January 27th, 2021 by Barbara Barron What if you had the chance to secure a significant, maybe even transformational gift from a donor at an amount far beyond what they give annually? One that rivals their largest gift ever or even…their cumulative giving? Interested? But what if you knew from the outset that the pledge would not be fulfilled for …
Finding the Good: How the Advancement Appraisal Works
by Barbara Barron | Posted January 13th, 2021 Ever wish you could get a clear-eyed, objective look at your advancement program? An honest assessment of what’s really working, what’s not, and what to do about it? You’re not alone. In fact, most schools would benefit from an outside eye. And it’s what I offer in the form of an Advancement …
Taking Care of Our Heads — of School, That Is
by Barbara Barron | Posted December 9th, 2020 | Subscribe to this newsletter These are crazy days at our independent schools. It seems like every day there’s a confusing change that forces us to rethink education. There’s more to juggle in our daily work than ever. More headaches! Zoom meetings balanced by in-person gatherings. Argh! And I would argue that …
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: An Interview with Tesha McCord Poe
by Barbara Barron | Posted November 11th, 2020 Independent schools around the country are finally embracing the important work of diversity, equity, and inclusion. And they’re doing it in all aspects of school life: from governance, to hiring, to disciplinary procedures, to curriculum choices. Those of us in Advancement are also called to consider how our development programs can reflect …
How to Quickly Create a Legacy Program at Your Independent School
by Barbara Barron | Posted October 28th, 2020 What if I could show you how to quickly create a legacy program? Or, if you already have an existing legacy society, how to sharply increase the number of members? What if I could demonstrate that – in growing your planned giving group using this technique – you will also secure additional …
How Do the Recent Tax Changes Impact Giving?
by Barbara Barron | Posted September 30th, 2020 In the world of advancement, there are plenty of truisms and myths. Some are accurate — “People give because they are asked.” Or, said in the converse, “If you don’t ask, you won’t receive a gift.” Some are wrong — “People give because they are looking for a tax deduction.” Nope. Not …
How Do We Thank Trustees?
by Barbara Barron | Posted August 19th, 2020 A client asked me that question the other day. And it’s a good one. It’s a question that is far more complex and potentially far-reaching than it might appear at first glance. The question is actually this: How do we thank the people who help steer our organizations? Who give so generously …
What Would Happen if We Picked Up the Phone and Started Calling?
by Barbara Barron | Posted September 2nd, 2020 Around the country, schools and other non-profits are staring at the calendar and trying to decide how and when to launch their Annual Funds. Truthfully, no one really wants to do this. But is there even an option? How many of us work at organizations that can just skip raising those annual …
How One School Reimagined its Gala and Raised Over a Million Dollars
by Barbara Barron | Posted June 1st, 2020 The other day, I spoke with a favorite client of mine about their recent virtual gala. This is a person I deeply respect who runs a top-notch advancement program at a very well-resourced school. She wanted to share with me the ways that they “pivoted” (our new favorite word) to create an …
What Are We Actually Raising Money for During This Crisis?
by Barbara Barron • Posted May 12th, 2020 For a few weeks now – sheesh, is it really only weeks? – I’ve been recommending (see: prodding) those of us in advancement to “screw our courage to the sticking place” – a favorite expression of my mom’s – and reach out to our wonderful donors. As you well know, this is …