March 24th, 2021 by Barbara Barron First impressions matter. I’ve spoken at length about this because I believe it so fervently. I know I’m not the only one who believes that the first impression sets the tone for the rest of a relationship, moving forward. How do I know? Because one of my most popular articles is about how we …
How to Start a Major Gifts Program at Your Independent School
April 7th, 2021 by Barbara Barron Let’s begin with a definition of terms. What is a “major gifts program?” A major gift program is an ongoing part of a mature and robust advancement program. It is different from the Annual Fund or a capital campaign in that it does not necessarily have a specific timeline, launch, or end date. It …
Let’s Hear it for the One-Woman Development Office
March 10th, 2021 by Barbara Barron Please note that this article is intended for the eyes and ears of the Heads of School and Executive Directors out there. Read on, dear development pro. But then forward this on to your leader, with my best wishes. There she is, toiling away in her tiny office. Can you see her, in your …
Ignoring “The Gap” and Moving Away from a Scarcity Mindset
February 24th, 2021 by Barbara Barron I get why “The Gap” was created. Back in the day, it made a certain amount of sense for independent schools who were charging tuition but still needed additional non-tuition revenue to mount annual giving campaigns to make their operating budgets work. No doubt they were finding it incredibly challenging to explain to parents …
Giving Circles Taken to the Next Level
February 11th, 2021 by Barbara Barron Nearly every school I know has the tradition of setting “giving levels” for their Annual Fund and other fundraising projects. Most are pretty pro-forma, in my view. Generally, the top level is called something like Platinum or Gold — and the tiers work their way down from Silver and Bronze to the merely participatory. …
How to Use Permanent Life Insurance to Help A Donor Make Their Largest Gift –Ever
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 | Revised May 14th, 2025 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 …