The great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness no one rejects dislikes avoids pleasure itself because it is pleasure but because know who do not those how to pursue pleasures rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful desires to obtain.
Read More
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CONSULTING SERVICES
Helping You Build Your Future
A capital campaign is one of the most complex fundraising initiatives you will ever undertake. We are here to help you get it done right.


When it comes to assuring the growth of your nonprofit, few activities will yield as significant an impact as a capital campaign, helping you take a substantial leap forward towards the fulfillment of your future goals.
Our team of capital campaign consultants have nearly four decades’ experience working across the United States and Canada, helping conduct capital campaigns for nonprofit groups of every size and type, including Christian and Private schools, Higher Education, Rescue Missions, The Salvation Army, Global Aid & Outreach Ministries, and a wide variety of local, regional & national organizations.
Ready to transform your vision in reality?
A capital campaign is a complex undertaking. It is critically important that it be done right, and you generally only have one shot at it. That’s where we come in. We are experts in providing the counsel and assistance needed to help your organization successfully complete a capital campaign that will enable you to transform your vision into reality.
Feasibility Studies
Feasibility Studies
Comprehensive Communications
Comprehensive Communications
Customized Planning
Customized Planning
Donor Research & Analytics
Donor Research & Analytics
Meticulous Management
Meticulous Management
Training & Coaching
Training & Coaching
With fierce competition in today’s philanthropic marketplace, how and what you are communicating with your donors is vitally important to ensuring success in your capital campaign. And when it comes to messaging, you need more than just advice. As a full-service consultancy, DickersonBakker is one of only a small handful of capital campaign consulting firms with a robust, professional in-house Messaging Team that specializes in strategizing communications and crafting messaging materials and media specifically for capital campaigns, across the spectrum of print, digital, video, and social media.

Click these links to read relevant entries on our blog and/or to download free white paper resources
The capital campaign feasibility study is the planning tool of choice for the most successful campaigns. Well-executed, a study can…
Capital Campaigns have been practiced for a many years. While the times have changed, many of the fundamental concepts of…
Anyone can plant a tree, but for that tree to grow and thrive, you must take three things into consideration:…
The Three Most Important Ingredients of a Successful Capital Campaign
Free White Paper
Don't Be Trigger-Happy... Four Consequences of Going Public Too Early
Free White Paper
Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign? Use this Checklist to Find Out
Free White Paper
Five Ways a Feasibility Study Can Make or Break Your Capital Campaign
Free White Paper
Four Common but Avoidable Mistakes Made in Capital Campaigns
Free White Paper
Three Reasons You Need a Consultant for Your Feasibility Study
Free White Paper
When you engage our firm for your campaign, we will walk you through a structured campaign process that incorporates best practices based on our 30 years’ experience managing hundreds of capital campaigns.
At the same time, we recognize that your situation is unique, and we will work with you to design a customized campaign plan that will be the best fit for your own unique set of needs, circumstances, and budget.
Five Phases of a Dickerson-Bakker Capital Campaign
- Feasibility Study (3 Months)
-
- Assess strength of the case for support
- Recommend a realistic goal
- Review likely sources of support
- Estimate budget, timeline, and plan of action
- Identify Leadership
- Uncover negative factors needing to be addressed
- Pre-Campaign Planning & Preparation (100 Days)
-
- Determine the campaign structure
- Research advance gift prospects
- Goal setting for each subgroup
- Staff and volunteer leadership recruitment and training
- Craft the campaign case for support
- Produce campaign printed materials, audio visual, and digital media
- Leadership Giving/Quiet Phase (3-12 Months)
-
- Solicit advance gifts from staff, Board, and other insiders
- Solicit leadership gifts from top tier donors and prospects, comprising at least 60%, and ideally 70% or more, of the total campaign goal
- Public/Community Phase (6-12 months)
-
- Launch campaign with public event(s)
- Roll out campaign to all constituent groups to challenge every possible donor in as effective a way as possible to commit to the campaign
- Fulfillment Phase (Up to 2 years)
-
- Close out campaign with a celebratory event (e.g. ribbon cutting)
- Ensure pledge commitments are paid and donors are properly stewarded through to final completion of their commitments to the campaign
When you engage our firm for your campaign we will walk you through a structured campaign process that incorporates best practices based on our 30 years’ experience managing hundreds of capital campaigns.
At the same time, we recognize that your situation is unique, and we will work with you to design a customized campaign plan that will be the best fit for your own unique set of needs, circumstances, and budget.
Five Phases of a Dickerson-Bakker Capital Campaign
- Assess strength of the case for support
- Recommend a realistic goal
- Review likely sources of support
- Estimate budget, timeline, and plan of action
- Identify Leadership
- Uncover negative factors needing to be addressed
- Determine the campaign structure
- Research advance gift prospects
- Goal setting for each sub-group
- Staff and volunteer leadership recruitment and training
- Craft the campaign case for support
- Produce campaign printed materials, audio-visual, and digital media
- Solicit advance gifts from staff, Board, and other insiders
- Solicit leadership gifts from top tier donors and prospects, comprising at least 60% and ideally 70% or more of the total campaign goal
- Close out campaign with a celebratory event (e.g. ribbon cutting)
- Ensure pledge commitments are paid and donors are properly stewarded through to final completion of their commitments to the campaign



Meet The Team
Meet the experienced and talented folks that you will be working alongside.



















