Join conference faculty to kick off the program, meet your fellow attendees, and set the stage to make the most of our time together. Conference co-chairs, Shaun Keister and Dale Wright, will then lay the groundwork for the conference by examining the fundamentals of development work. We will review the donor cycle – identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship – and share best practices for the strategic involvement of deans in this cycle. Subsequent sessions throughout the conference will take a deeper dive into parts of the donor cycle and how to utilize for sustained success.

The dean has a special role in successful development, including designing the case for support, deepening the engagement of top potential givers and participating in all phases of the Cycle. This session highlights important areas of development for deans and includes ideas and strategies to keep in mind throughout the rest of the conference and beyond.

A true partnership between a Dean and their development officer is the key to successful fundraising but what does it take to create this type of relationship? In this session, hear from a seasoned Dean and development officer as they discuss the importance of clear roles, responsibilities and expectations. They’ll also explore critical success factors to consider and implement as well as tips and attributes to make your partnership a winning one.

In this moderated conversation, Deans will discuss their road to developing their fundraising skills, how they collaborate with their Development Officer, and what they value about the opportunity to engage personally with their institution’s donors. Hear about their successes and challenges as well as lessons learned.

This session will focus on cultivation and stewardship and the importance of developing rapport and an effective working relationship, understanding expectations and intent, executing a productive project management plan, and strategic communications with all stakeholders including the donors, university administration, advancement executives, and the broader university community.

Your fundraising duties take time, and how you utilize that time will determine your overall success. So, how should you prioritize your time to meet your development needs? In this session, we will highlight the most important tasks you will do as a dean to meet your fundraising goals. Then, we will outline which ones you should try to do daily, weekly and monthly to reach your goals.

Many institutions find that active and engaged volunteer committees are key components of successful development programs. But what are the actual benefits, and what kind of staffing and planning are necessary to create and nurture your volunteer advisory boards for development purposes? Participants are encouraged to share their successes and challenges in forming and working with advisory boards.

If you are a Dean or a faculty member, you likely have a big vision for what you want to achieve through your tenure or through your research. If you're a Development Officer, you've likely heard some "unfundable" ideas along the way. This interactive workshop will offer some opportunity to get feedback and test your big ideas with others before you hit the road and share your vision with your alumni and community. Is your narrative compelling? Can you capture the vision and ambition in a memorable way? Can you engage your listener through storytelling to move them to action? All this questions will be addressed in this interactive workshop.

For many, the idea of making an ask for support is the most daunting aspect of Development. The truth is, with preparation and practice, your confidence and comfort will increase dramatically. In a series of role plays, we will consider not only the sort of preparation required to ensure your meeting is fruitful and enjoyable, but also what a conversation during an actual visit might sound like.

For all the assets faculty bring to building relationships with alumni and supporters, it can take some time to discover shared goals with them in advancement work. For this workshop, we’ll look at some ways of inventorying shared interests and goals with faculty related to this work, and then spend some time applying that to your own domain toward new collaborations with them.