In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt talks with Capital Campaign Pro senior advisor Dedee Wilner-Nugent about what to do when a capital campaign feels stalled. Dedee shares a practical framework she uses with clients across the country: the Four Rs. These simple moves help leadership teams steady nerves, reengage volunteers, and rebuild momentum during the quiet phase and beyond.
You’ll learn how to:
- Reframe expectations so leaders, staff, and committees understand that campaigns rise and fall in pace across phases
- Recommit to purpose by centering mission moments in meetings and inviting a campaign champion to keep vision and energy front and center
- Refocus on small wins through short-term benchmarks, internal updates, and celebrations that recognize progress in outreach, meetings, and gift conversations
- Reassess when progress slows by refreshing prospect priorities, addressing capacity gaps, and shifting attention to donors who are ready to advance
Highlights from the conversation:
- Why early lead gift work often creates long stretches with few visible results, and how to set expectations before that lull begins
- A simple way to map phases on a shared timeline so every participant knows the current focus and their role
- How a lead donor’s brief remarks can reenergize a board at key pivot points
- What to include in a monthly internal update to lift morale and show momentum across teams working on feasibility, design, prospecting, and leadership recruitment
- A relationship-first approach to the quiet phase that tracks meaningful touchpoints, introductions to additional leaders, and readiness for an ask
- When to rotate prospects up the depth chart to secure near-term wins while larger gifts continue on a longer path
Whether you are a CEO, development director, or campaign chair, this episode gives you a clear playbook to steady the team and move forward with confidence when progress feels slow.
To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist.This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!
