Feasibility Study Report Summary

The following is a summary of the feasibility study conducted over the past couple of months. To read the full report, please contact the parish office at <phone> or <email>.

Introduction

At the invitation of Holy Family Catholic Church,Mark Davy & Associates conducted a feasibility study to determine the faith community’s capacity to move forward with a capital campaign.

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to determine:

1.The awareness level of the faith community regarding a campaign. This assists in measuring the amount of education needed before asking parishioners for gifts.

2.How important the campaign initiatives will be to the future well being of the church.

3.The strengths of the faith community. This will determine the focus of a future educational plan.

4. Concerns parishioners have that may affect a campaign. Identifying and addressing these concerns is important before moving forward with the gifting phase.

5.The level of potential leadership within the parish to conduct a successful campaign.

6.The level of financial support available for the campaign.

Methodology & Response Results

Mark Davy & Associates conducted 49 interviews which involved 75influential and interested parishioners.

Additionally, we mailed surveys to gain a broader base of opinion and support the validity of the interviews. An opportunity to respond online was also made available.

Surveys responses were received from125 households.

To obtain candid responses, we assured participants that their answers would be held in confidence. For this reason, comments included in this report are not identified or quoted by name.

Holy Family Catholic Church

Grand Forks, North Dakota

FEASIBILITY STUDY

1.What is the most effective way for Holy Family Catholic Church to communicate with you?

INTERVIEW SURVEY

NUMBER NUMBER

Weekly bulletin 47 73

Mail 27 39

E-mails 17 23

Newsletter 12 27

Announcements 22 15

Website 4 9

Bulletin Insert 1 0

Telephone 1 0

Each faith community has a preferred way of receiving communication. The responses to this question make a distinction between what materials members will generally pay more attention to than others.

The weekly bulletinand mail were indicated as the most effective ways to receive communication. During the campaign, all forms of communicationsshould be utilized, but the results demonstrate which vehicles should be used most often in the education phase.

2.How informed are you of the projects presented in the vision statement?

1.

INTERVIEW SURVEY

NUMBER PERCENT NUMBER PERCENT

Very well informed 17 23 5 4

Reasonably well informed 22 30 32 27

Somewhat informed 27 37 69 59

Uninformed 7 10 11 10

Responses to this question assist in gaining an understanding of how comprehensive an education phase needs to be before asking members for gifts. Each participant was asked to read the vision statement before participating in the interviews or survey, which should give them a general idea of the campaign purpose and goals.

The people interviewed were more informed of the campaign initiatives than those surveyed. Fifty-three percent of interview participants and thirty-one percent of survey participants responding “very well informed” or “reasonably well informed” indicates the need for an extensive education phase for all parishioners. The campaign education phase is necessary for building awareness and momentum regarding the campaign initiatives.

INTERVIEW

  1. How important do you believe each project is to the future well being of Holy Family Catholic Church? (Please mark each answer with an X)

Very Important Somewhat Unimportant

______Important Important______Roofing 45 25 1 0

Boilers3726 6 2

Repairs in church and commons 451810 1

Tuck pointing153918 0

Upgrades in our school322212 7

Church bathrooms 133222 4

Carpeting102431 9

Audio/visual system10 72532

SURVEY

3.How important do you believe each project is to the future well being of Holy Family Catholic Church? (Please mark each answer with an X)

Very Important Somewhat Unimportant

______Important Important______Roofing 66 44 5 0

Boilers7336 3 0

Repairs in church and commons 5752 8 0

Upgrades in our school443725 5

Church bathrooms 265034 5

Tuck pointing284628 4

Carpeting 85149 4

Audio/visual system17344417

Interview & Survey Percentages Combined

Roofing
Boilers
Repairs in church and commons
Tuck pointing
Upgrades in our school
Church bathrooms
Carpeting
Audio/visual system

INTERVIEW

4.What do you consider to be two or three of Holy Family Catholic Church’s top strengths?

  • Father Phil (27)
  • People (10)
  • Welcoming (10)
  • Music (10)
  • School (10)
  • Father Reese (10)
  • Community outreach (8)

SURVEY

4.What do you consider to be two or three of Holy Family Catholic Church’s top strengths?

  • People (23)
  • Great priests (18)
  • Outreach programs (17)
  • Fr. Phil (16)
  • Welcoming to all persons (13)
  • Liturgy (12)
  • Volunteers (10)
  • Friendly (10)
  • Sense of community (9)
  • School (8)

INTERVIEW

  1. Would you see any areas of concern that may affect a capital campaign?
  • Economy (8)
  • Raising the money (8)
  • Need more information on the parish’s financial picture (6)

SURVEY

5.Would you see any areas of concern that may affect a capital campaign?

  • Economy (19)
  • Financial ability of members (9)
  • Elderly members (8)

INTERVIEW

6.Who, in your best judgment, would be three to five persons who could provide the

necessary leadership to make a capital campaign successful?

MARK DAVY & ASSOCIATES Feasibility Study – Holy Family Catholic Church September 20121

  • Roger Kieffer (9)
  • Jim Hanley (8)
  • Randy Slominski (6)
  • Mike St. Onge (6)

MARK DAVY & ASSOCIATES Feasibility Study – Holy Family Catholic Church September 20121

SURVEY

6.Who, in your best judgment, would be three to five persons who could provide the

necessary leadership to make a capital campaign successful?

MARK DAVY & ASSOCIATES Feasibility Study – Holy Family Catholic Church September 20121

  • Fr. Phil Ackerman (5)
  • Mike St Onge (5)

MARK DAVY & ASSOCIATES Feasibility Study – Holy Family Catholic Church September 20121

7.A capital campaign will need many volunteers to ensure its success. If asked, would you accept a leadership or supportive role?

INTERVIEW SURVEY

NUMBER PERCENT NUMBER PERCENT

Yes 18 24 3 3

Would consider 21 28 37 32

No 36 48 74 65

Volunteers are a key element to success in a campaign. They provide a major role in informing the faith community regarding the campaign vision and asking for members’ support. Another benefit to recruiting a large number of volunteers is people are more likely to give and/or increase their giving to a project in which they are involved.

Both the interview and survey percentages indicate some willingness to accept or consider a leadership or supportive role. While the percentages seem low, these represent a normal response as people are reluctant to commit when they are not sure of the job description or specifics of the project. In a more positive sense, there is a pool of 79 people who would agree to or consider taking a leadership or supportive role.

  1. Would you make a gift to the capital campaign, above and beyond your ordinary giving,

payable over a three year period?

INTERVIEW SURVEY

NUMBER PERCENT NUMBER PERCENT

Yes 36 71 36 32

Would Consider 15 29 63 56

No 0 0 13 12

This question isvaluable in determining if there is genuine support for a campaign. Members can often feel that a campaign is important, but a financial commitment above and beyond their regular giving demonstrates assurance that they want to see the church’s vision achieved.

Responses to this question were encouraging and represent a faith community committed to the vision.

One hundred percent of members interviewed said “yes” or“would consider”, while eighty-eight percent surveyed responded “yes” or “would consider” a gift.

9.If so, in which level would your gift be:

GIFT CHART

Level ILevel IILevel III

$100,000 +$ 20,000 $ 4,000

$ 75,000$ 15,000$ 2,000

$ 50,000$ 10,000 $ 1,000

$ 25,000$ 5,000$ 500

INTERVIEW SURVEY

NUMBER PERCENT NUMBER PERCENT

Level I 1 3 0 0

Level II 11 28 6 6

Level III 27 69 88 94

Measuring the level or range at which members will give to a campaign is a helpful indication of the church’s capacity to achieve their vision. For Holy Family to conduct a successful campaign, it is necessary to have gifts at all three levels.

Responses were encouraging with eighteen interview and survey participants indicating their willingness to make a gift at Level I or II. However, with ninety-four percent of people surveyed responding at Level III or lower, donor sights must be raised to consider larger gifts if the campaign is to be successful. This will occur through education and process.

10.Without making a commitment, could you share what your gift might be?

$ per year for three years, totaling $______

This question assists Mark Davy & Associates in better understanding the financial capability of the church to pursue a campaign. However, the responses are not all-inclusive or comprehensive enough to report.

  1. If asked, would you include Holy Family Catholic Church in your will? (trust, annuity, insurance or bequest)

INTERVIEW SURVEY

NUMBER PERCENT NUMBER PERCENT

Yes 0 0 2 2

Would Consider 6 20 33 40

No 21 70 44 54

Already in my/our will 3 10 3 4

The response to this question indicates potential for increased funding and a need to further communicate opportunities for planned gifts. A major effort to encourage and assist those who are interested in this type of giving will make a large impact on the church’s budget. Many of the largest gifts received by churches are often through wills and other various forms of planned giving.

INTERVIEWS

12.What advice or comments do you have for the leadership of Holy Family Catholic Church regarding a capital campaign which you haven’t shared?

  • Communicate all aspects of the campaignusingdifferent media (12)
  • Educate the parishioners for full understanding (8)
  • Publish a budget for the church to inform parishioners (6)
  • We need to do this (5)

SURVEY

12.What advice or comments do you have for the leadership of Holy Family Catholic Church regarding a capital campaign which you haven’t shared?

  • Make sure the money is spent on necessity rather than want (4)
  • If all families participated, it is feasible to raise the needed funds (3)
  • Need to keep our building in the best possible shape to ensure fewer problems later (3)

Recommendations

Below are Mark Davy & Associates’ recommendations for Holy Family Catholic Church regarding the implementation of a capital campaign:

1.We recommend that Holy Family Catholic Church use the momentum of this study andmove forward with a campaign immediately. Based on our findings, Holy Family Catholic Church has the potential toraise $750,000,plus or minus five percent. It is our sense that this amount represents current willingness of your parishto participate in the proposed endeavor.

With the commitment of leadership to complete a major campaign, the necessary volunteers and a comprehensive education process, we do, however, believe that the opportunity to raise

$850,000exists. This is what we refer to as the "faith factor". Whena true sense of generosity is introduced to a faith community, a spirit of conversion begins which meets all challenges.

  1. The study responses indicate a need for further education before asking members to make a large financial commitment. Mark Davy & Associates’ recommendation is to complete an all-inclusive education phase to ensure each member has had the opportunity to fully understand the vision for this campaign. It is vital to provide as much information as possibleto all householdsfor each parishioner to make an informed decision regarding a gift.
  1. Upon making the decision to move forward with a campaign, leadership should begin immediately to determine who is best to lead this effort. Selecting the right leadership is crucial to a campaign and should not be taken lightly.

It’s important to review the question in this study regarding who members believe would be the best candidates for chairing a campaign. Most churches select two individuals or couples to represent the campaign leadership. The following are some of the key characteristics to look for in potential campaign chairs:

  • Support the campaign vision and will make a gift
  • Have the time and dedication to oversee the completion of a successful campaign
  • Well known in the church and has a history of working well with others within the faith community
  • Willing to work with leadership and a campaign consultant to oversee and execute the campaign plan

4.Pray and encourage others to pray for the success of this campaign and those who have and will work hard to see its fruition. Ask the Lord to inspire all members to join in this effort with a joyful commitment to volunteer and a spirit of gratitude in giving.

MARK DAVY & ASSOCIATES Feasibility Study – Holy Family Catholic Church September 20121