Readiness is exactly what a feasibility study is designed to answer honestly, before an organization commits publicly to a dollar goal. Catapult's feasibility process interviews board members, staff, and top prospects to test whether the case for support resonates, whether leadership and top donors will actually make and ask for gifts, and whether the organization's current systems and staffing can support a multi-year campaign.
A few practical signals we look for: a board willing to give and ask first, a compelling and specific project (not just "we need money"), a donor file with at least a handful of prospects capable of leadership-level gifts, and organizational capacity to track pledges and steward donors for years, not months.
If those pieces aren't yet in place, that's not a reason to abandon the goal, it's information that shapes a realistic timeline and often points to a Donor Engagement or Legacy Call program first, to build the donor base a campaign will eventually need.