New York Aikikai

Aikido is a traditional Japanese martial art focused on learning to "become an integrated and balanced individual and explore our full human potential." — Yoshimitsu Yamada 

Since 1964, the New York Aikikai has cultivated an energy that is unique to their dojo and community. The energy of their leader of many years, Yamada Sensei, and those who trained with him has transformed this dojo into the unique place it is today, making aikido accessible to everyone who finds their way to this special school in Manhattan. 

New York Akikai came to us with the question: How do we honor our legacy while planning for our future?

When we first started working with the New York Aikikai, there wasn't a history of strong annual campaigns or fundraising in general. Nevertheless, the building housing the dojo was in need of significant repair. 

To help them answer their question about balancing legacy while looking toward the future, we:

  • began with establishing an annual campaign to train the fundraising “muscles” of the leadership, begin to cultivate a donor base, and lay the groundwork for a potential capital campaign

  • Conducted a feasibility study on the heels of the Covid 19 pandemic to learn about the priorities of members and donors and educate the community about both the needs and the process ahead

  • Supported them through a capital campaign that spoke to both the historic significance of the dojo and the legacy of Yamada Sensei (who died shortly after the feasibility study had begun), and pointed them toward a vibrant and diverse future identity, and helped them strengthen their bonds with each other as they moved into a new era.

This work included:

  • creating a case statement for feasibility and another for solicitation

  • interviewing and surveying individuals throughout the world 

  • making recommendations not only for an appropriate goal and timeline, but also for necessary changes in infrastructure to ensure long-term success. 

  • onboarding a new database, procedures for thanking, and more regular communication and transparency