Home of the Innocents – 2nd Campaign, Louisville, KY
The Home of the Innocents faced a dilemma. They had just completed a highly successful and well publicized $25 million campaign. The goal was to build a new facility which would consolidate onto one campus four previously separate locations. The expectation was that the expanded space the new Children’s Village offered would serve the Home’s projected growth for at least ten years. No one anticipated that just one year after moving into the new facility, the Home would reach maximum capacity.
Linda Medley, Vice President of Development, recalls, “We realized we already needed to look at expanding again. We knew the public would question why we missed the mark on our forecasts, why another campaign already?” Again the Home looked to The Covenant Group for help. “After the success they helped us achieve with the first campaign, it was evident they should be involved again. The Covenant Group provided a good, sound feasibility study and audit which helped us to focus on our short and long term goals.”
The feasibility study revealed that $16.5 to as much as $20 million more could be raised from the private sector. The plan was to use these funds to build 4 new buildings. The proposed new construction consisted of a shelter cottage to house the most high-risk children, an advanced therapy center, an expansion of the pediatric convalescent therapy center and an assessment center, the first of its kind in Kentucky. Later the plan and the goal were expanded to include a fifth building, an on-campus school which would service children too medically fragile or emotionally traumatized to attend off-campus, public schools.
Medley commented, “the first campaign was easier because at that time the need was very visible. It gave people a great chance to get involved with the Home of the Innocents.” She continues, “With the second campaign we had to deal with a downturn in the economy and donor fatigue. People were not as inclined to give.” However, with The Covenant Group’s help and a committed Executive Committee the Home is well on its way to surpassing its goal. To date, they have raised over $16 million in private support and the addition of endowment funds, government funding and other public support puts the total raised at close to $33 million. All five new buildings are scheduled to open next summer.
Medley credits The Covenant Group’s extensive involvement as key to the campaign’s success. “They were very involved and did a good job of preparing the Executive Committee and keeping them on task.” She concluded with an enthusiastic recommendation of The Covenant Group. “They are very comprehensive in their approach. They are ethical and helpful, regardless of the size of the organization. I would not move forward with any campaign or strategy without their involvement.”