In partnership with AskRIGHT, Bishop Paul Martin and the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch are successfully completing the most ambitious diocesan capital campaign in New Zealand’s history.
Following the devastating earthquakes in 2010-2011 in Christchurch and the Canterbury area, the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch faced an enormous challenge – funding the Rebuild. With 17 parish churches demolished or severely damaged by the quakes, the Diocese required funding for an intensive and transformational programme of repairing and rebuilding.
With limited fundraising experience, a competitive fundraising environment, a modest Christchurch donor base, and a number of campaigns running concurrently for an abundance of different causes, the Diocese sought help from AskRIGHT to ensure the success of their fundraising efforts.
With AskRIGHT’s counsel and support, the Diocese launched the Our Turn: Our Future Campaign – the most ambitious diocesan capital campaign in New Zealand’s history – with a combined parish fundraising goal of $15 million.
AskRIGHT’s partnership with the Diocese began in 2015, when the AskRIGHT team conducted a series of feasibility studies and embarked on campaign planning for more than a dozen Diocesan-wide parish capital campaigns.
Since then, the AskRIGHT team has recommended and implemented an array of fundraising initiatives with the Diocese, including:
- Developing and implementing parish fundraising campaign strategies and plans, from feasibility studies to managing 10-week intensive campaign fundraising phases
- Preparing cases for support for each parish fundraising campaign
- Establishing parish fundraising campaign volunteer committees and training volunteers in major gift solicitation
- Developing and implementing a plan for donor communications, donor stewardship, and campaign information management
- Launching a bequest fundraising programme plan and developing collateral for bequest promotion
Now in its third year, the campaign has already raised more than $7 million for 10 parishes and is on track to reach the $15 million target. Two parish churches have already been rebuilt and restored for their parish communities, several churches are at varying stages of completion, and construction work on many more will soon begin.
Many parishes have been invigorated by the Our Turn: Our Future Campaign, and with AskRIGHT’s support the Diocese is experiencing transformative growth after being devastated by natural disaster.
AskRIGHT’s team of fundraising consultants, researchers, and campaign advisors have transformed our Diocese and our ability to recover from the debilitating impacts of the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes. They have demonstrated an incredible level of expertise, organisation, sensitivity, and effectiveness in all areas of fundraising and especially capital campaigns – from feasibility studies to campaign volunteer training to donor relationship and information management. The simplicity and robustness of our 10-week programmes have worked well with our campaign volunteer committees and this has been vital to our success.
Andy Doherty, Diocese General Manager
AskRIGHT offers a range of fundraising consulting and fundraising support services to help nonprofit organisations increase their capacity to raise more money. Learn more here.