October 20th, 2021 by Barbara Barron

Before you read any further, I recommend you first take a look at the two articles that preceded this piece: “The Four Things All Great Schools Do in Advancement” and “Three More Things All Great Schools Do in Advancement.” All three of these articles have come out of my experience and first-hand witness over twenty-plus years in and around the world of advancement in independent schools. As you read, as yourself: “How many of these are happening at my school?”

1. When times get tough, the school doubles down on support for its “sales” force, the admission and development staff.

What this looks like: Since the school leadership understands that revenue is derived from only two real sources: tuition and gifts, those revenue streams are treated as the vital lifeblood they are. Cutting budgets for marketing or the cultivation and stewardship of donors is considered only as a very last resort. The advancement team is supported in their work, given credit for accomplishments, and treated with respect and appreciation.

Can you imagine a business that relies on sales to decide during tough times that the smart choice is to fire the sales team? It makes no sense. Yet it happens in non-for-profits including our vaulted independent schools. Great leaders remember that even under budget pressure, the only non-tuition source of revenue is a charitable gift. We need to advocate for ourselves and our teams, commit to only the very best of practices in our work, and, as my clients know I like to say, be impeccable. And when you are in the warm beam of that appreciation and respect from your Head and Board, acknowledge it. Thank them for it. Thank your team for it. And then, double down.

2. Even in very small schools, development professionals are given realistic responsibilities and provided with support.

What this looks like: One-person development shops are common in small independent schools. But when those hard-working pros are left to work virtually in a closet, without a team, and without support, the resulting burnout is predictable. Great schools don’t let this happen. They find resources to outsource some of the demands even if it means going to an angel donor. They find administrative help in the form of interns or very carefully selected parent volunteers. They keep expectations reasonable by setting realistic goals and avoiding project creep.  And they find resources for important professional growth and collegial opportunities that are the care and feeding these solo practitioners crave. And deserve.

Asking for help is not easy. But we need to do it anyway. I have long held the belief that if I have a problem I am going to bring to my boss (or client, now), I had better bring along at least one possible solution. Many years ago, a wise colleague suggested that in order to make an important change, we really only need one or two advocates or early adopters of our strategy to make it work. So if there is a member of the development committee who sees what you are trying to do and believes in it. Start there.

Have you subscribed to the newsletter yet? It only takes a minute.

3. Advancement professionals are treated as the respected organizational leaders they are in all aspects of their work. They are loyal, trusted, even beloved members of the community, with long, successful tenures.

What this looks like: The development team is a vibrant, high-functioning office characterized by enthusiasm, professionalism, and skills. They are led with vision and clear direction. The Director supports the growth of each member of the office and advocates for them to the Head for things like salary increases, new responsibilities, and professional growth. The team sticks around and that longevity results in deep institutional knowledge and vibrant relationships with families including alumni families.  Annual evaluations create a growth mindset. From the director on out, everyone receives helpful feedback intended to both identify areas for improvement but also to recognize achieved success. There is a strong sense of respect for the work, job satisfaction, — even joy.

The number of truly high-functioning teams which I had the privilege and responsibility to lead are few. In other cases, we were high functioning at times but maybe not every day. Still, the moments when you find yourself with everyone bringing their A-game, taking on challenges with gusto, and supporting one another’s highest, best good are worth calling out. How can this be replicated? And how can you as the department leader bring this to the attention of your leaders — the Head and Board? Look for opportunities to give others the spotlight, let members of your team make presentations to the faculty and the Board. Brag on them to your colleagues in other departments. This kind of recognition for their good work goes a long way. It will help build trust and loyalty and guard against the premature departure of these valued professionals.

In closing…

As I detailed these three, it’s clear to me that they may be the most important towards building an outstanding advancement program. Do you agree?

Like before, I’m equally interested in what you have noticed from your vantage point. What is it that great schools do when it comes to advancement? And what can we do to bring these ideas to the schools that need them most?

As always, my inbox is open – and thank you for what you’re doing.

Stay well,

Barbara Barron

barbara@barbarabarron.com // @BBAdvancement

My name is Barbara Barron, and I’m writing this blog to share advice on a profession that I adore.

I’ve been working in the field of Independent School Advancement for nearly 20 years. In that time, I’ve had the pleasure of creating and implementing successful Strategic Fundraising Plans for so many incredible schools. I’ve had the privilege of seeing real growth at The Carey School, Marin Primary & Middle School, Woodside Priory, Crystal Springs, Presidio Knolls and others. (Maybe we’ve met!)

Nothing makes me happier than seeing a struggling school start to thrive. My hope is that you’re here to make a positive change as well. I hope my advice can be a part of that change.

Shoot me an e-mail if you want to swap tips, or share your voice here.

Let’s do this, together.

• 
  How the 2026 Mid-Term Elections May Impact Our Fundraising & What We Can Do About It June 7, 2026
• 
  Success Story #4May 26, 2026
• 
  What Can We Do About Our Changing Parent Donors?May 11, 2026
• 
  Success Story #3April 24, 2026
• 
  How Can You Set Yourself Up So That Next Fall is a Huge Success?April 14, 2026
• 
  Metrics That Matter vs. Metrics That Don’tMarch 16, 2026

The post The Final Three Things All Great Schools Do In Advancement appeared first on Barbara Barron.

October 6th, 2021 by Barbara Barron

Based on the popularity of my previous article, “The Four Things All Great Schools Do in Advancement“, and the wonderful suggestions that came to me via e-mail and Twitter, I decided to revisit the topic with three more observations.

Like before, these are all things that I have witnessed firsthand in my twenty-plus years of being in the world of advancement at independent schools.

As you read, as yourself: “How many of these are happening at my school?”

1. Advancement professionals have a seat at the table to help the school move towards a true culture of philanthropy.

What this looks like: That seat is at the Board table and at the leadership team meeting. The advancement director is a trusted thought partner. The entire advancement team has access to important information about students and families that is germane to their ability to create and maintain trusting, respectful relationships with families. Other members of the leadership team know they can trust the advancement office with confidential information. They follow up on requests from the advancement office.

Not too long ago, the father of a student died suddenly. In addition to the many cherished roles he played in the lives of his family, he was also a great volunteer, offering his catering services to our school at a deep discount. Being told of this tragedy as soon as the Dean of Students learned it made it possible for my team to reach out to the catering team to offer our condolences. Further, since we knew of his other significant connections in the community, we were able to help share the sad news to people who would not have known right away and might have risked an insensitive moment. His family was so grateful. The student’s mom was able to focus her attention where it needed to be.

2. There is a spirit of true leadership and mentorship throughout the organization modeled by the Head of School.

What this looks like: Heads with deep experience are eager to share and mentor advancement staff. Those Heads with less development experience seek the counsel and recommendations of their Directors. They respect standing meetings with their directors and make time on their busy calendars for strategy planning sessions prior to important donor meetings. They keep good notes or share meeting notes verbally (and immediately) so they can be recorded by the department. They never go rogue when a plan has been agreed upon and they follow through with assignments.

Over my career, I’ve worked with many Heads, with a wide range of both experience and interest in advancement work. I’d rather have a Head with less experience who is eager to learn than one who believes he already knows everything! From the start, I have insisted on a standing meeting. For me, it’s early in the week (Tuesday late morning is my favorite). That’s the time to get aligned on strategy, capture any notes or intel the Head is holding, and create a robust to-do list for the week. Ask for that. If you’re not sure how, I suggest you say “For me to do my very best work, I need a reliable meeting time with you each week.” The best Heads will want to give you that. If your Head is not willing to do that, and protect that time against all but the most urgent of interruptions, that’s a warning signal you should heed.

Have you subscribed to the newsletter yet? It only takes a minute.

3. School trustees are carefully and intentionally selected and serve enthusiastically in their roles to secure the vital resources the school needs to deliver on its mission. They fully understand and embrace their responsibilities.

What this looks like: The Committee on Trustees has a well-designed process for identifying and vetting prospective trustees. The interview questions and process enable the school to learn as much as possible about the prospect’s skills and willingness to serve, including their responsibilities for securing charitable support for the school. All new trustees receive a thoughtful, comprehensive orientation, including information from the professional staff. There is a robust and valuable ongoing professional development program, All trustees are fluent in their roles and responsibilities. They give meaningfully to the school, keeping it a top philanthropic priority during their tenure. They give first and last to all fundraising campaigns and are willing to speak to others in the community about why they support the school.  When asked to help cultivate, solicit, and steward donors, they do so with alacrity. They follow through and report back to the advancement office.

This is arguably the most important committee of the Board. And one you as the advancement professional should be closely aligned with. Over my career, both inside and consulting with schools, I am a huge advocate of the Director of Advancement sitting in on this committee’s meetings to provide real-life intelligence, first-hand experience, and relevant giving information to the committee when considering a prospective trustee. After all, who knows better how this person embraces (or doesn’t) the philanthropic activities of the school? Do they fulfill volunteer obligations? Do they give early and generously, within their individual means? If you’re not in these meetings, do what you must to get invited!

In closing…

As I wrote out these three, a few more came to mind. I’m sure you had the same feeling.

Like before, I’m equally interested in what you have noticed from your vantage point. What is it that great schools do when it comes to advancement? And what can we do to bring these ideas to the schools that need them most?

As always, my inbox is open – and thank you for what you’re doing.

Stay well,

Barbara Barron

barbara@barbarabarron.com // @BBAdvancement

About the Author

Barbara Barron is one of the most respected and highly sought-after independent advancement professionals in the country, having worked with dozens of schools in every corner of the United States. She has raised over $20 million for schools where she served as the Director of Development

Barbara is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and presenter who currently advises dozens of schools in various capacities. She is considered a thought leader in the world of advancement, with her writing widely shared by professionals in development offices worldwide.

She can be reached via email at barbara@barbarabarron.com

• 
  How the 2026 Mid-Term Elections May Impact Our Fundraising & What We Can Do About It June 7, 2026
• 
  Success Story #4May 26, 2026
• 
  What Can We Do About Our Changing Parent Donors?May 11, 2026
• 
  Success Story #3April 24, 2026
• 
  How Can You Set Yourself Up So That Next Fall is a Huge Success?April 14, 2026
• 
  Metrics That Matter vs. Metrics That Don’tMarch 16, 2026

The post Three More Things All Great Schools Do In Advancement appeared first on Barbara Barron.

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 is not something we attempt to get everyone to participate in. It is designed narrowly, intentionally. So it usually operates under the radar of most people in our school’s community.

A major gifts program is comprised of specific, often highly tangible projects that require big funding. Projects that exist outside of the annual operating budget. I like to describe them as being the thing(s) that the school’s program wants to do, as opposed to what it must have to function. These projects target the ways a school intends to grow, expand, even flourish. It fixes vitally important issues but rarely are these “urgent” issues. 

What kind of projects are best for a “major gifts program”? A major gifts program is most often used to fund something called capital improvements or a capacity-building opportunity.

Take the long-overdue renovation of the faculty lounge, for example. This high traffic area – pre and post-Covid – says a lot about the ways we value, or don’t value, our teachers. New carpet, appliances, seating, lighting – these are all capital improvements. They will make a world of difference to the people that touch our children’s lives. Daily. It is not an urgent improvement, but I’d argue that it is a vital one.

Other times, a capital improvement is the overhaul or expansion of a particular program. Maybe your school needs to broaden the foreign language program from three to four offerings. To do that would mean hiring a professional and building out a curriculum. Both are not currently in the budget. Enhancing your curriculum like this would require funding for a couple of years until it gets its legs. The operating budget will ultimately be able to support this program as enrollment increases but in the interim, a “capacity build” like this will be needed to get it up on its feet. Another vital but not urgent improvement.

There are more examples of ways major gift initiatives can make a big difference. I’ve raised major gift dollars to invest in donor research – in other words, discovering who and where our potential supporters are. I’ve raised money to purchase a new database so that we can better organize and track our activities. I’ve even raised money to reduce a school’s debt. The trick is that a major gift project needs to, well, be major. It needs to have the potential to have a significant impact. That puts it on our project short list.

How many projects should we be working on at any given time? Typically you want to have 3 to 5 projects at any moment so you have a short menu to offer to donors (more on that in a second). Each project should be pretty expensive but not all are the same level of expensive. Think range. And remember, they should be vital, but not urgent. Work with your Director of Finance, Head of School, and other key leaders to identify the most exciting, impact-heavy projects you can. Look for variety.

Now that you have a couple of great ideas and know the price range for each, it’s time to go find some angels to bring them to life. That’s where the program gets its energy. This is where all your thoughtful cultivation pays off and allows you the opportunity to meet with some leadership prospect donors. This is your chance to share the vision you have for the projects and all the benefits your school will enjoy from them. You now have the opportunity to ask for significant gifts to make change possible, and your donor gets to experience making a huge impact. Yummy.

How do I start asking for money? You don’t. Not yet. First, you have to figure out who you’re asking. A successful major gifts program needs to be carefully and narrowly crafted. Like I said before, it is not for everyone. The first step, before you go out there and start making the case for your program, is to set the entry-level gift.

How do I know where to set the “entry-level gift” for my program? In designing a major gifts program, I urge the Head and the finance and development pros to set the entry-level gift amount high. At some schools that might be $50,000. At another, it might be $250,000. (Or more.) Resist any pressure you receive to make it more accessible.  This is not the place for that important value. Breathe. Have faith.

In most cases, we will find the prospects for this program in our Annual Fund. It makes sense. Use the Annual Fund to assess which families have greater capacities to give. Take note of the savvy family who, as they enter the school, asks “So, what’s on the horizon for the school?”  Or even clearer, and we’ve all heard it:  “What do you need?” Well, funny you should ask… Love them. But in most cases, your prospects for this know you well, you know them well. In other words, you’ve done the cultivation and stewardship work to earn the opportunity to bring this possibility to them. That takes time. In fact, think of major gifts as a long game. Plan, budget, and staff for it that way.

Okay, now that I know whom I’m asking, and how much I’m asking for, how do I make the ask? This is actually the easiest part of a blossoming major gifts program.

I’ve written extensively about the challenge of making your Annual Fund case come to life. I’ve preached on the importance of talking about the myriad benefits a school receives because of support from the Annual Fund — rather than focusing on a school’s needs. With major gifts, making that case is much, much easier. We get to offer donors what they love best: tangible projects with an immediate impact. A major gift for the faculty lounge can be put to use over the summer so when the teachers return — voila! Donor research funded by a major gift can allow the development team to find and begin to cultivate alums with huge capacity, instantly — voila! The expanded foreign language program empowers the admission team to recruit the students interested in this offering but who would otherwise enroll at a peer school – voila! Major gift projects all have an impact that the school and the donor can experience right away. Just be sure you don’t allow this special gift to take the place of their ongoing Annual Fund support. This is always above and beyond annual giving.

The stewardship opportunities in a major gifts program are enormous. And rich. And fun! We get to work closely with donors, keeping them engaged throughout the process, and in doing so, build deeper relationships, knitting them ever closer to our schools. It’s so rewarding, for everyone. If you’re curious about the ways you might get better at making big asks, I’ve written extensively about that very thing: “How Do We Prepare for the Biggest Ask of Our Career?”

I hope that by reading this, I’ve made a strong argument for you to get your own major gift program started. Perhaps you’ve already had one for a while, and that this piece will nudge you to reinvigorate it.

To tell you what you already know, none of this will be “easy.” It takes time and commitment to get a good program started. It requires all the best practices in our fine profession: access to good information, a decent database, enthusiastic buy-in from our Head and Board, as well as support from the Director of Finance. We will need someone on the development team with the skill and bandwidth to get this puppy up on its feet, find and solicit the families who can support it, and then deliver world-class stewardship to those who do. It is not easy work; it is deeply rewarding work.

If this sounds like what your school is ready to consider, I can help. Feel free to take a look at my articles for any further guidance. Or, if you have specific questions, my inbox is always open – barbara@barbarabarron.com.

As always, stay well,

Barbara Barron

barbara@barbarabarron.com // @BBAdvancement

Related posts:

• 
  How the 2026 Mid-Term Elections May Impact Our Fundraising & What We Can Do About It June 7, 2026
• 
  Success Story #4May 26, 2026
• 
  What Can We Do About Our Changing Parent Donors?May 11, 2026
• 
  Success Story #3April 24, 2026
• 
  How Can You Set Yourself Up So That Next Fall is a Huge Success?April 14, 2026
• 
  Metrics That Matter vs. Metrics That Don’tMarch 16, 2026

The post How to Start a Major Gifts Program at Your Independent School appeared first on Barbara Barron.