Ready or Not: LCEF’s Approach to Clearing Your Path to Capital Campaign Success

What are your ministry’s impediments to donor confidence? That’s a term we use here at Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) to explain why donors are not as generous as they could be. One of the first things we want to discover for any ministry contemplating a capital fundraising campaign is anything within the ministry that could cause donors to hesitate to make their most generous contribution.  

Sometimes these impediments are perceptions or rumors that have nothing to do with what’s actually happening with your ministry. But they are impediments, nonetheless. Sometimes these impediments are actual issues either currently or in the history of the ministry. Sometimes these impediments are severe enough to seriously impair your success in raising capital funding. That’s why LCEF works hard to examine all areas where impediments to donor confidence can be found. 

Often our Ministry Readiness process is seen as intrusive because we really do want to look at everything. We want to know how your executive leads day-to-day operations. We want to look into your governing board’s behavior. We want to see how you treat your donors and what their giving patterns and history can tell us. We personally interview dozens of key stakeholders, donors and constituents seeking to hear their concerns and enthusiasm for your ministry. 

This deep dive can be uncomfortable because we’re not looking to pat you on the back and tell you there aren’t any issues with your ministry. If we discover there aren’t any issues with your ministry, we’ll be happy to pat you on the back and give you your due regard. We’ve yet to find a ministry that doesn’t have some areas needing improvement.  

In most cases, the impediments to donor confidence we uncover can be easily dealt with and don’t present any obstacles to moving ahead with a capital campaign. However, there are times when the issues we discover are serious enough that they must be dealt with before you proceed with a campaign. In short, we partner with ministries to not only raise capital funds but to help them discover if they’re ready or not. 

At LCEF, our process not only prepares you to raise valuable funding for your ministry, but also helps you grow and improve in your service to Jesus and His people.