How a Transformative Synagogue Capital Campaign Led to Lasting Community Impact

When Temple Rodef Shalom approached us to support their $16 million campaign, the D.C.-area congregation was already well on its way.

To accommodate its growing membership, the temple had purchased an adjacent lot and hired Brawer-Hauptman Architects to develop an architectural master plan that would add 15,000 square feet of space. And, TRS had already raised $1 million from a single donor. However, after a previous capital campaign failed to raise half of its $20 million goal, many in the community had lingering concerns about the congregation’s ability to reach a similarly ambitious goal.

“People said we weren’t a congregation that could raise a lot of money, so we should be modest in our attempts,” says Hannah Moore, Director of Philanthropy. “And yet, we were a much larger congregation, and we needed to build out our space and improve what we had—and that meant a big campaign. So, we had to figure out how to do this and how much we could raise, and that’s when we started looking for someone to work with us.”

The Heller Fundraising Group team guided TRS development staff and clergy to develop a forward-looking message and foster deeper relationships with community members—all of which led to a successful campaign and a long-lasting shift in the temple’s culture of giving.

Do your research

Our partnership began with a planning study to determine if the temple could reach its $16 million goal—and the good news is, we believed they could. They had a bold dream, but it was based on real needs for increased space and capacity and the study showed community interest was there.

“There are always people who ask if we can skip this step, and I would say it’s not a great idea,” Hannah says. “The planning study is a first look for the donors to see what you’re planning and hoping for. You’re testing your case and checking in to see how donors feel about the institution and the goals. And you want to bring someone in who can get honest or even doubtful answers. We don’t want donors to tell us what they think we want to hear.”

Tell a compelling story

Our strategy called for a significant shift in messaging—both in style and in approach. We worked closely with Senior Rabbi Amy Schwartzman to write a case for support that anchored the campaign in a positive message about the future of Judaism.

“Executive directors and rabbis aren’t sitting around waxing poetic about the future of their community. They’re dealing with the realities of whatever is facing them,” says Peter Heller, Founder of the Heller Fundraising Group. “Our role is to help them voice that vision in a way that’s powerful for the community.”

Gather together

Once the campaign entered the public phase, we partnered with Hannah to host house meetings in different ZIP codes. More than 300 congregants gathered in small groups to mingle, listen to the clergy’s vision for the new space, and ask questions. Through thoughtful questions, we also encouraged attendees to share stories of meaningful moments.

“You want to make sure you’re not asking for a chronological list of the time they’ve been involved with your organization,” Peter says. “You want to ask questions that get to them to answer from the heart, like: What’s important about your relationship to this organization? Why does this organization matter to you? That’s when you get something really visceral and exciting.

“A campaign, in a lot of ways, is an excuse to bring people together to make the community stronger.”

Importantly, these donor events did not end with a request to give to the campaign but were focused on strengthening their connection to TRS and fostered new relationships in the growing congregation of 1,800 families. This paved the way for more meaningful gifts in the future.

Be flexible

TRS’s campaign wasn’t always smooth sailing. The planning study anticipated a lead $5 million gift from a particular member family and, while they did ultimately make a significant contribution, several barriers delayed the timing and limited the amount to $3 million. In addition, an extended federal government shutdown significantly impacted member families.

A donor wall encouraged hundreds of members to stretch their gift to $10,000 or more in order to appear on the visually striking installation—helping to fill the gaps in leadership giving. We also extended the campaign by three months with a “last chance” match that carried TRS over its goal.

Make it last

The campaign didn’t just reach its goal. It had a lasting impact on the congregation—its view of itself, the relationships among members, and its culture of philanthropy.

“I didn’t understand until we were deep into it, but the campaign changed us,” Hannah says. “It changed the way we see ourselves—as a capable and thriving institution—and the way the broader community sees us.

“We’re not super wealthy; we just worked really hard together to make this happen. Making a contribution made people feel like they were part of that success. And I feel strongly that the community-building, the knitting together and connection we achieved during the campaign, served us well when the pandemic hit a year later. Everyone was vested together in this sense of community we had built.”

Watch what happened

TRS’s three-year campaign, A Home for the Future of Judaism, ended with a total raise of $16,173,459 from 1,121 donors. After a year of construction, TRS opened the doors to its 85,000-square-foot building with a new clergy wing, additional meeting rooms and classrooms, and a comprehensive renovation of public areas. The new construction also included a small chapel—a dream project deferred from the previous campaign.

Watch the webinar (or read our case study) for more behind-the-scenes moments, including how to effectively engage clergy in fundraising and a look at TRS’s beautiful donor wall.

Thinking about a campaign? Schedule a free strategy session to learn how the Heller Fundraising Group can build a plan tailored to you community.