Dec 2007 Editor's Letter
By: Jill Pinheiro

Last month, our central focus was on finance and fundraising issues for your Christian school. In light of that coverage, I wanted to share some information that came my way after the issue went to press. As we head into a new year, perhaps your school is embarking on a spring capital campaign.

A recent survey by the Christian Stewardship Association (CSA) asked respondents to share the single most important lesson they learned from a successful capital campaign.

According to the CSA, "One theme that came up over and over again in the survey responses in a variety of ways was preparation. In short, there are a number of things that need to be done well long before you ask anyone for money."

Here are just five of the many examples of campaign preparation:

* Develop a credible cause—a big vision—that can be clearly stated

* Research to discover campaign potential, key donors, potential hurdles and more

* Recruit the right people to ask the right people

* Build ownership among staff, board, volunteer leaders, and constituents

* Pray, pray, pray at every opportunity, and ask others to join you

I hope that you'll take these tips with you if you're preparing to raise money, whether it is smaller in scale, such as the marching band's fundraiser, or larger in scope, such as a new building fund.

On the other hand, if you're on the tail end of a capital campaign, what are your "best practices" to share with fellow Christian school leaders? I'm always interested in hearing from you. You can reach me at jill@cspmag.com.

God Bless,

Jill Pinheiro
Managing Editor