Appendix 10

A Sample Feasibility Study Questionnaire

Dear Parishioners: The purpose of this feasibility survey is to determine how much money we can raise to build a new church facility. As we seek the bishops approval, the diocese requires a facility master plan, independent cost estimates, parish growth projections, and a professional fund-raising forecast. Based on this data, the diocese will work with us in setting a budget. Please return your response by mail or in person to the parish office, or place it in the collection basket at Mass. The deadline for returns is [date]. NOTE: This questionnaire is not a pledge commitment. [The questionnaires will be compiled by the fund-raisers. Please be honest and candid in your responses.] 1. How effective is our parish in meeting the spiritual needs of its members? (circle one) Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 High

2. How effective is our parish in meeting the social needs of its members? (circle one) Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 High

3. What is your confidence level in the parish staff and volunteer leaders to make the right decisions regarding the parish facilities master plan? (circle one) Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 High

4. The steering committee has conducted parish town-hall meetings, surveys, and straw polls at Masses [specify what you have done]. Of those participating in them, 99 percent [use your percentages] indicated we should move forward on plans to build a new worship facility [add other projects from master plan]. To what degree do you agree that we must act now to have a new worship space [your other projects] available for use at this time? (circle one) Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 High

5. Are you willing to participate in a program this coming [spring, summer, fall, winter] to learn about church design prior to designing our new worship space? (circle one) Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 High

6. To what degree will the members of our parish support a fund-raising campaign to build a new church facility? (circle one) Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 More questions on reverse side High

Your Response Counts!

And not only does it count, its critical to determine the parishs ability to fund a new worship space for the future. Please invest in [your parish name here] future by completing this questionnaire. Three easy ways to return it: mail back, drop off at the office, or place in the collection baskets at Mass by [date]!
2009 by Order of Saint Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved. Permission to copy is granted to those individuals and/or institutions that have purchased a copy of Building a New Church: A Process Manual for Pastors and Lay Leaders.

7. The bishop requests that we give 5 percent of our income to the local parish and 1 percent to the diocese. If we asked members of the parish to give 5 percent of their income to the parish for the next three years so that we could build a new church, what percentage of the members do you think would do that? (circle one) 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

8. If we asked members of the parish to double their current level of giving for three years so that we could build a new church, what percentage of the members do you think would do that? (circle one) 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

9. How willing would you be to make a financial commitment over the next three years for the improvement and enhancement of our parish? (circle one) Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 High

10. In a campaign to raise funds for the improvements at our parish, there may be opportunities to sponsor a portion of the work and/or to recognize donors by listing their names on a memorial plaque. To what degree do you think parish members would be interested in sponsoring a particular item (e.g., stained glass window, vestibule decor, a statue, furniture) or participate in some kind of donor gratitude program? (circle one) 11. (check one) ____ I attend our parish at least once per month. ____ I am a regular pledger to the parish. ____ I support the parish by check regularly. Age: (check one) ____ under 18 ____ 1935 ____ 3665 ____ 66 and up Other comments or questions? ________________________________________________________________ Low 1----------2----------3----------4----------5 High

__________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
(If you wish for the above financial responses to be anonymous, please detach this section and return in a separate envelope or separate the sections before returning.)

Volunteer Form
A. Would you be willing to serve on any of the following subcommittees to help with the church capital campaign? (Please check any that appeal to you) [Fill in to match your parishs campaign elements] ____ Communications (assist with campaign publications and public relations) ____ Special Events (plan and help organize campaign events) ____ Ambassador (answer questions about the campaign, make personal contacts) ____ Donor Recognition (devise appropriate ways to thank those who contribute) ____ Prayer (plan special prayer events and develop a relevant prayer guide for the campaign) Your Name and Telephone Number: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ B. Who would you recommend that might be an influential person or leader in an effort to conduct a successful capital campaign at our parish? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________