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.

Growing a culture of philanthropy within your school community takes time and effort. In this discussion, the International School of Boston will discuss the steps it took during a 15-month period to jumpstart its culture of philanthropy using wealth screening. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how wealth screening data returns can be used to create audience segmentation, prioritize research, increase leadership donors, support stewardship initiatives, and lead to overall Annual Fund growth. This session is targeted at small schools or schools with small teams.

Give me an hour, I'll give you a world of great ideas for glowing up your school's social media, web and print content. Magnify your alums, but make it cute (and easy!). Run a crowd-sourced social media campaign that costs nothing and communicates your mission. Highlight teachers without it being tired (or time-consuming). You'll leave with 40 turnkey tips that you can take to your team and transform your communication and stewardship goals.

When creating a successful Annual Giving program, there are key things to consider- clear statement of your mission, impactful solicitations that show donors how they make a difference, and giving your constituents the opportunity to support your organization with a Leadership Annual Gift. Statistics show that 90% of your Annual Fund comes from 10% of your donors. A Leadership Annual Giving Program can play a powerful role in an organization's overall Annual Fund strategy. Learn about how to set up a Leadership Giving Program, launch the appeal, effectively communicate and market the program to constituents and how to steward those donors into becoming possible major gift prospects. You will also learn strategies on how to increase your Board of Trustees giving through utilizing a Leadership Giving Program. If your organization already has an Annual Leadership Giving program in place, the presentation will help identify ways you can elevate your current strategies to increase dollars raised and identify future major donors.

Newark Academy has generated excitement and engagement around its Day of Giving for the past seven years through innovative musical videos, earning numerous Circle of Excellence Awards. This session will explore the strategic thinking behind these successful videos and how they’ve reshaped our approach to community involvement and philanthropy. You’ll learn how to create buzz and inspire participation using video, with practical insights into planning, production, and storytelling. Walk away with fresh ideas on how to incorporate more videos into your own work, transforming how you engage your community and amplify your events.

What's the difference between a school that fundraises, and a Fundraising School? Between a school whose fundraising program is always questioned, and one whose program grows stronger during difficult times? This session will give ideas on how to finally push Sisyphus' stone over the top of the hill and create a lasting fundraising program that will allow your school to achieve its aspirations in perpetuity.

Whether starting an alumni program from scratch or revamping an existing one, join us to discover how Saint Mary's Hall built an alumni program from the ground up in three years using industry best practices. We'll discuss low-hanging fruit, strategic planning, evaluating your own program, and the key to it all--relationship building. Learn how to advocate for your role and program, build momentum within your alumni community, and create something that will be written about in your school's history book.

Building community through fundraising and special events is a fundamental practice for many independent schools. But how often do we take a step back to analyze these events, how they build community, how they raise funds, and ultimately, why we host them? In order to best serve and engage our constituents, we must examine both the how and the why we gather, and ultimately, find the place where our fundraising efforts are maximized, and our constituents are the most engaged. This session will take participants through a series of questions and topics to analyze and workshop their own school’s events while using the case study of The Fay School, a Primary – 5th Grade school, and their innovative approach to reinvent their annual fundraising gala into an event that utilizes campus resources, incorporates parent and community businesses and relationships, and further reinforces a sense of belonging within their school culture. While The Fay School’s story will be shared as an example, the emphasis of the session will engage participants in examining their own institutions and will give them the tools to completing an event audit for their school.

Does the song 'All by Myself' play in your head each day as you longingly stare at other departments with more than one staff member? Then this is the session for you! And even if you're an office of two in a larger school, it can still be for you! Come hear from a MarComm office of one in a PK-8 school of 600 students about practical strategies for maximizing limited resources and leveraging personal skills to achieve success. And yes, it includes using our newest friend, AI, as a part-time member of your office.

This session will provide Advancement professionals with practical insights and actionable strategies for the care and feeding of any alumni engagement platform. Punahou School's Alumni Relations team has implemented innovative engagement strategies that have resonated with their alumni community. By aligning with school traditions, creating interest-based communities, and leveraging alumni engagement platforms, they've successfully fostered a sense of belonging and connection among alumni.