Fundraising with Academic Leaders In Higher Ed

Welcome to "How to Be a Better Fundraiser." Because why not?

If we're going to invest our time, energy, and creativity into making the world a better place by fundraising for important causes, let's do it with GUSTO and confidence. Let's get better at it every day.

Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! My goal is to give you a few quick tips to support your fundraising success and send you on your way to do so!

Before we launch into the nitty-gritty, check it out. We just opened registration for the next cohort of Donor Visits 2.0. As one of our students said: "10,000 percent recommend taking this course!" For more info, including a reimbursement request form, click here.

Okay, so:

Working with academic partners in higher ed fundraising is a whole WORLD.

Early career colleagues: Soon enough you're going to be working with academic colleagues and you'll want to know which way is up--this series will help.

Colleagues who are already staffing academics: here are a ideas for optimizing the relationship. There's always room to level-up.

And for friends who are now managing the fundraisers who staff academic partners, this is for you. I'm hopeful this series will help you coach your staff and strengthen your own relationship with your president, deans, department heads and star faculty.

1) Onboarding Academic Leaders Into Their New Donor Community

PRESENTATION: February 2, Noon Pacific, LinkedIn Live

Link to RSVP

What's the big deal?

When you're welcoming a new academic leader to campus, your job is to get them seamlessly onboarded into their new donor community. It's exhilarating and rewarding and.....?????????????????? messy.

We have a limited period of time to introduce new leaders--when they are shiny and new-- to their donor community. Allll the donors need to feel the love at some point in that first six months.

A whole bunch of work groups will come together to support them: advancement services, academic admin staff, directors and senior directors of development, unit leadership team, everyone with a relationship with the new leader's alums.....and so on.

No big deal--except.....these folks don't yet have a framework for collaboration, and this is a complicated project. Folks aren't yet accustomed to one another's systems, work flows, and personalities.

So it can be rough around the edges at a time when everyone wants the new leader to have a positive experience (and a favorable opinion of them!). So let's talk about it.

Ruthlessly practical tips:

• While the search for a new leader is being conducted, bring the right people together for a launch meeting to begin the planning process;
• Create a written plan and get sign-off from key decision-makers (and be prepared to toss it out the window--see below);
• Gather data from beyond the database. Talk to colleagues, volunteers, donors, and previous academic leaders to identify opportunities for the new leader to connect with VIPs.
• Start organizing lists of donors for 1) mailings, 2) calls; 3) invitations, and 4) visits;
• Develop a communication plan with marcomm colleagues;
• Begin reaching out to donors to identify event hosts and lay the groundwork for visits;
• Prepare your VIP list to notify when the new leader has been selected;
• Be flexible....this process will take on a life of its own at some point. That beautiful plan you made? And everyone signed off on? May have to throw it right out the window.
• Course-correct along the way.
• CELEBRATE milestones!!!

We'll discuss in further detail at the LinkedIn Live event on February 10.

2) Behind-the-Scenes Support for Academic Partners' Fundraising Success

PRESENTATION: February 7, 9am Pacific, LinkedIn Live

Link to attend.

What's the big deal?

Supporting our academic partners' fundraising success is a team sport.

There are briefings, trip plans, meetings, events, giving opportunities, coaching, data, finance, strategic plans, campaign plans, reports, training and development....and so much more!

Sometimes we have lots of runway and can plan ahead. Other times, we turn on a dime.

During our session on February 7, we'll talk about what works and what doesn't.

A few highlights:

• Role clarity
• Project management tips
• Putting the relationship first
• Tools that can help

If you'd like to better support academic partners and streamline your efforts in the meanwhile, join us for this event on LinkedIn Live.

In the meanwhile:

Ruthlessly practical tips:

• Identify the core team who will support the new leader, especially during the first six months, and set standing meetings with the group.
• Set up a few quick fundraising wins.
• Train the administrative support team on the donor database. Onboard the new leader down the road.
• Establish a cadence and format for reporting. Ideally this will be consistent across the institution.
• Solicit the new leader for a gift within two months.

We'll discuss in further detail at the LinkedIn Live event on this topic. RSVP to get event reminders!

3) Staffing Academic Leaders for Gift Conversations

PRESENTATION: February 9, 9am Pacific, LinkedIn Live

Link to RSVP.

What's the big deal?

Preparing an academic partner for a meaningful gift conversation is more art than science.

Some academic leaders are happy to leave the asking to the fundraisers, but we need them to lead the gift conversations. Others like to take the lead, but it would be strategic to leave this to the fundraising professional. Sometimes a tag team approach works like magic.

During our LinkedIn Live, we'll discuss:

• Desired outcomes of an academic leader's participation in a gift conversation;
• Options for preparation;
• A few hacks to optimize the value of the visit;
• A few pitfalls to avoid with lots of grace;
• How to follow up with the donor after a gift convo with an academic partner.

Join us, drop your own pearls of wisdom, and ask your burning questions!

We'll discuss on February 9 at 9:00 am Pacific time at this LinkedIn Live event. RSVP to get event details! \

4) Co-Creating Compelling Giving Opportunities With Your Academic Partners

PRESENTATION: February 10, 9:00 am Pacific, LinkedIn Live

Click here to register.

What's the big deal?

We're seeing super inspiring giving opportunities across our industry. And.....we're seeing lot of lackluster priorities as well.

I've been in both camps and highly recommend the former. :)

This is a "do this, not that" conversation--February 10.

The pitfalls are universal, and we'll cover those.

We'll share the attributes of a compelling gift opportunity and suggest a framework for co-creating one with your academic leaders.

Ruthlessly practical tips:

• Strategic priorities are all important--but only some of them are feasible for donor support.
• Decide in advance who will have input on giving opportunities--the whole leadership team? Volunteers? Just the academic partner and development professional?
• A compelling gift opportunity must have a potential donor pool. When in doubt, make a list. Who is going to support this priority?
• Impact must be measurable and reportable.
• The academic leader MUST be passionate about the giving opportunity.

Let's co-create irresistible giving opportunities!

Please join us on February 10 and bring your ideas and questions! We can learn SO much from one another. RSVP to get event details!

5) ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: Working With Academic Partners in Higher Ed Fundraising

To wrap up our series on working with academic leaders in higher ed fundraising, ????'???? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????????? ????????????????, ??????????????????, ?????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ???? ???? ???????? ?????????????? ???????? ????????.

Come one, come all! Hear from colleagues at all stages of the career path!

Your voice is important. We can learn ???? ???????? from one another.

Join us for a ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION on February 15 at Noon Pacific Time on ZOOM.

Here's a link to the event.

Please do register for the whole event series--when you do, you'll receive reminders with the URLs so you can navigate the weird world of LinkedIn Lives. :)

I hope this is helpful!

Warmly,

Anne

P.S. Don't forget! Donor Visits 2.0 registration is open.

We have limited space, so get yourself squared away!

https://bit.ly/BuyDonorVisits

P.S. I always deliver a little insider humor. :)