Day: September 10, 2019

Ronald McDonald House Charities Kentuckiana

The team at Ronald McDonald House Charities Kentuckiana (RMHCK) understands families in crisis who deal with serious illness. In fact, children whose families stay at RMHCK tend to be the sickest. They also travel the furthest and experience the longest hospital stays. With just 36 guest rooms, too often the House is full and families have to be turned away (over 550 times in 2016 & 2017) .

CEO Hal Hedley explains, “We knew we needed to expand our capacity. We acquired the building next door and planned to renovate it and connect it to our main facility. Doing this would allow us to increase the number of guest rooms to 56. We also planned to renovate our existing facility”. Although the original campaign target was $15 million, it was raised to $21 million due to increased construction and operational costs.

The nonprofit selected The Covenant Group to conduct a feasibility study and then help launch the super-sized campaign. Hedley credits the study with helping identify both current donors that would support the projects as well as new, prospective donors “not already on their radar”. He also noted that talking to stakeholders allowed them to uncover what questions and concerns potential donors had about the projects. “Knowing these issues upfront helped us provide clear answers that were conveyed in our campaign materials. We had the answers prepared even before the questions were asked”.

The team at RMHCK was not new to capital campaigns. In fact, The Covenant Group had helped the organization previously conduct a $3 million campaign that allowed them to renovate 7,000 sq. ft. of space. Hedley pointed out that the scope and size of this campaign were much greater with a goal of $21 million and the plan to renovate 60,000 sq. ft. that spans two buildings.

Hedley called The Covenant Group the campaign architect. “They helped put together timelines and developed a structure that made it possible for us to achieve our goals. They also helped us open doors with new donors some of which resulted in major gifts. In addition, they trained our Board to give them confidence in conducting personal solicitations”. “Thorough, responsive, strong planners, and good trainers” are some of the terms he used to describe The Covenant Group.

Today, funds raised in the campaign effort total $19.5 million, just shy of the $21 million goal. Hedley forecasts that both the fundraising and the construction will be complete next year. He added, “The campaign has helped us broaden our base of support. This will not only help us achieve the campaign goal but ensure we have the funds needed to cover ongoing operations as well.”

Hedley states that he would recommend The Covenant Group to others seeking campaign counsel. He explains, “We appreciate The Covenant Group putting together a plan that has helped us be successful in raising the funds needed to complete this transformational project”. At the end of the day it will help RMHCK Keep more families close and that is the most important result.

by Cheryl Gurr

“I really support The Covenant Group’s strategic planning process because their approach encourages staff-based support with board buy-in, and I felt that was important given what we were trying to achieve. The outcome is an effective plan that builds consensus and provides a clear sense of direction.”
- Jennifer Scott, Director of Development - The Cabbage Patch Settlement House

“The Covenant Group is highly competent, very experienced and knowledgeable. They provided a broad perspective by equipping us with useful data…and best practices in the field. All in all, they are excellent.”
- Dan Jones, CEO - 21st Century Parks

“The campaign has truly been a miracle. People were committed from the beginning, but…even raising $650,000 seemed like a stretch. To nearly double that amount is incredible! When the plan they developed allows you to hit a goal like that, it builds such a sense of community. The momentum built by the campaign is spilling outside the walls of our church and benefiting others in the process.”
-Father John Hollowell - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

“For those of us who don’t do this everyday, The Covenant Group instilled confidence in us. They helped us get through the fear and apprehension by providing us with a process, training and motivation. They taught us and helped us plan in a way that was for the better. We have built lasting relationships with donors and we will continue to steward these relationships long into the future.”
- Sue Finke, Director of Institutional Advancement - Covington Catholic High School

“No one anticipated we could raise this amount. Even the Archdiocese is surprised. The funds raised represent about 15 times our annual giving. But it’s not just the financial results. People stand around talking more than they did before the campaign. There is also a renewed and energized spirit among the parishioners. It’s the most exciting thing to happen in our parish in the last 100 years.”
- Gary Libs, Campaign Co-Chair - St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church

“The Covenant Group’s process involved a lot of people in our congregation doing small tasks … that built ownership. They took our vision and put it into a concrete plan. They helped us understand the importance of making our vision clear and laid out the steps to make the vision a reality. Their process built consensus and showed people how they could help. Their methods are based on a solid theological foundation that includes key documents, prayer support, and requisite training … all of which were invaluable.”
- Daniel Montgomery, Pastor - Sojourn Community Church

“Everything The Covenant Group did to help us…in the initial stages was helpful…the development of the case statement; our materials; the training of our Board members; strategies; all these steps laid the foundation for eventual success. They brought such a high level of professionalism, a wealth of experience and a strong track record of integrity and success… just being associated with The Covenant Group helped us.”
- Nancy Doctor, Development Director - Wellspring

“The structure The Covenant Group provided was excellent. It allowed our members to use their God-given talents to benefit the church community They helped us develop a plan and identify key leadership candidates to chair the effort, as well as engaging between 80 to 100 people to carry out the work of the campaign. It was truly a whole congregation effort and The Covenant Group helped facilitate that. They helped us reach our full potential as a congregation.”
- Ron Poisel, Pastor - Christ Lutheran Church