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Rating: 
Summary: Useful but disappointing
Review: Although there is useful information in this book, I found it disappointing compared with the recommendations that I read. Part 1, which is about 200 pages, is the text of the book and covers planning and implementing your campaign. Part 2 which is about 300 pages is a collection of about 35 sample documents. I found the text, which included chapters by other authors, rambling and verbose, giving lists of functions and lists of alternatives without reaching conclusions. I skimmed this part and found little worth reading carefully. (In contrast, I just read Tony Poderis concise and excellent "Its A Great Day to Fundraise" from cover to cover.) The author attempts an academic approach, with unhelpful citations. Examples of somewhat useful items were an outline of a case statement and examples of gift charts. Particularly weak was a chapter entitled "Technology in Fundraising" which claimed that it was about the single most important support factor in fundraising. We learn that we need a broad team to select this technology; that we need to attend user groups of the system we are considering; that we need to meet current users; that we need to test the system at our site; that the system should be easy to support; that to install the system we need leadership, time, funding, involvement, communication, expertise, testing, training, defined reports, standards, process, etc.; and on and on and on with more generalities. We are NOT told what it is reasonable to expect such a system to do, what features have proved useful, or any other specific information that someone who had actually used such a system might provided. The sample documents, which were largely from an Indiana University campaign, struck me as examples that I would not want to follow, although I found some useful items.
Rating: 
Summary: A book for all fund raisers
Review: I have been fundraising for over 8 years, primarily for higher education, and have run 3 successful campaigns, so I thought I knew nearly everything about doing it. This book, however, brought new insights, advice, suggestions and examples on how to do it better.
I highly recommend this book to everyone who is serious about fundraising. I have put it on my recommended reading list for my current office.
Rating:
Summary: Great for Churches, Too
Review: I have recommended this book to my fellow church leaders--men and women--of many denominations. Too often churches feel their situations are "different" than those of other nonprofits when it comes to fundraising. On the contrary, the techniques are precisely the same. Church leaders would be well-advised to obtain this book for their church library. It is the bible of capital campaigns for all nonprofits. Valuable details on every aspect of planning as well as identifying, cultivating, and asking prospective volunteers and donors for their help. Get it and use it!
Rating:
Summary: Great for Churches, Too
Review: I have recommended this book to my fellow church leaders--men and women--of many denominations. Too often churches feel their situations are "different" than those of other nonprofits when it comes to fundraising. On the contrary, the techniques are precisely the same. Church leaders would be well-advised to obtain this book for their church library. It is the bible of capital campaigns for all nonprofits. Valuable details on every aspect of planning as well as identifying, cultivating, and asking prospective volunteers and donors for their help. Get it and use it!
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