For more than 10,000 years humankind has been moved by great stories. Stories have changed the course of history, been used to right wrongs, and to educate new generations. In fact, at the Summer Institute, we devote an entire General Session to hearing stories from our faculty, revealing key lessons learned while they were in the field. Each of our educational institutions is bursting with powerful, meaningful stories. As advancement professionals, we have the opportunity and the challenge to capture this vital information and bring it to life. Many believe that the best fundraisers are also exceptional storytellers. This elective session will build upon some of the lessons learned in the General Session while diving into the techniques and approaches that will help anyone learn to tell a great story, including time to role play what you’ve learned with your classmates!

Leadership has many dimensions and can be defined in a range of ways, but what does it mean to be a leader? Many books have been written about how to turn yourself into a leader: stand taller, be more confident, be decisive, be collaborative, talk more, talk less. But at some point, can’t you just be yourself and also be an effective leader? This session will be a dynamic conversation about how you develop your own personal brand of leadership, adapt it to your team and environment, and remain authentic to who you are and your life experiences.

Addressing Cybersecurity and Data Governance in Education Fundraising 

What is our purpose in doing good stewardship and building meaningful relationships with our donors? How do we retain donors and inspire them to keep giving? Our best future donors are our current philanthropic partners already invested in our mission and our future. Explore the why and how of stewardship that results in substantive relationships with donors who are inspired, generous, joyous and invested in our institutions.

Working with an individual to make a major philanthropic investment in your organization is a very personal and unique experience, with no two donors and no two gift plans being exactly alike. Your success or failure in closing a major gift depends on how well you know the donor, how well you listen and your understanding of what he or she wants to accomplish with his or her philanthropy. Practice developing major gift strategies, how to use faculty, trustees, colleagues and volunteers, and develop a sense of moves sequence that will maximize results. Walk away with a strategy for one of your donors that you can begin implementing as soon as you get back to campus. In fact, maybe the next step toward that gift begins as soon as this session ends.

One of the joys of fundraising for any organization is the relationships developed with our volunteers – those people who care so deeply about your institution that they are willing to commit their time, energy, ideas, connections, and financial support to your school. We will discuss the value of involving volunteers with your institution, volunteer recruitment strategies, how to engage and partner with volunteers, and how to maintain the post-volunteer relationship.

Planned giving is often thought of as complicated and overwhelming. It is also a topic that tends to engender discomfort among donors, volunteers and staff because it can involve discussions of complexity and, in some cases, mortality. At the same time, it is one of the most important areas of our work as we partner with donors to help them make the most efficient and effective gifts possible. Join us for an introductory session on planned giving to learn more about the various types of outright and deferred gift opportunities that can benefit not only your institution, but also your donors.

Join us for an engaging presentation that explores the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) in the realm of higher education academic fundraising. Uncover the potential of AI to revolutionize how institutions connect with alumni, build relationships, and secure vital financial resources for academic programs and scholarships. Come learn how AI can empower your institution to achieve new levels of fundraising success while fostering lifelong relationships with donors.

It is more than a meeting: it is ensuring success in every stage of a significant solicitation. We often think of a solicitation as a singular event, the moment when we "ask for the order." In this session, we will look at personal solicitation in a broader context, by discussing the five stages of the solicitation process, beginning with the call to request an appointment and concluding with post-solicitation follow-up. Our goal will be to understand how a thoughtful and rigorous approach to each stage can help ensure the best possible outcome in your solicitation of a high-potential prospect.