Saddle River Day School changed the philanthropic culture of its school by pivoting away from traditional fundraising strategies. By creating and promoting innovative enhancements to the academic experience, SRDS has redefined why people give to the school. This shift in strategy has resulted in current giving levels that are 40 times higher than any other time in the school’s history. Join us as we discuss the programs, initiatives and marketing strategies that make a difference when asking our constituents to support us beyond tuition.

It is easy to fall short when telling the story behind your year end numbers. It takes time to analyze that information, but it is so important. In my session, I will emphasize the significance behind "reading" your data to find the positive in the numbers, specifically with alumni donors. I will share my own recent journey where I was pushed to look at our alumni giving in a new light thanks to a challenge grant by a Foundation and guide those in attendance on how to do the same.

Is your school coming up on a major milestone anniversary? If so, there is a lot to celebrate and many people to engage! Hear from McDonogh School who just celebrated their 150th Anniversary in the 2023-2024 school year about their planning process and how they created a celebration that lasted the entire year. The session will cover planning, finances, community engagement and marketing required to pull off a major celebration.

Too often schools of all kinds and types develop strategic plans without truly understanding the school’s brand and what their current market values about the program and what might motivate the potential market to consider your school. In this session, hear from a head of school who used a data-driven process to help identify and operationalize the strategic initiatives that will propel his school forward.

Our Head of School believes strongly in not sweeping problems under the rug so that they just go away. Rather, she asks that we lift up the rug and address the problem straight away even if it is messy. In the world of alumnae/i engagement, it can be tempting to slide an email complaining about dress code, being too woke, too focused on sports, too focused on arts, and so on, right under the rug. We can usually make do with phone calls and thoughtful replies, but every now and then a problem comes up, picks up steam amongst our constituents, and then demands a lot more care and attention. These kinds of problems require partnership, innovative and creative thinking and, with the right strategy, can result in a complete narrative change. You can, indeed, convert a ‘too big to fit under the rug’ kind of problem into purposeful and mission aligned engagement. In this workshop, we will share our unique multi-faceted problem solving story that resulted in an undeniably positive reconnection between our alumnae to their school. We will then use the bulk of the session to lead participants through actionable steps that can work to solve specific problems at their own unique institutions. We will conclude with time to review specific examples shared by session participants.

Heads of School are typically well prepared and experienced in the academic, student-life, and administrative aspects of their role, but they are often unprepared, and even surprised, by the demands and intricacies of fundraising. This session is designed to equip both Heads of School and Advancement leaders with the tools and insights needed to help the Head excel as the “Fundraiser-in-Chief” and foster a synergistic partnership.

Hear from a panel of seasoned Heads of School who have demonstrated success in annual and campaign fundraising. They will share their experiences in cultivating relationships with donors, networking, and making the gift request, providing you with best-in-class fundraising techniques to take your Headship to the next level.

This session is not just about the Heads of School. Advancement leaders will gain direct insights on how to best utilize their Heads and transform their approach to fundraising by fully activating their “Fundraiser-in-Chief.” The discussion will also cover how to foster a collaborative culture within schools and what a successful Advancement partnership looks like.

Our conversation will explore questions like:
- What are the specific challenges that Heads of School often encounter when taking on the role of "Fundraiser-in-Chief"?
- How does the role of "Fundraiser-in-Chief" align with and impact the academic, student-life, and administrative aspects of a school?
- What does a successful Advancement partnership look like?
- What areas do Heads rely on Directors of Advancement the most for support and guidance?
- What strategies can be implemented to foster open communication, trust, and collaboration between the Head of School and the Director of Advancement?
- What advice do our panelists have for Heads in their fundraising roles?

A robust reunion program includes more than just a fun party! In a session that highlights a year-plus of engagement, join us to learn the key components of building a great reunion experience for your alumni that in turn benefits the institution. In this session, we'll discuss the collaboration between alumni relations, annual giving, and major gifts that galvanizes an alumni base's connection to one another and the school.

Staffing got you down? You’re not the only head of school worried about securing and keeping talent in your advancement office. Top-notch fundraising professionals are critical to gaining, maintaining, and accelerating fundraising momentum, but they are both difficult to find and challenging to retain. This session will explore the essential ways that heads of school can create a fundraiser-friendly environment, partner effectively with advancement staff, and spur philanthropic growth. What should a Head be asking—and asking of—the school’s fundraising team? How much time should a Head devote to advancement? What is the highest and best use of advancement staff? Why do great advancement staff leave…and underperformers stay? Does offering a hybrid work environment really make a difference? When is the right time to change or augment advancement staffing? Attend to have these questions answered, and bring some of your own!

Many capital campaigns struggle because of poor planning in the early stages. Often, leaders create campaign strategies based on intuition and assumption without using verified data. A well-executed feasibility study can provide the factual foundation for moving forward with confidence.

Asking for donations is often the most challenging aspect of fundraising and can be daunting for fundraisers. Many professionals in our field tend to seek indirect or passive approaches when soliciting donations, which often yield less-than-optimal results.

This presentation will delve into the crucial aspects of who, why, when, and how to effectively ask donors for contributions. Whether you're preparing for your first ask, coaching your Head of School, or guiding a volunteer, this session will equip you with the necessary tools to develop a tailored strategy for engaging your donors.

I advocate for asking early as a key strategy for cultivating long-term donor relationships, and I will share insights into why this approach is effective.