CFRE Fundraising Planning and Strategic Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 'feasibility study' conducted before a capital campaign is designed to:
- Raise initial funds for the campaign
- Assess whether the campaign goal, leadership, and donor base can support the planned campaign (Correct answer)
- Train new fundraising staff
- Create the campaign case for support
Correct answer: Assess whether the campaign goal, leadership, and donor base can support the planned campaign
A feasibility study interviews key stakeholders and major gift prospects to evaluate whether the organization is ready to launch a campaign at the proposed scale.
Question 2: Which of the following is the correct sequence for conducting a capital campaign?
- Public phase → silent phase → campaign planning → feasibility study
- Feasibility study → campaign planning → silent phase → public phase (Correct answer)
- Silent phase → feasibility study → public phase → campaign planning
- Campaign planning → public phase → silent phase → feasibility study
Correct answer: Feasibility study → campaign planning → silent phase → public phase
Capital campaigns follow a structured sequence: feasibility study first, then campaign planning, followed by the quiet/silent phase to secure lead gifts, and finally the public phase.
Question 3: What is a 'gift range chart' (also called a table of gifts) used for in campaign planning?
- Tracking staff salaries against fundraising income
- Showing how many gifts at various levels are needed to reach the campaign goal (Correct answer)
- Calculating the tax deductibility of planned gifts
- Scheduling donor recognition events
Correct answer: Showing how many gifts at various levels are needed to reach the campaign goal
A gift range chart mathematically models the number of gifts at each level required to reach a campaign goal, helping planners identify how many prospects are needed at each tier.
Question 4: In a major gifts campaign, what is the recommended ratio of prospects to gifts needed at each level?
- 1:1
- 2:1
- 3:1 to 4:1 (Correct answer)
- 10:1
Correct answer: 3:1 to 4:1
Major gift fundraising generally requires a 3:1 to 4:1 ratio of prospects to gifts expected at each level, accounting for those who decline or cannot give.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the 'silent phase' of a capital campaign?
- The period after the campaign ends when no solicitations occur
- The early phase when major gifts are solicited quietly before public announcement (Correct answer)
- The phase when only direct mail is used
- The planning phase before any donors are contacted
Correct answer: The early phase when major gifts are solicited quietly before public announcement
The silent (or quiet) phase is when fundraisers solicit lead gifts from top prospects, typically aiming to secure 50–70% of the goal before any public announcement.
Question 6: A 'campaign readiness assessment' typically evaluates which of the following factors?
- The number of social media followers an organization has
- Leadership capacity, donor base strength, staff readiness, and organizational credibility (Correct answer)
- The organization's building maintenance schedule
- The number of grant applications submitted in prior years
Correct answer: Leadership capacity, donor base strength, staff readiness, and organizational credibility
Campaign readiness assessments evaluate organizational factors including volunteer and board leadership, donor pipeline depth, staff capacity, and mission credibility before committing to a major campaign.
CFRE Fundraising Planning and Strategic Management 1
A 'feasibility study' conducted before a capital campaign is designed to: