Incorporating Planned Giving Into Your Fund-raising Strategy (2 of 3)
Have you ever taken a minute to truly understand everything that takes place throughout your feasibility study timeline? Conducting a pre-campaign feasibility study is a big commitment of time and resources for any organization. In general, plan for a feasibility study to take 4-5 months from start to finish. On the college level, it will almost certainly take the full 5 months due to the larger pool of interviewees and additional methods involved like focus groups and online surveys. Other segments, like private schools and non-profits, may be able to complete the study in four months. In order to help you plan, we have outlined the general progression of the feasibility study timeline month by month.
Month 1
- Conduct planning meeting with leadership and study coordinator
- Complete advancement assessment to determine campaign readiness
- Schedule interviewers
- Review and approve drafts of campaign investment opportunities
- Develop interviewee criteria
- Send letters to board members asking for potential interviewee names
- Begin preparations for focus group sessions and online survey (colleges)
Month 2
- Develop and approve interview questionnaires – personal, focus group, and online survey
- Mail announcement letters to potential interviewees
- Begin calls to schedule study appointments
- Begin interviews of leadership and other key organization members
- Evaluate questionnaire for adjustments after first week of interviews
Month 3
- Continue personal interviews and begin focus groups and online survey
Month 4
- Complete personal interviews, focus group sessions and online survey
- Assemble interviewee responses and compile study data
- Initiate analysis, correlate study findings and integrate readiness assessment
- Begin first draft of the feasibility study report
Month 5
- Conduct review of study findings and formulate recommendations
- Complete draft of feasibility study report
- Present report draft to leadership for review
- Make revisions as needed and complete report
- Deliver feasibility study final report to board and leadership
- Present findings and recommendations to leadership and members of the board
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