The Underlying Purpose of a Feasibility Study

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The Underlying Purpose of a Feasibility Study

• John W. Corfield
• President
• Corfield Consulting Services

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Agenda

• Count the cost
• What a Feasibility Study determines
• Resulting benefits
• How does a Feasibility Study educate prospective
  donors?
• Why educating donors is the first step in the
  campaign process
• QA

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Be A Jacobs Well

• Jacob A Man of Vision
• Jacobs Well
• Carved out of solid rock
• Over 30 feet deep
• Ministered to
• His herds
• Jesus
• Shepherds today

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Count the Cost

• Our Lord Jesus said, For which of you, when he
  wants to build a tower does not first sit down
  and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough
  to complete it? Luke 1428 NASV
• Davids blueprint for the campaign to build the
  Lords Temple included a feasibility study with
  his leaders.
• (I Chronicles 29)

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What a Feasibility Study Determines
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What a Feasibility Study Determines (it counts
the cost)

• Constituency perceptions, attitudes and
  commitment
• Campaign organizational leadership
• Reputation
• Priority of campaign projects
• Alternative funding sources
• Financial potential
• Major donor prospects
• Excellent volunteer prospects
• Annual fund priorities

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Resulting Benefits

• Direction for school
• Promotional and marketing ideas
• Important or strategic information
• Confidence to move forward or the wisdom to wait
• Education of prospective donors The Underlying
  Purpose

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How Does a Feasibility Study Educate Prospective
Donors?

• Setting is non-threatening to survey participant
• Interviewer is an outsider
• Interviewer is not soliciting anyone
• Interviewer can educate in ways school leadership
  cannot, including
• Scriptural foundation for fund-raising (David,
  Nehemiah, and the Tabernacle)
• 1 Chronicles 29
• Donations vs. Higher Tuition
• Advantages of giving
• Meeting school needs
• 3 year pledge process
• Wish List
• Memorial giving
• Determining the level of personal sacrificial
  giving

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Why Educating Donors is the First Step in the
Campaign Process

• 90-100 of survey participants give
• Average three-year gift - 3,000
• Major donors will see their place in giving to
  the campaign
• Participants will pray about their involvement
• Former non-givers become givers
• Volunteer base is developed
• Clear priority of goals set by participants
• Excitement for campaign, school and future
• Many (70) will continue to give to the annual
  fund when the campaign is over

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Sample Study Questions

• Sample Study Questions
• 1. What is the reputation of Eden Christian
  Academy?
• Excellent _____ Very Good _____ Good _____
• Fair _____ Poor _____
• JC Answers should be in the first three
  categories.
• 2. What is your attitude toward the school?
• Enthusiastic ___ Interested ___ Apathetic ___
  Critical ___
• JC Most answers should be in the first two
  categories.
• 3. Why wouldnt others enroll their children
  here?
• JC True feelings emerge at this point and
  sometimes
• contradict the first two questions.

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Sample Study Questions

• 4. Do you think the constituency will give to the
  campaign?
• JC Do they have confidence that others want
  what they want? Most of them are sure that
  everyone else is strapped and will not support
  the campaign except themselves.
• 5. Who do you see as leadership potential in the
  school?
• JC Listen to this they are telling you whom
  they are willing to follow and, who they would
  like to solicit them.
• 6. If you could give to only one area or the
  other, to which would you give?
• Capital Campaign _______ Annual Fund _______
• JC Some constituents will not give to a capital
  campaign but will give to the annual fund. Don't
  overlook them, they will help your annual fund
  when your campaign starts and regular annual
  giving drops off.

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Sample Study Questions

• 7. Do you know of other campaigns of which our
  constituency could be a part?
• JC This question is very important. If
  another Christian school is starting a campaign,
  it probably will not compete with you unless your
  parents have students in both. A campaign from a
  large church, from which you receive many
  students, will definitely compete. You may want
  to wait to go forward if this is significant
  enough.
• 8. Could you name individuals, churches,
  business, etc. that could give 10,000 or more to
  the campaign?
• JC Major donor prospects generally come from
  here.

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Sample Study Questions

• 9. Please prioritize the following needs with 1
  the highest and 4 lowest
• Individual Spouse
• Arts Athletic Center 2,500,000 1
  1
• Classroom Facility 2,000,000 2
  3
• Computer Lab 200,000 4
  4
• Salaries Increased 100,000 3
  2
• JC Try to get husband and wife together. When
  only one shows up, when they go home to share
  their excitement, it often scares the other
  spouse who, at this point, has not been
  convinced to give.

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Sample Study Questions

• 10. Would you be willing to make a pledge over a
  three period?
• JC Those who say yes generally will pledge if
  you dont wait too long
• 11. Are you willing to help as a volunteer?
• JC You really need to take notice here. This
  is so important that I am devoting another
  workshop to building confidence in volunteers.
• 12. Do you think your gift range might be?
• 1K-5K 5K-15K 15K-25K
• 25K-50K 50K-100K 100K
• JC This as done in the survey only. Never send
  this out to constituents, they do not answer this
  question very often and when they do, they always
  go below the lowest levels.

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Questions?
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