at historic houses of worship, a new approach to assessing
the feasibility of a major fundraising effort – one that
incorporates external stakeholders – is a prerequisite for a
successful capital campaign.
The (New Dollars) Feasibility Study
A traditional feasibility study provides vitally important
information to a congregation about the perception of
the church or synagogue among members. It gauges the
receptiveness, openness, and capacity of members to give
to a campaign. The results of a feasibility study provide the
faith and lay leadership with the information they need to
refine their campaign messaging and identify and recruit
leaders, volunteers, and donors.
A New Dollars feasibility study answers the same questions
posed in a traditional feasibility study, but it poses these
questions not only to members, but also to existing and
potential external stakeholders. As a result, a successful New
Dollars feasibility study is not only a tool for understanding a
realistic campaign goal, but also a way to build, rebuild, and
deepen a congregation’s relationships with a larger pool of
donors and community partners.
This approach to feasibility studies requires the
congregation’s leaders to invest time, effort, and creativity.
Identifying potential external stakeholders is often a
challenge, requiring the engagement of a consultant with
experience conducting feasibility studies and asset mapping.
Asset mapping is the process of identifying the strengths
of a congregation or parish based on seeing the value and
possibility in what it has, its connections, and the people
in its community. Initially, many faith and lay leaders have
a difficult time understanding their net ݽɬ