Two of our past clients have received incredible awards for their innovative projects. 

At the Missoula Public Library, we helped the library’s foundation, which had zero fundraising experience, raise over $6 million to contribute to its $30 million new library. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions named it the Public Library of the Year 2022 after a search for the best library in the world.

At Sahuarita Food Bank & Community Resource Center, we helped this volunteer-led nonprofit that was operating out of a church, raise $2 million for a stand-alone facility. The National Association of County Community and Economic Development presented its Community Development Award to the center for its work developing and implementing a one-stop hub concept. 

I don’t highlight these two nonprofits to minimize any of our other clients. We are honored every time our team is chosen to help with campaign planning and/or management. We have the best jobs ever! But with over 80 planning studies and 70 campaigns, I’m often left wondering what are the catalysts that make some projects stand out. 

What Makes Some Projects Stand Out?

In the instances above, both had collaborative projects. The new Missoula Public Library includes the community access television station, a parenting resource organization, and the University of Montana’s spectrUM and Learning Lab. The new Sahuarita Food Bank includes partners that assist with workforce development, health and nutrition programs, and family support services. 

Philanthropists adore nonprofit collaboration. They place heightened value (which usually equates to larger gifts) on the personal and financial synergies that partnerships achieve. This makes total sense from an investment perspective. If a philanthropist has $1 million to donate, and she must choose between giving it to just one nonprofit or a group of partnering nonprofits, the highest return for her and the impacted community will be the partnership. 

But the awards mentioned above were not handed out by philanthropists. They were awarded by associations. Why then, did they choose these nonprofits, both of which were in relatively small communities? My best guess is vision. 

What Role Does Vision Play?

CampaignCounsel.org has a deep understanding of and appreciation for both nonprofits’ visions. The library’s leaders knew from the start that they wanted a new facility based on the Scandinavian “culture house” model. The food bank was fully committed to creating a building that provided struggling families with a one-stop resource for getting back on their feet. And remember, neither had any major-gift fundraising experience, and the food bank had no staff! 

Another thread common to both nonprofits’ visions was openness, which reminds me of Jim Carrey’s 2008 film Yes Man. If you didn’t see it, Carrey’s character answers “yes” to every opportunity that presents itself, and this leads him to many fantastic discoveries. 

Clearly, openness doesn’t work in every potential campaign collaboration. For example, if you are a leader at a community health clinic in need of a new facility, saying “yes” to partnering with your humane society probably wouldn’t be prudent. But what if this same leader said “yes” to the behavioral health clinic down the street? Or to the local art museum? Wait, how can a health clinic and art museum collaborate? Well, every museum that I know has lots of art in storage; it’s just sitting there not being appreciated by anyone. And the new health clinic will have a ton of wall space it needs to fill. You see my point.  

By being open to including other nonprofits in your campaign vision, you will create opportunities for greatness. And if an international or national organization does not recognize the glory of your vision, I can almost promise you that a local philanthropist will value its potential synergy. 

Are you considering a visionary project funded by a capital campaign? Contact us. We’d love to hear about it. Or visit our free resources page for more information.

Kevin Wallace is the president of CampaignCounsel.org.