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.

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.

The academic leader has a special role in successful development, including informing the case for support, deepening the relationships with top potential givers, engaging faculty, staff, and students 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.

In this moderated conversation, Deans will discuss their road to developing their fundraising skills, how they collaborate with their Development Officer and advancement teams, 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.

In this session, academic leaders will explore practical strategies for managing their time effectively to balance their leadership responsibilities with their critical fundraising duties. Participants will learn how to prioritize tasks, delegate efficiently, and streamline their schedules to maximize their impact in both academic and fundraising roles. The session will also provide insights on how to integrate fundraising efforts into daily routines without compromising their core leadership functions, ensuring they can meet institutional goals while cultivating strong donor relationships.

As an academic leader, people are expecting you to create, shape and articulate a big vision for your academic unit. If you're a Development Officer, you've likely heard some "unfundable" ideas along the way. This interactive workshop will offer an opportunity for you to work in pairs or groups on your big ideas with others before you hit the road and share your vision with potential donors. 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? In this interactive workshop we will work through your big ideas and provide you with a framework for idea refinement in the future.

For many, the idea of making an ask for support feels like the most daunting aspect of Development work. Truthfully, the key to this work is the development of strategic questioning and listening as they are key to creating productive donor relationships. Quality questions elicit amazing information and allow for deeper relationship building and changes for alignment around mission and purpose. In this session, we will learn how to develop questions instead of talking points that will help inform you test your case, inform your gift strategy, advance relationships, all leading to a joyful, generous “Yes” to your request for deeper partnership through more thoughtful engagement of donors.

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 illiciting 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.

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.