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Data Health for Nonprofits

Posted on by CFA

A Wake-Up Call Over Breakfast

Kendra* is the development director of a regional food bank. Recently, she met a board member, Luisa, for breakfast. They were chatting the way they always did at their breakfast meetings when Luisa set down her coffee cup with a sigh. “There’s something I need to show you,” she said, pulling a stack of three letters out of her handbag. “I got three appeals from the food bank this quarter,” she said gently. “Two went to my home and one to my office, and this one,”  she said, presenting the envelope to Kendra, “still has me listed as Mrs. Walker.” The name of Luisa’s former husband made them both wince.

Concerned, Kendra took a more careful look at the stack. The letters were beautifully written and personalized, but two-thirds of the data that went into them was flat-out wrong. Luisa was a committed supporter, and Kendra knew she would be in for the long haul, but as the situation sank in, Kendra’s stomach dropped. Duplicate records, outdated names, and wrong addresses weren’t just clerical errors—they were signs of a much larger problem: wildly inaccurate data. Kendra apologized profusely, and Luisa was so gracious, but Kendra knew that there were more errors out there that wouldn’t be so kindly received.  

Back at the office, Kendra went straight to see Youssef, the food bank’s new development data coordinator. He’d been hired two weeks earlier, and his workspace was only halfway unpacked. “I just had the most mortifying conversation with Luisa Reyes,” she told him. She explained the whole situation, concluding with, “Our data is a mess.”

Youssef nodded, unsurprised. “To be honest, I knew this would be the first issue we needed to solve. Not to worry. I’ve started an audit,” he said. “There’s a lot to untangle: out-of-date records, partial merges, inconsistent fields; but it’s fixable. We just need to review and clean up about 30,000 records. Kendra’s jaw dropped, “That’s a ton of work! How will we do that before the November direct mail appeal?” Youssef smiled, “It’s okay! I’ll triage the cleanup, starting with our most important stakeholders and working our way through the list from there. This will not be just a one-time sweep; what I’m implementing is a plan for ongoing data health.” 

Data Health, and Why It Matters

“Data health” (sometimes called “data hygiene”) refers to the condition of an organization’s data—its accuracy, consistency, and usability. Bad data erodes donor trust and directly undermines the sophisticated tools nonprofits rely on for the science of fundraising. When names, addresses, or giving histories are inaccurate, data screening and predictive modeling cannot function properly. Reliable screening depends on clean, standardized fields to match records against wealth indicators, philanthropic databases, and demographic trends. When the data is in disarray, an organization will struggle to identify important prospects, analyze giving potential, or build a base of evidence to drive strategy. Clean data, on the other hand, strengthens every part of fundraising: screening, segmentation, communications, stewardship, and strategic planning. 

Creative Fundraising Advisors’ (CFA) Data & Research team—Dan Alberti, Senior Manager, Data Solutions, and Stephanie Willis, Senior Manager, Prospect Development—regularly helps nonprofits identify and correct systemic data issues.

“Think of data health like tending a garden,” says Dan. “You can’t expect to have healthy plants or an abundant harvest if you don’t routinely fertilize, water, and weed. Consistent inputs—accurate entries, standardized fields, and regular cleanups—build a database that supports the whole organization’s vitality. Conversely, if you’re not routinely checking and cleaning the data, small issues can quietly grow into big credibility problems.”

As both Kendra and Youssef had predicted, the problem with incorrect data at the food bank wasn’t isolated. When Youssef really dug into his audit, he discovered inconsistencies in salutations, conflicting household records, and out-of-date contact preferences. In many cases, the team was sending multiple different versions of an appeal to the same donors, sometimes at multiple addresses. Beyond embarrassment, that duplication was wasting resources—printing, postage, and valuable staff time.

Diagnosis and First Steps

The first phase of Youssef’s cleanup plan was discovery. He exported all donor records into a master spreadsheet so he could see the whole landscape at once—filtering for duplicates, blank fields, and irregular entries before making changes inside the CRM. He also mapped the source of each list: online donations, mailed checks, event attendees, and volunteer sign-ups. “We needed to know where the errors were entering the system,” he explained.

The “flat view” (or spreadsheet) revealed distinct patterns. Once he isolated the problem areas, Youssef began a systematic cleanse: deduplication, standardization of names and addresses, verification of email formats, and cross-referencing gift histories. Then he scheduled recurring maintenance tasks: a monthly duplicate check, a quarterly data-entry review, and an annual full-file audit.

Pro Tips for Data Health

1. Establish clear data entry rules.
Youssef created a written “data manual,” defining every field and abbreviation. Then, he drafted clear instructions on how to record household names, salutations, gift types, and notes. This living document became a training tool for anyone touching the database. “The more consistent your inputs,” says Dan, “the cleaner your outputs. Data rules aren’t red tape; they’re the language everyone needs to speak to keep information coherent.”

2. Schedule regular reviews.
The food bank built a monthly data health routine: running duplicate reports, checking for blanks in key fields, and using national address-verification tools. “Good data hygiene is never finished,” Stephanie emphasizes. “Every new record potentially contains multiple opportunities for error. Healthy databases have ongoing cleaning habits baked into the workflow.”

3. Align systems and people.
Stephanie also points out that data health isn’t just a technical task—it’s cultural. “The most successful organizations are those that build shared responsibility for data accuracy across departments,” she says. “If your program staff, gift processors, and fundraisers all understand how their entries affect the whole system, you’ll have fewer errors and better decisions. Clean data is everyone’s job.”

When Good Data Builds Donor Trust

As the cleanup progressed, Youssef and Kendra began to see immediate benefits. With duplicates resolved, mailings became more cost-efficient. Merge fields populated correctly, and acknowledgment letters used the right names and salutations. Kendra thought she noticed something else: the donor tone was improving. “When people get communications that clearly recognize them, they feel known,” she said. “Even a small fix—like addressing someone by their chosen name—signals respect and professionalism.”

To measure progress, Youssef created a simple dashboard showing three metrics: duplicate rate, percentage of complete records (including valid email and address), and average turnaround time for gift acknowledgment. Within three months, duplicates dropped by 40%, and the team could process gifts and send thank-yous two days faster.

From Data Health to Data Confidence

By spring, the food bank’s next direct mail appeal ran flawlessly. Every letter was correctly addressed, and no donor received more than one. When Luisa, the board member who first pointed out the problem, received her spring appeal, she called Kendra—not to complain, but to congratulate. “This one’s perfect,” she said. “Nice job cleaning house, and please give Youssef my thanks.”

“Clean data is a form of stewardship,” notes Stephanie. “It shows donors that you value accuracy, respect their information and preferences, and run an organization that is responsible and trustworthy. When you’re committed to donor-centered, relationship-based fundraising, you can’t allow sloppy data to undermine the trust you’ve worked so hard to build. ”

The Strategic Advantage of Clean Data

Healthy data doesn’t just prevent errors—it empowers better strategy. With reliable records, Kendra could segment appeals by giving behavior and communication preferences, identify lapsed donors with confidence, and generate reliable retention reports. When she presented to the board at fiscal year’s end, her charts were more credible than ever before.

“Data health might not sound glamorous,” Dan says, “but it’s the foundation of everything else—storytelling, stewardship, analytics, and campaign success. Without it, you’re flying blind.”

The positive ripple effect extended beyond development; the food bank program staff could now connect donor support with impact and service metrics more reliably. Finance could reconcile reports faster. Communications could personalize messages accurately across channels. Kendra and Youssef had transformed what started as a breakfast embarrassment into an organizational triumph. “I used to dread pulling lists,” Kendra admitted. “Now I actually trust what’s in our system. Clean data gives you confidence—it’s like seeing clearly after years of fog.”

Partner with Us

Is your nonprofit’s data helping or hindering your mission? Do duplicate records, missing information, or inconsistent reports make fundraising harder than it should be? Take CFA’s data self-assessment to see if your data systems need attention. CFA helps organizations audit, organize, and sustain healthy databases that strengthen trust and drive fundraising strategy. Our experts can audit your current system, design routines for long-term maintenance, and train your staff to keep information accurate across every department. Contact CFA today to learn how strong data health can support your organization’s growth and impact.

*Disclaimer: Client confidentiality is paramount in our work with each and every organization. The story in this article is fiction, based on real situations drawn from CFA’s broad experience serving nonprofit organizations.

Leslie Cronin

Leslie Cronin, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications

Leslie Cronin comes to Creative Fundraising Advisors with broad experience in education and nonprofits. Early in her career, she taught English, composition, and creative writing at selective independent schools, colleges, and universities. In 2005, she became Senior Development Writer at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, overseeing all aspects of communication coming out of the museum’s development department including exhibition descriptions, grant applications, correspondence with major donors, acknowledgements, and event invitations.

Leslie later brought her experience in education and fundraising to a new role, serving first as board member and then vice president of the board of an independent school in Houston, Texas. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the formulation of the school’s 20-year plan, including its successful accreditation as an International Baccalaureate institution. She worked closely with a wide variety of consultants on urban planning, architecture, and a fundraising feasibility study. Her insight into the client experience helps her every day in her work for CFA.

As Senior Manager of Strategic Communications, Leslie helps CFA’s clients shape their campaigns for maximum impact and results by leading case development workshops, writing compelling case summaries, and crafting powerfully persuasive campaign collateral. Additionally, Leslie manages CFA’s brand voice by developing content for the firm’s resource library and overseeing the editorial calendar. 

Leslie believes nonprofits have the power to change the world. In crafting cases for support, she writes as a committed advocate for each client and their goals. Leslie holds two Masters degrees, one an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the other an MA in English Literature from Temple University. She is mother to two grown children, a voracious reader, and an amateur equestrian. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband, author Justin Cronin, and their rescue dog, Lonesome Dove.

Preparing Your Board for a Campaign

Posted on by CFA

An Independent High School With an Ambitious Strategic Plan

Clayton* is a seasoned chief development officer at an independent high school that is nearing its 100th anniversary. The school’s board of directors recently adopted a strategic plan, gathering input from students, faculty, parents, alumni, and school leaders. Clayton thinks of this board as something of a dream team: generous, committed, and equipped with a broad range of skills and perspectives. Several members are alumni who credit the school with shaping their lives. Evelyn, the board chair, is an alumna with a grandchild enrolled. Her family has attended the school for generations. 

The  recently created strategic plan sets the school on a path to become recognized as the leading independent high school in the region by achieving four big but attainable goals: 

  1. Bolster academics by hiring teachers with advanced degrees to mentor students interested in doing original research 
  2. Improve college placement by hiring senior staff members in college counseling and revamping the counseling process
  3. Create a top-tier high school athletics program by building a new sports complex and investing in dedicated coaching staff
  4. Expand financial aid so the most promising students can attend regardless of their ability to pay.

The school had never before undertaken such a wide-ranging plan, tackling scholarship, college placement, athletics, and financial accessibility. 

Questions that Arise when Boards Contemplate Campaigns

At the board’s annual retreat, Clayton and Priya, the head of school, presented a blueprint to operationalize the strategic plan. Every initiative was a logical next step in the school’s mission, but those initiatives would require significant resources. Clayton and Priya made a compelling case that the only way the strategic plan could be realized was to launch a comprehensive campaign. As they laid out their case for a campaign, there were many questions. 

The board chair, Evelyn, said that in her work on another board, a consulting firm had been hired to conduct a feasibility study that provided reliable analytics on how much could be raised, a range of gifts table based on the organization’s own data, recommendations on staffing, and a tested case for support that later evolved into beautiful campaign collateral. She was enthusiastic about the prospect of a major fundraising campaign at the school, but proposed hiring seasoned fundraising consultants to map the steps to success. Everyone agreed it would be wise to get professional support for this epic project. Clayton knew that success would also hinge on something beyond numbers and projections: the active participation of the board itself. Evelyn invited discussion.

One alumna leaned forward: “How can we help? Are we expected to fundraise ourselves?” Another asked if the board would be expected to solicit their friends. A third trustee raised a concern: “When I was on the historical society board, our campaign plateaued halfway through. How do we avoid that?”

A Wide Range of Roles for Board Members to Play

Clayton explained that if the board elected to go ahead with a campaign, each member’s participation would begin with a personal commitment. “Every trustee will be asked to make a gift that is personally meaningful to them,” he said. “Your leadership in giving will set the tone for the entire community.” Then he addressed the role of trustees in fundraising: “Not everyone is required to share contacts or make asks,” he assured them. “If you feel compelled to participate in fundraising, we’ll be happy to provide training and pair you with staff or fellow trustees. What we would more likely ask is that you open doors, make introductions, and share your story of the school with others.” His answer seemed to ease any anxiety about “cold calling.” 

CFA Founder and CEO Paul Johnson reinforces Clayton’s point about board participation: “When trustees make a gift that is meaningful to them, they not only fund the campaign—they model a culture of philanthropy. Gifts from leadership are powerfully persuasive for other donors, but beyond giving, board members can help in a wide variety of ways that fit with their strengths and busy schedules. They can serve as ambassadors in the community, invite prospects on a tour to meet staff and leadership, host an event, or join the campaign committee if they wish to play a bigger role.”

Sharing the Vision Builds Trustee Confidence 

Though the board was still in an investigative mode, Clayton knew it wouldn’t hurt for them to strengthen their skills in telling stories of the school’s impact and linking those narratives to their own values and life experiences. He distributed a one-page case statement for each of the initiatives and asked trustees to pair up. Each pair took turns presenting an initiative, linking it to a personal story, and practicing how they might share it with a colleague or friend.

At first, the room buzzed with nervous energy. Some trustees stumbled; others read from the handout. But as the minutes passed, voices grew stronger, and stories more inspirational. One alumna who was an athlete recalled life lessons she’d learned about leadership and noted that the sports complex would enable many more athletes to develop those skills. Another trustee, a scholarship recipient, spoke of how financial aid had been a life-changing opportunity for him. By the time Clayton asked for volunteers to tell their stories to the whole group, several were eager to share. In just 20 minutes, abstract initiatives had become heartfelt narratives.

Communication and Celebration Create a Cohesive Board and a Successful Campaign

With energy levels high after the storytelling session, Clayton looped back to the question about plateaus. On a whiteboard, he sketched the arc of a typical campaign: early lead gifts, a mid-campaign lull, and a public push at the end. “Let’s talk about this middle plateau,” he said. “What would it feel like to be halfway through and struggling?”

Trustees spoke of discouragement, doubt, and the temptation to scale back. Then, Clayton asked them to collaborate on designing countermeasures. They came up with hosting centennial-themed alumni gatherings, running feature articles on student scholarship in the alumni magazine, and sharing monthly updates with major stakeholders to regain momentum. 

While Clayton felt it was prudent to let the board consider how they might handle a setback, he also felt it was important for them to know a campaign would also bring wins– like new faculty hires, new funding for students in need, and breaking ground on the new sports center.

To illustrate this, he returned to the campaign timeline on the whiteboard and sketched in milestones worth celebrating: principal gifts, crossing the halfway mark, and the public launch. He invited trustees to imagine how they would recognize donors and one another along the way. Ideas ranged from receptions to spotlight videos on social media to thank-you notes from students. The mood brightened as trustees envisioned celebrating together.

Paul Johnson encapsulates campaign dynamics: “Plateaus are inevitable. A campaign is a marathon. As the months unfold, there are triumphs and challenges, and sometimes there are moments when not a lot happens. If there is a lull in fundraising, communication is imperative, so the group can work together to get back on track. Similarly, when things are going great, celebration is fuel. Recognition for individual contributions and shared achievements creates energy and momentum. When CFA is providing campaign counsel to a nonprofit, we typically advise campaign committees to create a fundraising dashboard to easily track and share progress. This helps to keep the relevant players apprised.”

The Results

By the end of the retreat, Clayton was seeing a visible shift. Trustees who didn’t know a lot about campaigns now seemed more comfortable with the idea. They had practiced telling the story, anticipated challenges, brainstormed solutions, and realized that there would be victories large and small along the way. 

The campaign still had a long road ahead—beginning with the feasibility study—but together they had taken the first steps toward charting the school’s path into the next century.

Paul Johnson offers a final observation: “Every organization has unique strengths and challenges going into a campaign. Very few have all their ducks in a row. At CFA, we meet clients where they are, tailor our advice, and guide them toward customized strategies and solutions. We work with clients and their boards to build a bridge between their present-day challenges and a visionary, empowered, and impactful future.”

Partner with Us

Are you preparing for a campaign? Do you wonder how to fully engage your trustees? CFA has guided nonprofits nationwide in equipping boards for campaign success. Contact CFA today to learn how we can help.

*Disclaimer: Client confidentiality is paramount in our work with each and every organization. The story in this article is fiction, based on real situations drawn from CFA’s broad experience serving nonprofit organizations.

Leslie Cronin

Leslie Cronin, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications

Leslie Cronin comes to Creative Fundraising Advisors with broad experience in education and nonprofits. Early in her career, she taught English, composition, and creative writing at selective independent schools, colleges, and universities. In 2005, she became Senior Development Writer at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, overseeing all aspects of communication coming out of the museum’s development department including exhibition descriptions, grant applications, correspondence with major donors, acknowledgements, and event invitations.

Leslie later brought her experience in education and fundraising to a new role, serving first as board member and then vice president of the board of an independent school in Houston, Texas. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the formulation of the school’s 20-year plan, including its successful accreditation as an International Baccalaureate institution. She worked closely with a wide variety of consultants on urban planning, architecture, and a fundraising feasibility study. Her insight into the client experience helps her every day in her work for CFA.

As Senior Manager of Strategic Communications, Leslie helps CFA’s clients shape their campaigns for maximum impact and results by leading case development workshops, writing compelling case summaries, and crafting powerfully persuasive campaign collateral. Additionally, Leslie manages CFA’s brand voice by developing content for the firm’s resource library and overseeing the editorial calendar. 

Leslie believes nonprofits have the power to change the world. In crafting cases for support, she writes as a committed advocate for each client and their goals. Leslie holds two Masters degrees, one an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the other an MA in English Literature from Temple University. She is mother to two grown children, a voracious reader, and an amateur equestrian. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband, author Justin Cronin, and their rescue dog, Lonesome Dove.

Keeping Your Development Team Strong: A Case Study in Retention

Posted on by CFA

When Ellen* became chief development officer for a performing arts center with a $20 million annual budget, she inherited a talented, high-performing fundraising team. The organization’s donor base was broad and loyal, built over decades of consistent outreach. Major gifts were coming in steadily, annual gala proceeds were up, and the grants pipeline was robust.

But within her first six months, Ellen saw a troubling trend: turnover. First, a promising mid-level gifts officer accepted a position at another nonprofit that offered a slightly higher salary. Then, a grant writer left for a corporate communications role that promised remote work flexibility. Shortly after, the events coordinator resigned, citing burnout after years of back-to-back fundraising seasons.

Ellen knew that recruiting new talent was time-consuming and costly. Each departure disrupted donor relationships, slowed fundraising momentum, and placed extra stress on remaining team members. She realized the key wasn’t just hiring well—it was keeping the people she already had.

Why Retention Matters and Where to Begin

Head of Consulting and Principal Jake Muszynski observes, “Retention is an industry-wide challenge. For nonprofits of all sizes, retaining the development team is not simply an HR concern—it’s a strategic priority. Fundraising is built on relationships. Every time a staff member leaves, institutional knowledge walks out the door, and donor trust can be shaken.” Replacing that connection can take years, and in the nonprofit sector, high turnover can quickly lead to stalled revenue growth. 

In his work with organizations all over the country, Jake frequently shares best practices to help organizations retain their team members. He encourages leaders to understand why employees leave and invest in proactive measures that will encourage valuable team members to remain with the organization: “To minimize turnover and support stability on your staff, your nonprofit needs to be a place where people want to work; in other words, a workplace that meets a range of needs and responds to employees’ career goals.” 

When organization leaders understand each team member’s perspective on their job and their career aspirations, they can use those insights to:

  • Invest in professional development that is meaningful to employees 
  • Create an internal culture that normalizes work/life flexibility
  • Establish routines that recognize employee contributions and celebrate achievements
  • Cultivate a more vibrant organization-wide culture of philanthropy

Understanding Your Team

The first step to retaining your team costs nothing and can be taken immediately. Jake points out some practical considerations: “You need to form an understanding of how your team members feel about their jobs. How do you find out? Ask. Schedule conversations that explore both good news and bad news aspects of working in your organization. Obviously, employees need to feel safe sharing their opinions. You can’t be thin-skinned.”

In Ellen’s case, she began by conducting a development team retention audit. She held one-on-one conversations with each staff member to understand what was working for them—and what wasn’t. She also reviewed salary benchmarks for similar organizations, examined workload distribution, and evaluated professional development opportunities across the department.

Through this process, Ellen discovered that the compensation her organization offered was competitive, but her staff said they felt stretched thin. Most of them expressed a need for more flex time to handle daily activities like picking children up from school or running important errands. Some said they wanted more consistent feedback on their performance and wanted more chances to grow professionally and advance within the organization. Even more concerning, many reported feeling isolated from other departments and the broader mission of the organization.

Implementing Retention Strategies

With a little research, leaders can determine whether the salaries they offer are commensurate with comparable nonprofits, but compensation is not the only way to retain team members. Workplace norms play a big role in retention. Many organizations now offer employees more flexibility and autonomy. Find out what changes to workload or office norms would mean the most to your staff.  

Jake also encourages leaders to speak with their boards about investing in retention: “Organizations shouldn’t wait until people are resigning to think about retention. The best time to invest in your team is before there’s a problem. When leaders commit to their staff’s growth and wellbeing, they’re not only keeping employees—they’re building a resilient future for the mission.”

The business leaders on Ellen’s board strongly believe that strategic investments reap greater returns; consequently, their usual debates are not about whether to invest, but rather how. After a lively discussion, Ellen’s board helped her hammer out a four-part retention strategy:

  1. Invest in Career Growth
    Ellen created a professional development budget with funding earmarked for each member of her team. She worked with each staff member to develop a personalized growth plan.
  2. Balance Workloads and Increase Flexibility
    Ellen restructured assignments to prevent burnout. She established mandatory “no meeting” focus days and implemented hybrid and remote work models for staff whose roles allowed for that flexibility. She also began sending out monthly anonymous surveys to monitor staff morale.
  1. Recognize and Celebrate Achievements
    The development department started to hold quarterly “impact sessions” where fundraising wins were shared with the entire organization—connecting staff efforts directly to mission outcomes. Individual achievements, from closing a major gift to exceeding an event goal, were publicly recognized.
  1. Cultivate an Organization-Wide Culture of Philanthropy Ellen also worked with leadership and program staff to embed fundraising into the fabric of the organization. She coordinated a series of interdepartmental discussions on the role that every nonprofit employee or volunteer plays in supporting philanthropy. From program staff offering excellent customer service to instructors leading school groups to board members deliberating on governance, Ellen wanted everyone connected to the performing arts center to know they were trusted and empowered to play their unique role in the fundraising that makes their mission possible. This consciousness-raising exercise broadened the development team’s base of support and reduced their sense of isolation.

Jake adds that “Recognizing and celebrating development team wins is one of the most important things a leader can do to help team members feel valued. As a bonus, sharing the development team’s milestones with the organization also fed into Ellen’s broader goal of creating a more robust culture of philanthropy. It acknowledged the contributions of development staff and raised general awareness of the importance of philanthropy to the mission.”  

The Results

Within a year, staff turnover dropped significantly. The monthly surveys consistently indicated that Ellen’s staff was feeling a greater sense of contentment at work. Major gift revenue increased—partly, Ellen thought, because donor relationships were no longer disrupted by staff departures. Though the concrete effects of promoting a culture of philanthropy would be hard to track, Ellen could see that it was boosting morale and supporting the organization’s long-term success.

At the end of the day, retaining a development team in the current environment is about more than paychecks—it’s about creating a workplace where fundraisers can see themselves thriving long-term. For nonprofits, investing in retention is not a cost—it’s a growth strategy.

Partner with Us

Is staff turnover holding your organization back? Are you unsure about how to attract and retain valuable development staff? Do you sometimes worry that your team is burned out? CFA can help you resolve these questions and more. Contact CFA today.

*Disclaimer: Client confidentiality is paramount in our work with each and every organization. The story in this article is fiction, based on real situations drawn from CFA’s broad experience serving nonprofit organizations.

Leslie Cronin

Leslie Cronin, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications

Leslie Cronin comes to Creative Fundraising Advisors with broad experience in education and nonprofits. Early in her career, she taught English, composition, and creative writing at selective independent schools, colleges, and universities. In 2005, she became Senior Development Writer at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, overseeing all aspects of communication coming out of the museum’s development department including exhibition descriptions, grant applications, correspondence with major donors, acknowledgements, and event invitations.

Leslie later brought her experience in education and fundraising to a new role, serving first as board member and then vice president of the board of an independent school in Houston, Texas. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the formulation of the school’s 20-year plan, including its successful accreditation as an International Baccalaureate institution. She worked closely with a wide variety of consultants on urban planning, architecture, and a fundraising feasibility study. Her insight into the client experience helps her every day in her work for CFA.

As Senior Manager of Strategic Communications, Leslie helps CFA’s clients shape their campaigns for maximum impact and results by leading case development workshops, writing compelling case summaries, and crafting powerfully persuasive campaign collateral. Additionally, Leslie manages CFA’s brand voice by developing content for the firm’s resource library and overseeing the editorial calendar. 

Leslie believes nonprofits have the power to change the world. In crafting cases for support, she writes as a committed advocate for each client and their goals. Leslie holds two Masters degrees, one an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the other an MA in English Literature from Temple University. She is mother to two grown children, a voracious reader, and an amateur equestrian. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband, author Justin Cronin, and their rescue dog, Lonesome Dove.

A Closer Look at the Campaign Quiet Phase

Posted on by CFA

At CFA, we believe successful campaigns are driven by big ideas. At their core, campaigns are encapsulated in relationships and numbers, artfully woven together, and informed by data and intuition.

While each phase of a campaign serves an important purpose – laying the groundwork, gathering critical information, and engaging donors – the campaign quiet phase is a distinct inflection point in a campaign during which the art and science behind transformational campaigns comes fully into view.

THE IMPORTANCE OF QUIET PHASES

Also known as the “silent phase” of a campaign, quiet phases are often when the most significant work takes place. Quiet phases are uniquely important for several reasons:

  1. Momentum – Quiet phases are a focused yet flexible point in a campaign centered on building buy-in and securing early commitments from lead donors to set the tone for the campaigns’ success by inspiring gifts at similar levels and encouraging other donors to follow suit.
  2. Refinement – Quiet phases allow organizations to fine-tune their strategies, goals, and case for support based on insights gathered from major donors and stakeholders, enhancing the effectiveness of the public campaign.
  3. Financial Foundation – Quiet phases ensure a solid financial base by securing a substantial portion of the fundraising goal before launching publicly, increasing confidence and credibility, and motivating additional participation. 

Quiet phases are not exclusive to capital campaigns, and serve a critical purpose during endowment and comprehensive campaigns as well. The quiet phase sets the stage for a successful campaign by securing a number of lead gifts from a small set of close and active donors. These gifts comprise the top of a campaign’s giving pyramid and chart the course toward the most important number associated with any campaign: the fundraising goal.  

Campaign Quiet Phase Gifts Table

CFA Senior Manager of Campaigns Anne Spears brings over a decade of fundraising experience, offering strategic guidance to organizations throughout each stage of their campaigns and supporting progress toward their campaign goals. According to Anne, “The quiet phase serves as a litmus test for a campaign’s vision and case for support. It provides sure footing for a fundraising team and the campaign while building buy-in and deeply engaging donors closest to the organization.”

Identifying donors to include in the quiet phase relies on fundraising intuition validated by prospect research and the campaign’s feasibility study. Anne recommends starting with the first donors that come to mind before even looking at a donor list. Donors at the top of a campaign pyramid will require in-depth prospect research to inform the appropriate ask amount, which is not often realistic for the majority of a campaign’s prospects.

Cultivating transformational gifts from lead donors requires significant time. The quiet phase allows fundraisers to focus on these close and critical donors while offering a period of flexibility in the campaign’s early development. The nature and tone of conversations with donors during this stage are inherently different, allowing more time and space to test ideas and ask for advice before goals, vision, and timeline are fully established and publicly announced. “Without a quiet phase dedicated to individually engaging these major donors early on, they are much less inclined to give at their full capacity,” shares Anne. 

“Giving Inspires Giving”

The quiet phase also enables fundraisers to gain experience in the art of asking for large investments. “These will be your friendliest donors with the strongest affinity for your organization,” Anne states. Cultivation conversations with these close donors becomes an exercise in articulating the campaign’s vision and goals while asking insightful questions. Soliciting transformational gifts also comes down to knowing when the time is right to make “the ask.” 

Significant contributions secured in the quiet phase can have a multiplying effect as a campaign gets underway. “Giving inspires giving,” comments Anne. “Donors are more likely to give meaningful gifts when others are giving at similar levels, and early gifts help to set the bar for future gifts.”

Hybrid Quiet Phases

The form and function of the campaign quiet phase is inherently exclusive because it focuses on a small set of high-capacity donors; a factor that is often necessitated by the limitations of a fundraising team’s capacity to equally and deeply engage donors at all giving levels. As a result, organizations seeking to align their campaigns with organizational values of equity and inclusivity can find the quiet phase to be problematic.

While some organizations may consider skipping the quiet phase in favor of a fully public campaign, CFA often advises organizations to take a hybrid approach by conducting a more inclusive feasibility process and identifying a few lead gifts following the feasibility study that can build confidence and catalyze additional giving as the public phase gets underway. 

Regardless of the phase in which these early conversations and campaign commitments take place, they become an important source of validation by increasing donor confidence, motivating additional support, and building a solid foundation for a successful campaign.

CONTACT US

Campaigns are an extensive undertaking that require a balance of organizational strategy, experience, and stamina. At CFA, we have partnered with more than 50 organizations throughout the planning, execution, and sustaining of transformative campaigns. If your organization is interested in support to launch a successful campaign, contact CFA today to explore how we can help.

Anne Spears, Senior Manager of Campaigns

An experienced fundraiser with over a decade of experience in education, religious, and social service based nonprofit fundraising, Anne is passionate about the work being done by nonprofit organizations. She is energized and inspired by working side by side with our nonprofit partners as a project manager for fundraising campaigns.

Most recently Anne was the Director of Development at the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas where she oversaw a multitude of initiatives including capital campaigns for Diocesan camp facilities from the South Texas Coast to the Colorado Rockies, campaigns to assist asylum seekers traveling from Mexico to the U.S., and consulted with the 87 Diocesan churches regarding their fundraising needs. 

Previously Anne was the Chief Development Officer for Ascension DePaul Services of San Antonio and the Development Coordinator at St. Thomas Early Learning Center in College Station, Texas. She also worked for the State of Montana as a social services specialist serving indigenous and rural populations.

Anne has a B.S. in Sociology, a M.S. in Family and Child Studies, along with a Master of Public Administration. She also is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Anne lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and three children.

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Kendall Carlson, Content Writer

A frequent contributor to CFA’s digital content, Kendall Carlson has spent her career advancing nonprofit organizations across the Twin Cities. With 16 years of experience, Kendall brings a balance of strategic and operational leadership spanning fundraising, program development, evaluation, and strategic planning. Most recently, Kendall served as Development and Communications Director at Hired, where she diversified revenue for the organization’s $11M budget and increased individual giving by 60%, led a rebrand, and launched an organization-wide data for impact initiative. Prior to Hired, Kendall served at Greater Twin Cities United Way, where she led an advancement strategy team to increase investment and engagement from the organization’s top corporate and major donors.  Kendall is known as a strategic, solution-oriented leader with a high capacity for detail and commitment to quality. She launched her consulting practice, Luminate Consulting, in 2022 to bring her skills in fundraising and program strategy to nonprofits seeking sustainable growth.