Capital Campaign Consultant

Manage large capital campaigns for buildings, endowments, and major projects

Startup Cost
$10,000-$40,000
Difficulty
Advanced
Time to Profit
8-18 months
Profit Potential
$12,000-$167,000/month

Overview

Capital campaign consultants earn 5-10% of campaign goal or $50,000-$500,000+ per campaign.

Managing 2-6 campaigns annually generates $150,000-$2,000,000 with 60-80% margins.

In 2025, nonprofits run capital campaigns for facilities, endowments, and major initiatives.

Revenue from campaign feasibility studies ($15,000-$75,000), campaign management fees (5-10% of goal or $50,000-$500,000), campaign planning ($25,000-$150,000), major donor solicitation coaching, and post-campaign consulting.

Services include capital campaign feasibility studies, campaign case development, campaign planning and structure, major donor identification and strategy, volunteer leadership recruitment and training, and campaign management through completion.

Successful consultants have major gift fundraising experience, understand campaign phases and timelines, coach volunteer solicitors effectively, manage complex stakeholder dynamics, and lead campaigns to exceed goals.

Established nonprofits with $1M+ campaign goals as clients.

Marketing through nonprofit consultants, development directors, board connections, campaign case studies, and nonprofit leadership networks.

Required Skills

  • Capital Campaigns
  • Major Gift Fundraising
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Volunteer Management
  • Strategic Planning
  • Project Management

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Very high fees for campaign consulting
  • Multi-year campaign engagements
  • Nonprofits invest in campaign success
  • Leverage major gifts expertise
  • Campaign success builds reputation

Cons

  • Need extensive campaign experience
  • Long sales cycles to secure campaigns
  • Campaigns typically 2-4 years
  • High pressure to achieve campaign goals
  • Limited number of campaign opportunities

How to Get Started

  1. Build major gifts and campaign experience
  2. Develop campaign consulting credentials
  3. Create campaign success case studies
  4. Market to nonprofits planning campaigns
  5. Conduct feasibility studies
  6. Plan and structure capital campaigns
  7. Manage campaigns through successful completion

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