Philanthropy Case Studies

Leading a nonprofit demands a unique skillset and a kind of commitment often referred to as “grit.” At CapDev we meet all kinds of leaders, and some stand out as especially “gritty,” like Dr. V. Ann Tippitt, Director of The Schiele Museum of Natural History. The museum’s nearly 20-year leader was recently given two prestigious […]

We’ve seen hurricanes, floods, elections and recessions impact our campaign work with CapDev clients over the past nearly 40 years. But when the pandemic hit in 2020, it was unchartered territory for our world, for nonprofits, and for us as a firm. What does a major campaign do when a pandemic hits? In June 2020, […]

Campaigns come up with their names in all kinds of ways. Western Carolina University (WCU) found their theme in the words of their fight song. The “Fill the Western Sky” theme is now prominent on the campaign’s web page: https://westernsky.wcu.edu/, including an inspirational and on-theme campaign video. The $75 million comprehensive campaign, the largest in […]

As faith communities across the U.S. face diminishing congregations, Judea Reform Congregation (JRC) is growing in the Triangle. Anticipating 1,000 new Jewish families arriving in Durham and Chapel Hill in the coming years, JRC is readying to embrace them. Given the critical role of Rabbinic leadership, JRC could not remain a one rabbi congregation and […]

Back when Dix Park was just an idea, a small group of influential leaders in Raleigh invited CapDev to talk about funding possibilities and philanthropic support. This group of dreamers, led by the late J. Gregory Poole Jr., called themselves the Dix Visionaries, and they set out to preserve the former Dorothea Dix property as […]

CapDev has been honored to share the journey with Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. Since its beginnings, we have conducted the following seven campaigns together to achieve its vital and growing mission: Robert M. Fales Hospice Pavilion, Wilmington Angel House Hospice, Whiteville SECU Hospice House of Brunswick County, Bolivia Katherine and Duncan Phillips LifeCare and Counseling […]

One Search Leads to Another Foothills Conservancy’s founder, Susie Hamrick Jones, had just announced her plans to retire in August 2017 when the organization first contacted CapDev. Susie was referred to us by Walter Clark because of her knowledge of the executive director search we had previously completed for his replacement at the Blue Ridge […]

One Campaign Builds on Another to Deliver Enthusiasm and Success When CapDev first partnered with Averett University it was a very different place than it is now. Over the course of several years and a few engagements, we have worked closely with the university’s leadership – both staff and board levels – to develop a […]

A well-planned campaign maximized leadership time and achieved objectives