People remember success and odds are, many nonprofits experienced their best growth and success during a capital campaign. That might be one reason why boards and organizations often only understand campaigns as being building or capital campaigns, according to Laura Walsh, senior director of development at the BC Cancer Foundation in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Walsh presented a session during the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy’s international conference in Chicago this past fall, entitled “Major Gift Asks When There is No Capital Campaign – Can It Be Done?”

Fundraisers are bolder during capital campaigns, she said, because campaign mode lends itself to bolder actions, thanks to clear fundraising goals and timelines, catchy campaign names and slogans for board members and employees to embrace, as well as benchmarks to celebrate. “Campaigns seem to make it easier for volunteers to ask for money,” Walsh said.

That’s why she recommends framing your organization’s non-capital campaign in the language of a campaign, using aspirational language to motivate volunteers, staff and donors. Other things that seem to be more difficult to do outside of a campaign mode during “ongoing fundraising,” include board and solicitor training sessions, physician engagement, public recognition of donors and stewardship events.

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