Dan Kennedy, VP of Marketing Services
Allow me to start on a personal note: My family is passionate about Christian schools. My four kids attended Tianjin International School in China and Veritas School in Richmond, Virginia. My wife founded and leads Imago Dei Neighborhood School. I have worked with multiple associations (ACSI, ACCS, SCL, ISC) and countless individual schools. Christian schools are amazing places where God does His good work. The focus of our case study today is no exception: Westminster School at Oak Mountain in Birmingham, Alabama, is a joyful place where the community is investing in the Christian formation of many young lives. They are also nearing the final stretch of their first-ever capital campaign.
I had the opportunity to interview the dynamic duo, Megean Carter, Director of Development, and Deana Hodge, Director of Communication, about the capital campaign currently in its public phase.
The transformational capital campaign is themed Writing the Next Chapter and anchored in building their new Community Life Center—a facility designed to support athletics, academics, fine arts, and community gathering. They have raised an incredible $14.4 million of their goal of $16.1 million.
In my previous blog, Five Ways to Strengthen Your Next Campaign (Before It Even Starts), we unpacked five keys to any successful campaign. Here are a few of the ways the team at Westminster has put these important elements into action, especially in the public phase:
- Start early.
“We kind of were always planning,” Deana shared, “but in the fall of 2024, we started locking in a real timeline [for the public phase].” The Westminster team, supported by The FOCUS Group, had an ongoing rhythm of preparation. The feasibility study was launched in the fall of 2022 and was followed by the quiet phase beginning in June 2023. By the time the public phase launched in February of 2025, the school’s plan (and team) were ready to go. “It is our hope and prayer to wrap it up by June of 2025,” Megean enthusiastically offered. While the public phase might only be “visible” for six months, what has allowed it to succeed are the months of behind-the-scenes work they put in before that February launch.
- Engage widely.
One of Westminster’s most strategic choices has been inviting a range of voices into the campaign, not just to give, but to shape the effort itself. While campaign leadership started with Megean (representing development) and the head of school, it quickly grew to include Deana (representing communications) and the Campaign Steering Committee. This group included key donors and parents across the lower and upper schools. “We really leaned on people with institutional knowledge,” Deana said, “especially because [the head of school] and I were relatively new.” Long-standing and new families offered input, continually helping to shape the campaign across all grade levels and even among alumni families. “Some of our best ideas came from that group,” Megean noted.
- Goal-set broadly.
While raising the full $16.1 million remains the central objective, the public phase was designed with broader goals: 100% family participation, deeper discipleship, and increased mission alignment. “We want our families to be reminded why they’re here,” said Deana. Westminster’s campaign “kit” even included a devotional, written by teachers, pastors, and staff—a family-centered resource to cultivate a heart for generosity.
For Westminster, the “ask” was more than financial; it was formative. “We haven’t done a hard ask before,” Megean said, “so we designed the campaign as an experience that families could join together in—to teach giving, to reinforce calling, and to invite everyone into the story.”
Deana added, “We hope to really build an alumni program from this, not just during the campaign.”
- Examine your brand carefully.
Navigating a leadership transition during the campaign forced Westminster to confront its brand clarity head-on. “Our brand has evolved through different heads of school,” Deana reflected, “but it’s been a rallying point. We’ve clung to our mission.” With a strong visual identity and a cohesive message that supported their theme (Writing the Next Chapter), they remained anchored in the school’s original calling.
- Stay relational.
Relational strength has been a hallmark of Westminster’s public phase. “The relational part is the most fun! Especially when you love the people you work with, and you love the people giving to the school,” Megean beamed.
One highlight: instead of mailing the campaign boxes (think a “welcome kit” that included the case statement, the family devotional, and a small puzzle), the staff and volunteers hand-delivered them to every family—348 houses! “It wasn’t the plan, but it turned out to be one of the most personal things we did,” Deana said, “People really felt included. I don’t know how else we could have achieved that.”
Even Westminster’s prayer team has become a relational anchor for the campaign. “Our prayer team coordinator has been so amazing. That has been one of the best things we’ve done,” Megean shared.
Bonus Lessons Learned
Here are a few other standout reflections that emerged from our conversation:
- Be flexible. “I love a packaged plan,” Megan confessed, “but we have had to pivot. We realized not every parent knew what we thought they did. We needed more education and creativity.”
- Know your audience. “We had to think in personas,” Deana said. “Second-grade parents didn’t know what upper school families knew. We couldn’t assume.”
- Think long-term. The campaign became a launchpad for engaging alumni, many of whom are still in college, and sowing seeds for future connections.
What Westminster is building isn’t just a new facility, it’s a culture—a culture of engagement and God-inspired generosity. The campaign reflects a deep understanding of who they are and why they exist. You can read more about Westminster’s campaign here.
What about you? What are you learning as you set campaign goals and engage those around you in your efforts? I’d love to hear from you. Please send any additional insights to [email protected].
We’ve been privileged to help many organizations be more effective in their fundraising by learning and implementing relational fundraising principles in their work with donors. We also help organizations with their donor communications, including brand assessments and marketing. Want to talk?