Nearer My God: You make it possible: Campaign milestones and momentum

The Campaign Looks Ahead

"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of the faith."

—Galatians 6:9-10

We wanted you to be among the first to hear

If you have visited Washington National Cathedral recently, you have seen the impact of the campaign on several big projects. Scaffolding for earthquake repair has moved all the way to the Southeast pinnacle of the South Transept. An accessible elevator is taking shape outside St. Mary’s Chapel. The organ pipes have been removed and the sound engineers have been walking around with measuring devices as we begin the organ renovation project.

We are honored to celebrate YOU, our closest friends who have made the Cathedral for the Future campaign a success, helping us surpass our initial $150 million goal, creating a joyous momentum that has allowed us to accomplish so much, and bringing us to this critical inflection point.

When we launched this comprehensive campaign, we had one audacious goal: to renew the Cathedral to help heal the world. In the first four years of this campaign, the outpouring of support to strengthen our infrastructure, elevate our mission and expand our impact has been remarkable.

You helped us get here, to transform and grow in ways we could only imagine — expanding our clergy team, enhancing our online ministry, taking the first steps toward the renovation of the Great Organ, and completing pivotal phases of earthquake repairs. But there is still much more to do!

To continue to meet the moment in this final push of the campaign, we are committed to securing sustained funding for our ministry and operations while fully funding three priority capital projects that are necessary to preserve this building, the joyful music within it, and even our identity as a national Cathedral.

These projects include finishing the fundraising – once and for all – required for critical earthquake repairs, the renovation of the Great Organ, which is now in a dismantled state, and, significantly, upgrading our nave audio broadcast system so that our signature Cathedral sound can continue to lift up our worship. As a Cathedral insider, you can appreciate how these projects are interconnected, necessary for our ongoing ministry, and critical to our vision for the future.

Funding Plans

To fund these projects, we plan to leverage the momentum the campaign has achieved so far, especially through a generous grant for earthquake repair by the Lilly Endowment Inc. that includes a $5 million one-to-one match. If we fully meet this match, we will have secured complete funding for the final repair phase — the Central Tower. To secure the full match, we must fully fund it by November 1, 2024. To date, we have secured just over $2 million.

As we head into the final year of the campaign, we are also seeking to engage the broader Cathedral family in the campaign through our first ever Giving Day on April 18th. Stay tuned for more information about how you can participate.

Thank you for staying involved in this exciting final phase, for your ongoing support, and for the wise counsel you continue to offer to all of us as we forge ahead with our dream of a Cathedral for the Future.

— The Campaign Team

Let us Come Before
His Presence with a Song
To support the hymns we love to sing, and as part of the Cathedral's expanding music program, organ work is underway, with a 2028 target for completion. This summer, pipes will be shipped to the Foley-Baker Organ Co. in Tolland, Conn., for restoration and repair. During reconstruction, the Cathedral will use a digital organ made by Walker Technical Company. Approximately $1.5 million is needed to fully fund this project so that it can finish on time.