Step 4: Research and Evaluate the Prospects

All individuals, groups, or businesses who could possibly contribute to your organ fund should be included on the prospect list. Enumerate those with close ties to your church: church members, former church members, choir members, former choir members, etc. Add those businesses owned or operated by church members. Community musicians and local music organizations and groups could be viable prospects. Also, national, regional, and local denominational funding sources should be explored.

A fundraising standard based upon successful campaigns suggests that the committee should identify at least three prospects for each gift needed- The committee can expect that with three prospects for a $10,000 gift, one of the prospects is likely to give $10,000 and the other two will usually make gifts, but not of that amount. A quick and easy way to conduct such prospect evaluation is to enlist an ad hoc committee, made up of three to five individuals, familiar with church giving patterns, and knowledgeable about the local community The work of the prospect evaluation committee is always conducted in absolute confidence.

For additional help, reference sections of city and university libraries are filled with fundraising resources. Either in a separate fundraising division or as part of the reference section, volumes of materials are available to guide you through individual and family giving, to direct you to biographical listings of wealthy individuals, and to instruct you in grants-writing for family foundations.