The head of school is one of, if not the most important fundraiser in your organization. It is incumbent upon the director of advancement to manage-up and set the Head up for success in fundraising, and this can only happen when there is an effective partnership between these two key roles. Gain insights and identify critical ways for building this relationship and learn ways to optimize, empower, encourage and support each other to advance your institution.

Every school marketer needs and wants those both inside and outside of the institution to clearly understand who it is, what its unique strengths are, and why it is different from its peers and competitors. This common understanding–which begins with authentic and consistent brand messaging–is the foundation for successfully attracting right-fit families, raising money, and securing the reputation and future of the institution. But as important and foundational as messaging is, your school’s brand is only as strong as your ability to share it effectively through a creative platform.

A creative platform is what turns your brand messaging into marketing. It’s the essential element that will allow you and your staff to move from reactive to proactive in your day-to-day operations. It’s the missing piece of the puzzle that frees your time and energy so that you can effectively communicate in all of the ways necessary to promote your brand in the marketplace.

Join us to learn how a creative platform will take your brand messaging to market and make it work for you instead of you working for it.

There is so much change around us, let's be BOLD! Let's put the tried and true traditional ways of doing things to the side and explore new models that capitalize on where we are today and all that lies ahead. This session is for anyone who wants to be the best at inspiring philanthropists to give their best and transform their school.

The Development Team at University Prep utilizes an engaged and motivated group of parent volunteers, Class Agents, in order to run a successful annual fund. Through comprehensive campaign materials and thorough communication, our volunteers drive participation and raise awareness about the important role the annual fund plays in our community. This session will share ways to engage volunteers, how to set them up for success, and the impact they have on results.

The strategic planning process we have been using for the past 25 years needs a reset. The session is designed to provide participants with a new path to progress. Tim Fish will provide context and introduce the tools needed to develop an effective strategy for a new era. He will share insights on practical ways for heads of school, their boards and leadership teams to approach problem framing and to engage in strategic design that supports long-term differentiation.

COVID forced many schools to put their traditional campaigns on hold, shifting their focus and resources to emergency funds and operating costs to make it through the school year. In 2021, we slowly saw school’s confidence in major capital and comprehensive campaigns increase, and now many schools find themselves in some phase of a campaign. While the long-term effect of the pandemic on philanthropy is still developing, the crisis to date has illustrated the generosity of Americans in trying times and the adaptability of education and donors alike. As we look ahead, the reality is there has never been a better time than now to secure the funding your school needs to ensure institutional sustainability.

Whether you are about to embark on a $10,000,000 or $100,000,000 campaign, is your school ready? Launching a campaign can be daunting, but with careful planning, clear communication, execution, and the right donor engagement strategy, it is possible! Join Advancement leaders, Tara Arras, Sidwell Friends School Assistant Head of School for Advancement, and Jennifer Devon, CCS Fundraising Vice President, in a discussion about campaign fundamentals and strategies for success today, even amid the challenges of a global pandemic.

Reconciliation in Australia is a process which officially began in 1991 and focussed on the improvement of race relations between the Aboriginal and Torres Strat Islander peoples of Australia and the rest of the population. Reconciliation requires the Australian community to recognise and respect the First Peoples of its land, to acknowledge past injustices and the ongoing inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples since colonisation, and to commit to working towards a more equal and respectful future. For the past 20 years the Scotch College, Melbourne (an Independent Boys School) Indigenous Scholarship program has offered all Scotch boys the opportunity to experience and understand Australia's Indigenous culture, as part of a contemporary Australian education. The program has three components: 1. Our commitment to offer Indigenous boys full academic and boarding scholarships; 2. the Indigenous Partnership program, which teaches Scotch boys about Indigenous culture through projects with local communities; and 3. Our longstanding partnership with Tiwi College, a school built on friendship and respect. This session will provide an overview of these unique programs. It will also provide an overview of the capital campaign to raise the $8m required to endow the Scotch College Indigenous Scholarship program in perpetuity.

Bring your bagel from the Marketplace and join a book discussion with Josh Birkholz, co-author of the popular fundraising book, Benefactors: Why Some Fundraising Professionals Always Succeed. In conversation with conference chair, Emily Stone, Josh will discuss concepts from the book that will help you be an effective gift officer or fundraising leader for your program. There will be an opportunity to purchase the book and have it signed by Josh following the program.

Optional offering during breakfast

Join presidents Sue Cunningham (CASE) and Donna Orem (NAIS), and panelists Helen Pike (Master, Magdalen College, Oxford, and José De Jesús (Head of School, The Dalton School, New York), along with moderator Bodie Brizendine (Former Head, The Spence School, New York) for a discussion in the independent school global landscape. In this important conversation, we will cover the challenges and opportunities our schools have in the near and long-term, including leadership, polarization prevalent in the western world, the value in collaborative school management, and advancement's answer to these difficult questions.