In this session, we will discuss a new approach to recruitment that explores ways to bring those without a fundraising background into advancement shops and help them flourish and thrive. By examining a case study from Louisiana State University and Advancement Resources, participants will learn the top three qualities new fundraisers should have (curiosity, grit, and professionalism), identify ideas for where to find these candidates and how to equip them for success, and make the case for recruiting outside the box..

It is an industry trend for institutions of higher education to experience turnover among development officers at the end of a campaign. As the University of Florida ends their historic Go Greater campaign, we will discuss creative strategies for engaging and retaining high-performing employees as a campaign ends.

Employee job satisfaction and feelings of belonging positively contribute to employee retention. Supportive supervisors can increase employees' feelings of belonging and job satisfaction, but in "lean" organizations, bandwidth for supervisor trainings is often limited. This session will explore how a VP of Advancement (and doctoral candidate in organizational leadership) partnered with colleagues across campus to implement leadership trainings for the university's supervisory staff that focused on building skills and community through small-group cohort discussions. The training led to increased job satisfaction for supervisors. It also increased belonging and satisfaction in their direct reports, as evidenced in post-workshop surveys and interviews in the presenter's doctoral research.