Sacred Places Summer 2014 | Page 17

only in terms of its donor pool and campaign leadership, but because of its campaign goal. Traditionally, capital campaigns have had two givens: they are about buildings and they are about members. These two givens will still apply and be important components of a New Dollars campaign, but they will likely not be the only components. A new approach to capital campaigns will frame building improvements – new roofs and boilers, renovations and restoration, accessibility upgrades – as important to the life of the congregation and the community. In some cases, building improvements may take a backseat to other priorities, like salaries for new staff positions or funds for programs and ministries. A New Dollars capital campaign is not restricted to support for bricks and mortar; Grace Episcopal Church in Windsor, CT, went through New Dollars/New Partners it can be leveraged to raise funds for the full training to learn how it could look beyond its walls for new fundraising sources. spectrum of expenses that a community-serving congregation incurs. Partners is working with helped identify several government grants that could be sacred places whose campaigns are geared toward everything available to the church during its restoration effort. A true from starting an innovative International Baccalaureate New Dollars steering committee, Good Shepherd’s campaign curriculum at a parochial school to hiring a Chief Operating leadership will include leaders from the public and private Officer to oversee social service ministries, from launching sectors, as well as representatives of the faith, philanthropy, an international professional association for women in and preservation communities. business to retrofitting a parish house to serve as a domestic violence shelter. For St. Francis de Sales, a Roman Catholic parish in Philadelphia, Partners recommended a different approach These campaigns are innovative responses to the challenges for the New Dollars committee. They were charged with facing each of these sacred places. They are the result of identifying one or two alumni of the parish’s school visionary leadership and years of hard work on the behalf to lead the campaign. With more than 100 years of of faith and lay leadership who chose to embrace the history, the school has tens of thousands of alumni in challenges they face – whether an economic crisis, a drop in Philadelphia, up and down the east coast, and across the membership, or a deteriorating building – as opportunities. country. Reconnecting with these individuals and building relationships with them was key to the success of the parish’s The rewards for their efforts have been far more than capital campaign. financial. In addition to raising funds, New Dollars campaigns build a foundation for a sustainable future. For other congregations, the head of the local Chamber of They allow for sacred places to grow and strengthen their Commerce, a business owner, key nonprofit leader, local network of donors and stakeholders. They help houses of historian, foundation program officer, or government worship reach out to their neighbors in new ways. They bring official may be the right fit for the steering committee. new and renewed energy and momentum into the life of The decision will hinge on the campaign’s goals, the congregations – and they bring hope. As Marcia Hinckley, a congregation’s priorities and the community’s interest. member of Grace Episcopal Church said after participating in the congregation’s asset mapping, “We have learned The (New Dollars) Capital Campaign important lessons and we have new ideas. And we have hope. With a feasibility study completed and a steering committee I think we’ll need all of that for this campaign, and the next in place, a sacred place is ready to launch its capital campaign, and the rest of the life of the church” campaign. While the structure and timeline of the capital campaign – an initial silent phase (in which committees are formed, the top eight-to-ten lead gifts are solicited, and any final adjustments to the case statement are made) followed by a public launch – is similar to a traditional campaign, a New Dollars capital campaign will often be different, not Sacred Places • Summer 2014 • 16