Now that the Federation has formally stated plans for its next big project, “Building Together,” (read about it in the May/June magazine: www.jewishindianapolis.org/archives), learn what the Capital Campaign process looks like.
A capital campaign is a targeted fundraising effort that takes place over a defined period of time. It is a rigorous attempt to raise major gifts for one specific goal or a variety of goals.

Creating a Committee
A successful campaign requires strong leadership and logistical support. Experienced people need to organize and execute the plan, as all work cooperatively with a full understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the campaign leaders.
The Capital Campaign Cabinet is formed with volunteers who have specific areas of expertise to begin the early planning stages of the campaign.
The Federation’s Capital Campaign Co-Chairs are Brad Bell, Beth Klapper, and David Kleiman. The campaign cabinet includes Claudette Einhorn, Brad Gershman, Diane Lutz, Jamie Ratner Rich, and Leslie Rubin, and professional staff of Katy Cantor, Michael Skolnick, and Josh Lodolo.
As the campaign progresses, committees are established to address specific issues of marketing, building, finance, fundraising, and engagement.

Research
Along with vital information from donors, feedback from the community and campus users assists with other aspects of the campaign, such as: 

• Identifying who will take on leadership roles during the campaign 
• Timing the campaign strategically 
• The campaign’s sustainability with the organization’s infrastructure 
• The nonprofit’s marketability, for example, what do donors and community leaders think about the organization? Do they feel the campaign is instrumental to our mission?

In 2016, the Federation convened a Working Group to assess the needs of the Jewish Community Campus. Through a Community Needs Assessment, a Jewish Community Demographic Study, and a 5- year Strategic Plan, the Federation and the Working Group realized the campus would need to expand to accommodate the larger Jewish community identified in the study, as well as reinvigorate the aging, but still useful facilities.
Capital Campaign Committee member Claudette Einhorn will be working with different community members to gather community feedback, which includes meeting with the agencies. The agencies use the campus and their involvement is crucial because they implement programs and services and have direct interaction with the community one-on-one.
“It is easy to say ‘we think this is what should be happening,’ but it’s more important to hear not only from the users through focus groups but from the agency directors and program staff,” she said. “It gives us a better picture hearing from the frontline staff working with those directly in our community.”
Another part of this phase is seeking input from outside the Jewish community.
“We are in a diverse location and provide for the neighborhood as well as the Jewish mission,” she said. “Our demographic study showed us that we need to offer more diversity and inclusion on our campus.”

Planning Phase
This phase of the campaign includes an assessment study, creating goals, brainstorming solutions, and gathering the team.
The Federation’s Capital Campaign Cabinet will work together with other committees and outside professional consultants to plan all components of the campaign. An architect was consulted to create preliminary concepts of a renewed campus based on the information gathered through the research phase. For this project, Architect David Rausch was consulted.
A developer is also consulted to inform the design plan past the preliminary design concept phase. This was based on the needs of the project, which were determined in the research phase. Federation Officer and Board Member Brad Gershman, who is a principal at Gershman Partners, a future-forward development company specializing in real estate, was consulted.
“In a project like this, it’s a long process because you are gaining input from many committees, agencies and the community at-large,” he said.
Gershman said the planning phase is very important because it can determine whether or not you are creating a successful project. He said without the research and planning phases, you could end up building a project that will not serve the needs and wants of those who would utilize it or create something that will become obsolete quickly. For the Jewish Community campus project specifically, this will not be the case.
“There are so many different ways that the planning is being utilized in order to inform a design that makes a more effective and efficient Jewish Community campus, not to mention a more secure and safe campus,” he said.

Fundraising
After the planning phase when a design concept has been created, the Capital Campaign leadership begin working on a plan to raise the necessary dollars to fund the project.
There is a quiet phase during which 50-70 percent of the funds are raised through major gifts strategies. Once the campaign enters the public phase, the remaining funds are raised by reaching out to a larger population of individuals.
Many volunteers are needed, as both donors and solicitors. As with the Annual Campaign, volunteers are asked to share the story of the capital campaign and its value to the community to their friends and family.
Since a capital campaign gift is typically more than an annual gift, payments can be made over a 3 to 5-year period. When a campaign is raising dollars for both building and endowment, the building funds will be spent immediately on the renovation or replacement of the facility. The purpose of an endowment gift is to provide long term, budget relieving funds for the organization.

Construction and Completion
After the funds have been raised, the developer and architect will meet with the Capital Campaign Committee to review dollars raised, determine what those dollars can build and/or renovate, and work with a team of consultants to construct and complete the project.

Claudette Einhorn is a Capital Campaign committee member and Co-Chair of the Building committee. She is currently conducting meetings with all parties that use the campus, including the program providers and users.
Brad Gershman is a Capital Campaign committee member who will gather and lead a group of construction experts. He, along with the project architects and construction manager will work through all the final planning and other work necessary to prepare for construction.