The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team played yesterday in the “Elite Eight” of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament – otherwise known as “March Madness.” This means that out of 351 Division 1 men’s basketball programs, there are only eight teams left playing basketball. And one will become the national champion. In the…
Category: Financial Aid
5 Advancement Beliefs In Need of Improvement
Belief #1: “It’s all about relationships.” Improvement: “It’s all about purposeful relationships.” Belief #2: “You should listen far more than you speak.” Improvement: “You should ask far more questions than you make statements.” Belief #3: “Our donors have giving fatigue.” Improvement: “Our donors are tired of giving for visionless purposes.” Belief #4: “Our Board should…
Potential vs. Willingness
In advancement, we focus a great deal of energy and time on the financial potential of donors. Their capacity to give. We spend valuable resources on electronic wealth screens. We organize donor lists based on wealth screening scores. We plan meetings around strategies based on the financial capacity of donors and prospects. We rarely spend…
Generosity Lag
For many folks in North America, we are now entering the coldest days and weeks of the year. Yet, we know that the shortest day of the year – the day with the least amount of sunlight hitting North America – was December 21, the Winter Solstice, just over a month ago. Why, then, when…
Spreading Ideas
The essence of fundraising (i.e., development) is often analogized with “asking for the gift,” or “engaging the giver,” or “cultivating the prospect,” or even “stewarding the donor.” But almost never is fundraising viewed as “spreading ideas.” Spreading ideas, though, is exactly what the best development and advancement leaders and teams do exceptionally well. They effectively…
A Higher Education ‘Feel Good’ Story With a Moral
Recently, I read a news story about a woman who posted on social media about potentially missing out on a substantial scholarship offer from Maryville College in Tennessee. If you have yet to read the story, the basics are that student was going to need significant financial assistance to go the traditional 4-year college route. …
Telling The Donor Story
Gift officers are notorious for attending Prospect Management meetings and recounting the biographies and histories of the donors to which they are assigned. Over and over again, they tell the stories of what has happened in the past with that donor that sets up the potential for the next gift. What if, instead of focusing…
Things Good Leaders Say
Not long ago I had the good experience of listening to Adam Weinberg, president of Denison University address parents and families of current students. He delivered prepared remarks for about 15 minutes (no powerpoint) and he spent another 45 minutes addressing questions from the audience. Here are 3 things president Weinberg said that struck me:…
Budget Decisions
Most advancement leaders agree: Major and principal gifts most often emerge from longer-term, trusting relationships built with donors on a foundation of personalized, face-to-face interactions. Annual giving programs are most effective when they are built on a foundation of consistent, multi-channel direct invitations to give. Special events should be few and are inefficient for fundraising….
Time and Money
Most every institutional and advancement leader will say they want to raise more money in the future. In fact, most will say adamantly that they need to raise more money in the future. However, many leaders will also say in the very next breath, “but we don’t have money to add a new gift officer…