The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago just announced the completion of a comprehensive capital campaign that surpassed its original goal of $205 to raise a whopping $208.8 million in six years.
I admit I am personally excited by this news because of my long and treasured affiliation with the Museum as an employee, consultant and member. But, what most excites me is how carefully the Museum positioned itself for success before the campaign even started. And how well that strategy worked.
As they were considering a campaign, the Museum’s leadership invested in a feasibility study. The results were somewhat disappointing. Wait, the consultants said. You’ll be leaving money on the table if you move too quickly. Take two years, they advised, and do this: engage in strategic and aggressive pre-campaign positioning. Involve civic and philanthropic leaders now, free from the pressure of a campaign, and build ownership among them for your work.
So, in 2003, the Museum recruited 164 scientists, civic and business leaders, teachers, NASA engineers, Nobel Laureates and creative designers from Walt Disney Imagineering to help develop a strategic plan. Focused on the Museum’s vision to “ inspire and motivate our children to achieve their full potential in the fields of science, technology, medicine and engineering,” these volunteers spent more than 3,200 hours over the course of 18 months formulating recommendations to reshape the Museum’s future.
A visionary plan emerged and, of course, a long list of financial investments that would be needed to bring the plan to life. With so many people already so close the plan, giving to a campaign was a logical next step. Donors didn’t have to be convinced by the Museum to invest. They’d already convinced themselves.
While you may or may not ever have the opportunity to launch a 9-figure campaign, every one of us can learn from this success. Involve people, engage people, listen to people, inspire people. And they will give.
