us Know Your Questions and Concerns
We would like to know the questions and comments you may have after reading the complete Findings. Do not hesitate sharing them with us, for every voice is important. Visions and campaigns need to formed only after many have spoken, rather than a few.
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