Spring Institute in Educational Fundraising 2026
Delivered through a variety of plenaries, tutorials and practical workshop sessions, you will return to work with a clear sense of what your job entails and a network of supportive contacts to help you deliver your objectives.
Learning Objectives
- Evaluate criteria that distinguish fundraising for major gifts, annual and regular giving and donor relations.
- Develop a toolkit to support a more person-centred, relationship-based fundraising approach.
- Understand how active listening and strategic thinking can positively impact fundraising initiatives.
- Enhance your interpersonal skills and competencies to build strong professional relationships internally and externally.
- Recognise how specific cultures influence engagement.
Benefits of Attending
- All-Institute general sessions that explore key concepts from diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging to emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, leadership, and integrity.
- Interdisciplinary elective sessions that provide industry-sector expertise in educational fundraising, advancement services, alumni relations, communications and marketing.
- Small faculty-led meetings are designed to target essential content covered each day.
- Peer-to-peer networking opportunities
Who Should Attend?
- Professionals in the early stages of their advancement careers
- Newcomers to the education sector
- Mid-level professionals seeking a refresher on the fundamentals
New for 2026!
This Institute will be run in partnership with the Alumni Relations and Marketing & Communications Institutes, with dedicated cross-disciplinary plenary sessions designed to foster shared strategic insight and stronger partnership working. Participants will develop a clear understanding of integrated advancement and leave better equipped to collaborate confidently and effectively across teams.
Tutor Group Learning
Delegates will be placed in a small tutor group, led by a member of the faculty. Tutor group sessions will help apply programme learning directly to your institution. You'll get advice on how to curate your career, explore real challenges and workshop ideas, while building connections with peers.
These groups often become long-term support networks, with many participants staying connected long after the Institute has finished.