Evans/Davis was recently contacted by a church and asked to explain the value of the Assessment/Study. It was interesting because the church contact stated “There are about five individuals in our congregation who will determine if we should do a capital campaign. If they are on board, we are good…if not, we won’t do one.”
Well, this statement is only partially true. Of course, the major donors need to be interviewed to determine if there are sufficient dollars available to reach the desired amount, but much more is gained through a comprehensive assessment/study.
Besides determining the potential dollar amounts a capital campaign could raise, a well designed and executed study gives other valuable information from the congregation, information that will significantly impact a capital campaign. The information collected will include:
- The interviewees perceptions of the abilities of both the current lay and clergy leadership
- The interviewees feelings on the long-range vision plan for the church
- The assembly of a composite priority of how best to deal with the needs of the church
- The perceived strengths and areas of church life that need help
- The potential for campaign leadership
- The best timing for as well as other influences, both internal and external, that could have an impact on a campaign
An assessment/study is especially good for medium to large size congregations that are less intimate and more likely to have different perspectives on both church values and its long-term direction.
We suggest you contact us so that we can give you additional information that will help you in determining if an assessment/study is right for you.