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Capital Campaign Planning Essentials: The Feasibility Study

Capital Campaign Planning Essentials: The Feasibility Study

Wednesday, March 12, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EDT)

Zoom

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Event Details

The key to a successful campaign lies in what’s done BEFORE the campaign even begins: the campaign feasibility study. This webinar will focus on campaign planning and readiness and what to do before the campaign launch.

The Winkler Group has led successful campaigns for many SAIS-member schools. In this webinar, we’ll share the common denominators of those campaign feasibility studies and what your school should consider if you’re planning for a campaign in the next 18 months.

The webinar will answer these questions: 

  • Are you ready to launch a feasibility study? 
  • Which type of feasibility study is right for your school?
  • Do you need to know what our campaign priorities are and how much you want to raise before starting the study?
  • Interview or focus group? Which is right for you and who should lead them?
  • What a robust final report should tell you?
  • What are the pros and cons of hiring outside counsel?
  • What are the four pillars of a successful independent school campaign?

Speakers:


Jim Bush
CEO & Principal, The Winkler Group 

Jim Bush, Winkler Group CEO and Principal, has been a development professional and fundraising consultant for more than 30 years. Recognized as an expert in his field, he’s helped independent schools and nonprofits raise more than $500 million through major and capital campaigns, annual fund programs, and planned giving campaigns. His specialty is academic fundraising; he has led multiple successful campaigns for SAIS-member schools.

Prior to joining the Winkler Group, he was an Enterprise Business Architect at Blackbaud, where he served as Raiser’s Edge counsel to universities including the Texas and Michigan State University Systems.

Jim is a noted lecturer, trainer, and teacher. He has been on the faculty of CASE Campaign Workshop, has presented at more than fifty national and international fundraising conferences, and has been named the top speaker six times. His articles on fundraising have been published in leading nonprofit journals.


Jessica Browning
Principal & EVP, The Winkler Group

Jessica Browning, Winkler Group Principal and EVP, brings more than 25 years of nonprofit marketing and development experience to Winkler Group clients. As Principal and Executive Vice President of the Winkler Group, Jessica helps oversee the firm’s operations and services.

An expert in donor communications, Jessica has received awards including the CASE Circle of Excellence award for her writing. She has written case statements and fundraising materials for more than 150 universities, independent schools, cultural organizations, and nonprofits. 

Jessica received a B.A. from Duke University as well as an M.A. and M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary. She has been on the faculty of the CASE Campaign Workshop, served on the Editorial Review Board for Giving USA, and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.