Traditional events like galas and auctions have long been cornerstones of independent school development efforts. However, these labor-intensive initiatives often yield diminishing returns while consuming valuable staff resources. They also often run counter to our school’s commitments to equity, inclusion, and belonging. This session will use real world examples from both a K-8 school with a team of three people and a 9-12 school with a team of twelve, to demonstrate how teams of any size can strategically pivot to a major gifts approach within their annual fund, creating sustainable growth while reducing reliance on event-based fundraising. Attendees will leave with a playbook of practical tools and confidence-building strategies to elevate their annual fund and increase engagement while freeing staff to focus on building the meaningful relationships that drive transformational giving.