Peter Gallo, Director of Development, Landon School

Now that the new Head has deeper knowledge of what happens in an advancement office in a given year, this session will look more deeply at what goes into setting strategy for the annual fund and/or a campaign and everything in between

Topics may include:

•  What exactly is the difference between restricted and unrestricted giving? (This seems basic, but it’s important to understand all the nuances and gray areas that exist to avoid journal adjustments in the audit process!)
• What to consider when setting a realistic annual fund goal
• What needs to be in place to reach or exceed your realistic annual fund goals from year to year
• Evaluating the strength of your endowment and your existing restricted gifts
• What to consider when fundraising for specific, restricted giving (non-capital)
• Capital giving outside of a campaign
• Understanding the process leading up to a campaign
• Avoiding typical mistakes schools make when launching a campaign
• The Board’s ideal role in fundraising – in and out of a campaign

How should my time be spent, anyway?

Bob Weston, Senior Consultant, CCS Fundraising

This session is designed to give a new Head a strong sense of what events, travel, and fundraising actually look like for her or his calendar –  both inside and outside of a campaign –and how relationship management at the executive level is key to the success of any fundraising strategy.

Topics may include:

• How much travel makes sense for a Head?
• What do advancement travel and events typically look like, especially if you’re managing new relationships and forming relationships with key prospects and current donors
• What are the differences for a day school and boarding school? Differences between size and makeup of a school?
• How to manage relationships with existing donors and key alumni
• How to develop new relationships with campaign prospects or under- or disengaged prospects
• What to expect from your advancement office in order to accomplish the above
• How to support your advancement office and AD and major gifts director with relationship development

How to have intelligent and informed 1:1 meetings with your Advancement Director (AD), understand what key performance indicators a Head should keep his or her eye on, and what your board will expect to see from meeting to meeting.

Teresa Weber, Director of Advancement, Hackley School

This session is designed to take new Heads from a general sense of what goes on in the advancement office to a deeper knowledge of the season to season and month-to-month KPIs that indicate the strength of your advancement team and position.

Topics may include:

• What questions to be asking your AD on a regular basis and throughout key times of the year
• What questions you should ask your AD as you enter headship and navigate your first two years
• At what level a Head should need to be involved in aspects of advancement/development
• What a Head should expect from events and alumni relations
• Signs and red flags that your advancement office may need attention and additional professional development
• What a strong board report from the advancement office would include in September, February, and May
• How a Head can support an AD and his or her team

Christine Pina, Chief Advancement Officer, Miss Porter’s School and Ann Snyder, Director of Independent and International Schools, CASE

The key to the future is diversity, and every Head of School should feel equipped to help formulate a DEIB agenda not only for the curriculum and student body, but for his or her external offices as well.

This session is designed to give New Heads a sense of their role in the DEIB conversation and strategy for alumni, parents, and the Board

Topics will include:

• Auditing your external affairs program from a DEIB lens
  • Communication
  • Fundraising
  • Alumni relations
  • Events
• Considering Board development with diversity at its center
• Working with affinity groups
• Managing difficult conversations with alumni and parents around the school’s DEIB work

Gustavo Segui, Director of Marketing and Advancement, International Schools of Curitiba and Caroline Baugh, Director of Communications and Community Relations, American School of Paris

Now that you understand the fundamentals of a sophisticated advancement program, let’s shake it up! Learn how a truly integrated approach can help your school thrive into the future.

Topics will include:

• Integrated advancement to support the school’s strategic vision
• How and when to integrate your advancement team
• Why integration can free your school to be innovative
• How and why integrated advancement can reduce overhead and increase team satisfaction