Case Study: How The Paine Tested a $15 Million Vision and Found Stronger Support for Preservation Than Expected
As the Paine Art Center and Gardens approaches the 100th anniversary of its groundbreaking, its leaders are looking beyond the historic estate’s roofs, masonry, and aging infrastructure to a much bigger question: How can this beloved community treasure flourish for the next century?For Aaron Sherer, Executive Director of The Paine for 24 years, the stakes were clear: the organization needed to preserve a century-old community landmark, But first, it had to learn whether donors would see costly, behind-the-scenes needs as an investment worth making.
With DBD Group’s guidance, The Paine took a disciplined, donor-informed approach to testing that question and building a campaign vision supporters could rally behind. For more than 20 years, DBD Group has helped nonprofit leaders turn moments of uncertainty into sustainable paths forward.
In this case study, discover how a Development Assessment and Donor Research process, followed by a comprehensive Feasibility Study, helped The Paine gain the clarity, confidence, and donor perspective needed to move toward a significant campaign grounded in both community support and long-term stewardship.
The Client: The Paine Art Center and Gardens
Located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, The Paine Art Center and Gardens is an immersive cultural destination that brings together a historic estate, art collection, changing exhibitions, and gardens. Founded by Nathan and Jessie Paine as a legacy for the community, The Paine was intended to provide “the highest educational and artistic value” to as many people as possible. Today, its core purpose is to encourage people to enjoy, create, and share beauty in their daily lives. Sherer says, “We want you to take a little bit of what you get from here and bring it back to your own life, to enhance your own life.”For Sherer, The Paine’s inspiration comes from the environment it creates, not simply the objects it displays. Visitors find joy in its gardens, historic rooms, exhibitions, and seasonal experiences, including a major holiday display that has become a community tradition. As Sherer puts it, seeing people engage with an experience the team has created is “the whole point.”
Background: Why Their Work Matters
The Paine is more than a historic property. It is a place where people form personal connections to art, beauty, memory, and one another. During donor conversations, Sherer heard stories he had not known before: childhood visits with family members, a first volunteer role that helped someone feel connected to a new community, and meaningful moments shared on the grounds.Those stories underscore why preservation matters. Caring for The Paine’s historic buildings, gardens and visitor spaces protects not only architecture and collections, but also a setting that has shaped community life for generations. “At the hundredth anniversary, we have this opportunity and obligation to think about the next hundred years,” said Sherer. “What can we do to make sure that this place continues to be well cared for and to flourish for another hundred years?”
Before Working With DBD Group: Moving Beyond Reactive Fundraising
Over the years, The Paine had successfully raised approximately $15 million for projects, including gardens, facilities, and an expanded carriage house with a conservatory. Yet Sherer recognized that its fundraising approach had not always been as consistent or strategic as it could be. “In my 24 years here, we have raised a lot of money,” he said. “But it was maybe not as disciplined as it could be. We had times when things went really well and times where we really struggled to bring the dollars in.”Their needs were evident, and Aaron knew they needed a sustainable approach to address them. The organization had completed preservation studies identifying extensive needs across the estate’s exterior and interiors, including roofs, gutters, masonry, foundations, accessibility, equipment and ornate mansion spaces. Leaders also hoped to make visitor-focused improvements, such as a more accessible entrance, upgraded restrooms and improved office areas.
The challenge was not only the scale of the need; it was determining how to frame and fund a complex initiative that was less tangible than a new building or garden.
Ultimate Goal: Assess, Listen & Build Readiness
DBD Group recommended beginning with a Development Assessment and Donor Research process before conducting a Feasibility Study. This sequence allowed The Paine to first examine its annual fundraising systems, donor relationships, fundraising calendar, and internal readiness before testing a comprehensive campaign with key stakeholders.The Development Assessment affirmed that The Paine had a healthy fundraising operation for its size while identifying recommendations that could strengthen its work. Just as importantly, the external perspective gave the board assurance that the organization’s fundraising foundation was sound enough to support a major campaign.
Process: Turning Donor Conversations Into Direction
DBD Group worked with The Paine to conduct 33 feasibility conversations involving approximately 60 people over roughly five to six months. The process took longer than originally expected to ensure the team could meet with the right community leaders, including seasonal residents, but the additional care proved worthwhile. “DBD really helped us frame the messaging,” Sherer explained. “The invitation to participate in the feasibility study was very much: ‘We want to have a conversation with you. This is not an ask.’ It was a great way to begin a conversation with people.”Rather than treating these meetings as solicitations, The Paine invited supporters into an early conversation: Here is what we are considering; help us understand what matters to you.
To help frame the messaging, DBD Group created six visual Cause CardsTM representing the campaign’s major priorities. Donors could react to each area individually, prioritize them, and offer candid feedback. Though Sherer initially wondered whether the materials felt too polished for an early-stage process, supporters responded enthusiastically.
The team also adapted the interview format to include a short facility tour. This gave participants an opportunity to see preservation needs firsthand and helped ground the conversation in the estate's physical realities.
Throughout the process, DBD offered structure, timelines, and an experienced sounding board for navigating complex donor relationships.
Outcome & ROI: Confidence to Move Forward
The study revealed stronger support than Sherer anticipated. Donors understood that preservation needs were not merely deferred maintenance; they recognized them as essential investments in a community institution they value. The Paine emerged prepared to pursue a campaign in the $13.5 million to $15 million range—at the high end of its original test range.The feasibility process also transformed how The Paine talked about endowment.
Initial conversations about general endowment felt vague, but donor feedback led the organization to develop a clearer concept: a $2.5 million historic preservation endowment that could generate approximately $100,000 annually for ongoing preservation. That connection between a specific fund, a clear annual impact, and the broader campaign purpose resonated with supporters.
Perhaps most significantly, the process created a foundation for the campaign’s quiet phase. Sherer believes most leadership gifts will come from people who participated in the study, making future conversations feel like a natural continuation rather than a cold start. “Incredible groundwork has been laid with all of these people,” said Sherer. “The follow-up conversation is going to be much, much easier… The path has been prepared.”
Key Learnings & Discoveries
- A feasibility study does more than test a dollar goal. It gives a collective voice to donor input and turns individual conversations into a credible body of evidence for leaders and boards.
- Preparation creates confidence. The Development Assessment helped The Paine validate its fundraising foundation before taking on a major campaign.
- Specificity makes complex priorities easier to support. Reframing endowment as a historic preservation gave donors a tangible understanding of its purpose and annual impact.
- Listening is a form of stewardship. The conversations deepened Sherer’s understanding of supporters’ personal ties to The Paine and gave donors meaningful space to share why the organization matters to them.
- A disciplined process strengthens leadership. External counsel provided structure, perspective, and accountability, helping the board and staff move forward with greater alignment.
Conclusion: A Trusted Process for a Lasting Legacy
For Sherer, DBD Group’s role has been both strategic and deeply relational. “I just am very impressed by and grateful for DBD’s role in our planning to this point,” he said. “I feel like their participation has been very authentic and thoughtful and wise. I don’t think we would be in the place we are right now without their guidance.”
The Paine’s experience illustrates what becomes possible when a respected nonprofit combines years of authentic donor relationships with a thoughtful, disciplined campaign process. DBD Group is honored to help The Paine preserve a cherished community asset, strengthen its future, and invite supporters to help carry its legacy into the next century
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