Summer Institute in Educational Fundraising 2026
Join us this summer to hit the books, review the basics, and start on your path to success.
Hear what past attendees say about the Summer Institute in Educational Fundraising
Benefits of Attending
The Summer Institute is a valuable investment in you and your organization. Through the institute you will have a tremendous opportunity to:
- Evaluate criteria that distinguish fundraising for major gifts, annual giving, and donor relations
- Assemble a toolkit to support a more person-centered, relationship-based fundraising.
- Discuss how active listening and strategic thinking can positively impact fundraising initiatives.
- Enhance your interpersonal skills to build strong professional relationships
- Recognize how specific cultures influence engagement
Institute Experience Highlights
- All-Institute general sessions that explore key concepts from 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 and communications and marketing.
- Small Group, Faculty-Led Advisory Meetings designed to target essential content covered each day.
- Peer to Peer Networking Opportunities
Content Highlights in Educational Fundraising
- Annual Giving Strategies
- The Cold Call & Your 1st Visit
- Making the Ask
- Generational Differences & Giving Trends
- An Introduction to Donor Prospect Management & Research
- The Art of Asking Strategic Questions
- Campaign Management Fundamentals
- Developing Major Gift Strategies
- Gift Planning 101
- Recruiting, Managing and Keeping Volunteers Engaged
- The Art of Listening
- Authentic Leadership: Defining Yourself as a Leader
- Trends and Opportunities in Educational Fundraising
Institute Chair
James Piatt
James B. Piatt, Jr., a 35-year higher education advancement professional, serves as Senior Vice President University Advancement and External Affairs at Elon University. He has served Elon since 2008, when he joined the advancement team as Vice President for University Advancement. He has led Elon through two campaigns, the Elon LEADS Campaign, a $260 million comprehensive campaign concluded in December 2022, and the Ever Elon Campaign, a $107 million effort completed in December 2011. His portfolio includes development, alumni engagement, parent programs, career services, national campus programs, continuing education, cultural programs and university events.
During his tenure at Elon, the University’s annual fundraising production has tripled, the university’s endowment has grown from $83 million to $455 million, more than 500 endowed scholarships have been created, 15 new campus facilities have been fundraised, the number of alumni donors has doubled, and parent annual giving participation has advanced from 26% to 43%.
Prior to joining Elon, Mr. Piatt served as Vice President for Advancement at Mount Union College, Associate Director of Development at the Law School at Stanford University, Development Director for the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, and Assistant Dean for Development in the College of Communications at Ohio University.
Mr. Piatt earned two degrees from Ohio University; a Master’s in Business Administration in 1993 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in 1987. He has presented at the Council for the Aid and Support of Education, the Independent College Association of Ohio, the Southeast College Advancement Consortium, the American Council on Education, and the North Carolina Independent Association of Colleges and Universities.
