Give-A-Dime Capital Campaign: Management Framework for the WISE Central Hub

W.I.S.E. Partnership is launching a multi-phase capital campaign (Give-a-Dime Campaign) to raise $3–10 million to develop the WISE Central Hub—an inclusive community campus featuring cultural arts, workforce development, youth programming, and public space.

Our team is strong in vision and community trust but lacks in-house capital campaign infrastructure and systems. We need support to organize the campaign in a realistic, staff- and volunteer-friendly way.

Project Goals

Taproot support will help us:

- Establish a clear capital campaign structure

- Define staff, board, and volunteer roles in fundraising

- Create systems for donor cultivation, tracking, and accountability

- Build confidence among board and volunteers to participate in fundraising

Deliverables Requested:

- Capital campaign roles & accountability chart (Board, ED, Volunteers)

- Campaign management workflow (timelines, checkpoints, responsibilities)

- Donor cultivation & stewardship framework

- Sample dashboards or tracking templates

- Board fundraising expectations & support tools

- Risk considerations and contingency planning

- Community mapping & data collection

The Give-A-Dime Capital Campaign is the engine that will bring the WISE Central Hub to life: a permanent, community-anchored space designed to uplift Detroit residents through education, entrepreneurship, workforce development, arts, and healing-centered programming.

By supporting this project, volunteers will help transform vacant land into a vibrant community asset—a place where youth discover their potential, families access resources, entrepreneurs grow businesses, and neighbors gather in a space built with and for the community.
Volunteers play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of this campaign. Their expertise will help us:

*Build a clear and achievable capital campaign strategy
*Strengthen donor engagement and stewardship systems
*Create sustainable fundraising structures that last beyond one campaign
*Increase our capacity to attract major gifts, sponsorships, and community support
*Position W.I.S.E. for long-term growth and financial stability

This work directly translates into real outcomes:

More residents gaining access to paid training and creative programming
More families benefiting from community-based resources
More local economic activity and small business opportunities
A permanent, welcoming space rooted in equity and belonging
And most important, volunteers are contributing to an impactful, legacy project for Detroit,

I am preparing the W.I.S.E. Team. I have articulated our vision for the WISE Central Hub and included defined phases of development, program priorities, and fundraising targets. We have existing materials prepared, including renderings, a landing page, and a redesigned website.

A capital campaign vision and phased development plan

Preliminary budgets and fundraising goals

Program descriptions and impact narratives

Beginning a donor and partner prospect list

Needed: Board and volunteer fundraising expectations

This foundation allows Taproot volunteers to focus on building structure, systems, and strategy rather than starting from scratch.

Strong Staff Support & Accountability
The Executive Director (Barbara Kellom) will serve as the primary point of contact and project lead, ensuring consistent communication, timely feedback, and follow-through. A small internal working group is assigned to support implementation and decision-making so that recommendations can be acted upon quickly.

Commitment to Implementation, Not Just Planning
W.I.S.E. Partnership is committed to using the deliverables produced through this project immediately. The capital campaign framework, roles, timelines, and tools developed through this engagement will be:

Integrated into board operations and fundraising expectations

Used to guide donor outreach and cultivation

Applied directly to the Give-A-Dime Campaign and future major gift efforts

Shared with staff and volunteers through training and orientation