Capital Campaign Discernment Committee
The 2007 Diocesan Convention authorized a Capital Campaign Discernment Committee to explore the feasibility of a major diocesan-wide fundraising effort to support the common mission and ministry of the Diocese for decades to come. The financial crisis of 2008 delayed that work, but the Committee made an initial report to the 2010 Diocesan Convention and presented a draft case statemen
In early 2011, with assistance from a consultant, Christine Graham, CPG Enterprises, Inc., the Committee refined the draft into a preliminary case statement, “Spirit and Energy: A fundraising campaign to equip the saints for mission and strengthen our diocese for decades to come.” Based on the directions and priorities in the Strategic Plan as revised in 2010, it proposed a campaign spread over five years with a goal of raising $5,625,000, to be followed by an Endowment Campaign with a goal of raising $5,500,000.
The first phase included five critical and intertwined ministries, as well as modest costs of the campaign. In addition to the summary case statement, more detailed documents were prepared for each of the five ministries (spiritual formation, Earth stewardship, communications, Rock Point, and Mission Farm). See below for links to each of these detailed statements.
The consultant used the preliminary case study to test the feasibility of a capital campaign in 29 interviews throughout the Diocese during March 2011. Her “Feasibility Study” concluded that, “Based on the interviews in this study, a campaign as described in the Case Statement is discouraged. The Diocese would be wise to rethink and reconfigure its plans.” She recommended that the Diocese begin work in four areas “to improve the receptivity of its members to a campaign”: communication, fundraising collaboration with congregations, education and reaching youth.
Graham further recommended a campaign to begin in a year or two that would have two concurrent parts: “Supporting the Church Today: Spirit and the Environment,” and “Supporting the Church for the Future: Planned Giving.” She concludes, “The Diocese has so many devoted, serious, thoughtful members who would like to be part of a whole that serves all members well. When they begin to feel their churches are growing stronger and their membership in the Diocese is productive, financial generosity and stability will follow.”
In light of the consultant’s recommendations, The Capital Campaign Discernment Committee proposed a resolution to the Special Diocesan Convention, June 4, 2011, called with the sole purpose of receiving and acting on the Committee’s report. Adopted nearly unanimously, it stated:
Resolved, That attention be given and actions be taken at both the local and diocesan level to address the concerns raised in the 2011 Capital Campaign Feasibility Study report and summarized in the section “Analysis and Recommendations,” and be it further,
Resolved, That the Bishop and Diocesan Council, parallel with the above efforts, use the next 18 months to prepare a detailed plan for a collaborative diocesan-wide approach to fundraising to be presented to Diocesan Convention 2012 for consideration and action, and be it further,
Resolved, That delegates from this Convention commit to communicate the content, spirit and outcome of this day with the members of their local congregations.
Capital Campaign Resources
The following documents may be downloaded:
Summary Case Statement (“Spirit and Energy”), February 2011 (pdf)
Communications Detailed Case Statement (pdf)
Earth Stewardship Detailed Case Statement (pdf)
Mission Farm Detailed Case Statement (pdf)
Rock Point Detailed Case Statement (pdf)
Spiritual Formation Detailed Case Statement (pdf)
Feasibility Study (complete—pdf)
Feasibility Analysis and Recommendations (pdf)
Feasibility Study Appendix (pdf)