February 2nd, 2022 by Barbara Barron

It’s February 2022. A new year. But if you’re feeling like me, it feels more like the same old, same old.

A client moved their Board retreat at which I offered training to remote. We were ALL looking forward to being in the trustee’s living room for that experience. Their county went back to a stay-at-home order. The national CASE-NAIS conference so many of us were looking forward to attending, in person, is postponed. A fellow campaign consultant wrote to a group of us today asking for advice on holding a “virtual campaign kick-off event.”

Oh brother.

So, we’re not as far along in our recovery from this global pandemic as I believed we were back in the fall. OK. What now?

I am struck by all the ways we’ve shifted. “Pivot” was the word of 2020. After we pivoted, we adopted new measures, practices, and habits. There are things we never imagined we’d be doing or didn’t believe could be effective and yet, are.

So, today I’m interested in focusing on those.

Let’s start with how nearly every school I know has had gangbuster Annual Funds these last 2 years. Yes, the stock market has been helpful. Not everyone, for sure, but many of our school families are sitting on more cash than they have in a long time. And while they spent some of it on rowing machines, furniture, and home renovations (or was that just me?!), what they didn’t do was spend it on vacations. And many gave more of it to our schools.

They did so, in part, because we asked. We were bold in our appeals. We explained how their dollars were being spent on vitally important improvements for the health and safety of teachers and students. We made a good case. Plus our families were grateful for the dedication and care of fine teachers. For schools staying open. Parents demonstrated gratitude through generosity. 

Thank you. Let’s keep this. Being clear about the use of dollars gifted. Being super intentional about stewarding gifts. All of them. All the time.

What else? We paid close attention to how members of our community were doing. We checked in, to connect and learn how we might be helpful. We had real conversations. We listened. And that felt great — to everyone. It also resulted in knitting us closer to our supporters. That’s worth keeping. 

How are we doing with our teachers? That remains to be decided in my mind since the current situation, ever-evolving (or devolving, at this writing) continues to put faculty and staff under enormous pressure. Those working in our schools are handling tasks well outside of their scope. It’s all-hands-on-deck every blessed day. That’s exhausting. And not sustainable. Parents, in the BC days, played a helpful role as volunteers but they can’t be on campus right now. So, we need to be aware. Or beware. I wish I knew the solution. The only inkling I have ever had can be read in my article about putting teachers at the top of our org charts, right here.

(Sidebar: this article from NAIS about keeping educator well-being in mind also feels pertinent. A great read.)

Patience. Accommodation. Flexibility. These are all qualities we’ve had to hone within ourselves and in our organizations. They’re worth keeping.

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What more? We all moved to remote meetings, of course. And we found that some or many of those meetings were actually more efficient. We certainly save time and money on travel and dining! In the best cases, those meetings are scheduled and conducted with consideration like mini-breaks, the best use of breakout rooms, and thoughtful facilitation. But hybrid remote/in-person meetings are a disaster, in my view. No one has ever liked being the sole person on a conference call with everyone else chatting away in the (actual) room. We can do better here.

What we didn’t expect is that conducting solicitations via zoom would be possible. But it is! And often, far easier to get and hold the attention of both people in a couple. Yes, those important, intentional conversations require planning and practice. But asking for gifts should always involve planning and practice. I’ve written extensively on this topic. Do not wing this stuff!

So, while much of this adaptation has been born of necessity and we’d all happily jettison it the minute we can, it’s worth thinking about how we can take the best from this painful, stressful time and weave it into our new best practices.

What have you done that’s worth keeping? Hope you’ll share!

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 over 20 years. In that time, I’ve had the pleasure of creating and implementing successful fundraising plans and programs 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, Sage Ridge, and San Diego French American, 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 What Have We Learned During Covid That’s Worth Keeping? appeared first on Barbara Barron.

May 5th, 2021 by Barbara Barron

As we head into the final stretch of this fiscal and school year, now is a great time to stop and take a quick assessment.

For many, you may be right where you hoped and planned to be. (Awesome!) For others, you may be behind where you were in the B.C. days. Or even behind what you projected for this year. Tough, but common.

In either case, I am here to remind you that there is still time. Good, strategic work can always make a difference. Time for a little analysis. I invite you to pour yourself a fresh cup of something, clear your desk, and mute the ringer on your phone. I’m going to walk you through some strategic planning.

1. To begin, open your donor list and sort them in descending order — with the largest donor at the top.
   
2. Start with the donors on the list who have already given this school year. Ask yourself:
   • How does this gift amount compare with last year? How does it compare with what you asked them to give? (Hopefully, you did ask for a specific amount.)
   • What else do we know about them right now?
   • When was the last time they heard from us?
   • What stewardship have we provided to make sure they know how much we appreciate their ongoing (add: increased, steady) support?
     
3. Next, let’s take a look at the donors who have not yet given. Ask yourself:
   • What do we know about them and how they are doing?
   • When was the last time we were in touch with them and what was the nature of that point of contact (to remind? to thank? to check-in?)?
   • Can we try a different approach? Can we call rather than email, again?
     
4. Lastly, let’s see about donors who have outstanding pledges. Ask yourself:
   • What’s the plan for collecting? Are we looking at pledge reminders as the opportunity they are for us to say thank you, again?
   • What do you think is the “real real” about how much you will collect and how you will end this year? Getting an accurate, even if it is a slightly disappointing, projection is a smart move right now. The business office will be grateful for the clear view about where you think you’ll be on June 30^th.

Great. You’ve already done some fantastic work today. I hope that coffee helped.

But we’re not done, are we? Of course not. Because most important of all is our stewardship work. Each year, we begin with the best of intentions. We vow to make stewardship a priority. But like so many other important goals, creating a true culture of philanthropy can get pushed off. Stewardship is one of those good habits that, like exercise, gets easier and more rewarding when done regularly. When we make the time, it pays off. Big time.

“But why, Barbara? Isn’t it enough for me to do the all-important work of touching base with donors to check in on their donations?” It’s a start, friend. The crucial step that so many development programs ignore is the task of letting our donors know the true value of their gifts. Making sure that they know we don’t see them as an ATM. When we get in touch for the purposes of something other than asking, they (and we) know that it’s not always about money. In fact, it rarely is! It is, instead, a bit of a brag. Your job is to tell your community of donors about all the good work going on every day in our schools that their philanthropy is supporting and sustaining. It’s about the mission, people! It’s always about the mission!

So what are some good, new ways to doing this? Something other than a simple e-mail that gets popped off before the end of the workday? Perhaps it’s time to get some fresh photography – images of students and teachers at work. Something to share. With so few parents permitted on campus right now, most are hungry for that sneak peek into their child’s day. Our teachers are already doing a terrific job sharing daily work. So, let’s give them a break and step in to grab some photos and videos. With this sweet asset, you’ll have the opportunity to add your own personal message of gratitude. Message: “Let me show you something! Isn’t this so cool? And you made it possible!”

Perhaps now is a good time to give the community a “Report” from your office. You can sing the praises of teachers and programs that are on fire. You can thank families for keeping the school a priority amid the uncertainty and myriad competing needs in our society. Maybe you build out a written report with some great photos. Maybe it’s a heartfelt letter in the school newsletter. Or a quick but highly customized “thank you” video. You know your school and your families. The key here is that, whatever you choose, it needs to feel different from business as usual. I often urge those of us in this profession to “surprise and delight” donors. We want to make them feel our gratitude. Lean into this and make it special.

These are still extraordinary times. Nothing is as it was, and quite possibly will never be that way again. One of my brilliant clients termed this moment “the in-between”. We’re not at the start of the year or at the end. Knowing that things will only get more manic, let’s take this time and do something that has meaning and impact right now.

And if we need reminding, the research is clear: thoughtful stewardship equals results. Something like 90% of donors report that when we thank them promptly and personally, and we report back to them on how we put their gifts to good use before we ask them to give again, they will give again and likely give more.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. You know I’d love to hear about it. Shoot me an email.

As always, stay well,

Barbara Barron

barbara@barbarabarron.com // @BBAdvancement

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  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 Finishing Strong in a Strange Year appeared first on Barbara Barron.

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 dollars? I’d say, none. 

We know that the Annual Fund is imperative. Maybe never more than this year. And yet, there is so much we don’t know: what will school really look like in a few weeks or months? What will the election yield? What will be the mood in the country on November 4th?

What are anyone’s feelings at any given moment? Heck, our own moods likely fluctuate sometimes widely from day to day. Hour to hour.

Nothing is as we expected. 

But what do we know? That this virus is not done with us. That these “unprecedented” and “uncertain” times are ever-so-much more than that. The number of people whose business has been affected has not subsided.

Everyone is worried. There’s no real end in sight. 

OK. What else do we know?

Every parent  — everywhere — wants and needs the best, safest possible education for their children. Teachers’ health and safety (and sanity!) is paramount. Our schools bring huge value and hold great relevance for all of us. Independent schools are far better suited to handle this moment precisely because our class sizes are smaller. Our teachers are talented and nimble. They can respond to the needs of their students. The independence in independent schools means teachers are free(er) to teach to the moment. 

And all of that needs to go on, whether schools are meeting in-person, teaching remotely, or some hybrid of the two. That means we, as advancement professionals, need to do our part. The work we do to raise the Annual Fund dollars our schools rely on makes it all possible. Those funds help our schools retain and support great educators. They provide a robust and responsive program. 

So, let’s get at it.

But how? 

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Here’s a radical idea: what if we simply call everyone to ask for their support? Seriously. No mailed brochure and letters. No dealing with mail houses or any real or imagined concerns about deliveries. What if we divide up the list among our team and call everyone?

We ask how they are. We give them any kind of update we have. We explain that in these mystifying times, we don’t want to “assume anything.” We say that we understand their situation may be in flux. Or perhaps “just different” than the last time we talked. We want to be sure we are in close connection with them.

Then we ask for their support — and we listen. 

Maybe things are fine. Perhaps they are one of the fortunate families and are happy to step up and make a significant commitment. Maybe they realize others may not be able to give, so they want to help us ensure the school remains stable. Heroes.

Maybe things are in flux and they aren’t sure what they can give. Maybe they need more time. (Understandable!) In my experience, people appreciate the personal contact and that rare opportunity to be real. You will have done your job and can keep doing your job with far more current information. You can offer to follow up at a time they think might be better.

Pro tip: 2020 may not be the year of the 100-day Annual Fund campaign or the hard push for 100% participation (which was never about the donor anyway).

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And perhaps the answer is that the bottom has fallen out. They can’t commit this year. They are struggling to manage tuition. If that’s the case – then your presence, you listening at this painful time, is what you are called to do right now.

I suspect those may be some of the most gratifying calls you make. They build the connective tissue between you and your community members. 

During this crisis, amid the unknowns, we need to return to fundamentals. Show up. Be real. Ask for support for your fine school. The results of your good work ensure that your teaching colleagues can do theirs. You have a role to play in helping keep your community together.

There are organizations that are simply not going to survive. Your work helps prevent that from happening to your school.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you’ll share. Wishing you good luck and meaningful conversations.

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 What Would Happen if We Picked Up the Phone and Started Calling? appeared first on Barbara Barron.

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 event that was “of the moment.” An event that exceeded all hopes and bested their all-time highest revenue event. She wanted to share it with me so that I would share it with you. And to give credit to her high performing team. That’s the kind of generous person she is. That – in and of itself – was my good news dose for the week.

Here’s her story, paraphrased.

They, like many other schools, had to make the tough decision on the very eve of their big event to cancel. Literally, the afternoon before. The tables were set, the decorations were up, volunteers in the next room putting on the finishing touches. The order to shelter at home was coming. There was no way they could hold a 350+ person event the next evening. So, they shut it all down.

Pressing pause gave them time to do some thinking. After a short break, they started a process she termed a “re-imagine.” They asked themselves, “How can we do this event virtually? How can we create something that is utterly unlike what had been planned and executed flawlessly year over year?”

After all, there was no way to do what they had always done. It had to be radically different. The understandable grief many of her hardworking volunteers and staff felt about the loss of their beautiful gala needed to be felt and expressed but then – deep breath – they needed to soldier on.

They used a few principles to guide their planning. First, they agreed to go with simplicity. Next, they committed to it being deeply meaningful. And finally, they would invest in a few smart places to bring in some needed outside resources.

Let’s discuss simplicity first. They committed to doing a straight-up fundraising event. No live auction items. No auction items at all. It was to be a pure fundraiser and it was to be exclusively for faculty and staff and families needing financial aid. Deeply meaningful. Not transactional. Giving that would directly support the compelling mission of the school and its people.

They put an even finer point on it by setting event gift levels aligned with the school’s core values. From scholarship to growth, inclusion and balance, engagement, and humility. They took the six core values with which everyone in the community was familiar and set giving levels associated with those. And they were bold. They dared to have a $100,000 top level. Clear. Focused. Compassionate. And honestly, would anything less meaningful do anything but go “clang” right now?

Was it was a ton of work? Of course it was! To properly seed the event and ensure success, she led her major gifts task force to have those vital conversations with a few key leaders to secure commitments before the big night. This is the fundamental work we ought to be doing regardless of the format of our fundraising events. Always start with those who can help ensure a win. Just like with major gifts work or capital campaigns, and even our annual funds, we need to begin with the ones who can and will shape the campaign. It’s not democratic. It’s strategic.

Now to their investment. They sprang for a live auctioneer to run the fundraising. To ease their burden they used a third-party bidding site. They hired a graphic designer to build out the branding on all visual aspects of the event, so it was highly coordinated and attractive. And they created some heartwarming, funny, inspiring videos, produced by a professional. They rans these between each announced giving level. Since guests were all participating via a Zoom webinar, they needed content to fill the quiet moments of bidding and infuse the evening with life when the auctioneer wasn’t doing his thing. It kept an upbeat patter. Each video featured a different member of the community (the Head, trustees, teachers, parents, students) speaking about an aspect of the program they loved.

Then, her team practiced. They held several run-throughs to be sure they knew where the tricky spots would be and to minimize risk. They worked tirelessly to make sure everyone knew their roles and were comfortable with the technology. After all, if something is important – an event, an ask – we need to be rehearsed and ready, right? It is a fundamental of good development work. Too many times we try to fly blind and “hope for the best.”

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In the run-up to the big night, they also did a few classy, fun things like dropping off champagne and branded glasses at the homes of their lead supporters in gratitude for their early and generous commitments. The director took the time to call a few international families to ensure that the auctioneer would have the correct pronunciation of their names since the auctioneer did not know them and would be reading their names on the fly, in a pretty hectic moment. (I told you this was a cool place.)

So, how did they do? They raised more than $1.1 million, a full $300,000 more than their best-ever event, which was the retirement of a former head. 350 people were actively engaged in the event. There were spontaneous comments and tears and whoops of joy. And when it was over, 150 people joined a zoom after-party, just to dance around their living rooms. Oh! And they were all wearing their school spirit gear. Right?!

No rest for the weary, within 24 hours of the event, the team put a series of stewardship acts in play. A thank you video listing all their donors and underwriters lead the way. They are continuing to thank their community. More best practices.

Turns out, even in this extreme and bizarre moment, the basics still hold up. Stay true to the mission. Set high expectations for yourself. Do the hard pre-work of securing leadership gifts from the start. Practice. Sweat the small stuff in advance. Invest wisely on the extras we don’t have in-house that takes our work to the next level of professionalism and polish. Be bold. Be grateful. And go for it. Fortune favors the brave. 

We keep saying that there is no precedent to refer to right now. And that’s true. But there still are the things we know that work. And while this school and its creative leaders had to think in new ways, it strikes me that they essentially returned to their values: people. Maybe this is a model not just for the time of Covid but beyond.

What if this model gets our schools off the hamster wheel of producing elaborate, expensive, massively time consuming, and ultimately exclusive parties? Maybe we take this with us, into our new normal?

I’m sure this school is not the only one who has blown the doors off in the past month. Please share your story with me at barbara@barbarabarron.com.

barbara@barbarabarron.com

860-604-9081

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.

The post How One School Reimagined its Gala and Raised Over a Million Dollars appeared first on Barbara Barron.

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 no small task during what looks to be the biggest financial meltdown in our lifetime.

I have written extensively about the importance of proactively checking on our communities. I have written about thanking donors for their ongoing and essential support. I have recommended that we be prepared to ask for their help right now, more than ever. I have suggested that, at the very least, we prepare ourselves for the moment when they ask that beautiful question: “How can I help?” We must be prepared with an unequivocal answer. We must be prepared to boldly explain what we really, truly need. And we must be prepared to outline how, with their support, we will meet our financial requirements as an institution. We will survive. And we will thrive.

Many of my client schools have prepared themselves for this moment. If yours hasn’t – that’s okay. Utilizing the feedback we’ve received thus far, I’ve outlined a few prompts below to help you get this critical process started.

As we often do in independent schools, our task is to gather key voices from different perspectives. We must have the benefit of fully understanding the current situation and the pressing issues at play across a broad spectrum of experiences. We must not take a single thing for granted.

So we start with fundamental questions: “What are we actually raising money for during this crisis?” “What does our community need right now, in the midst of an existential moment?” 

I deeply believe that words matter. And that our choice of language can backfire on us if we’re not careful. I believe this question, if phrased incorrectly, can mistakenly showcase what we call a “scarcity mindset.” Which is exactly what it sounds like. We don’t want to sound like we’re in the weeds. Let’s see if we flip it. Ask the question from a place of abundance. Or as the wise Lynn Twist writes in “The Soul of Money, a “sufficiency mindset”: 

If we currently had a Special Purposes Fund that could serve our community and allow us to fully deliver on our school’s mission-specific needs right now, what would that look like?

For one school, it could look like additional financial aid dollars for that family who never needed tuition assistance before but do now. Support that will keep them in our community.

For another, it may be a community relief fund to help a member of the faculty or staff with things like rent or food because a partner has become ill or has lost a job.

Or perhaps a school will decide to expand the Head’s Discretion Fund, so that s/he can quietly lend a hand to a member of the community who is in dire straits.  

Whatever it might look like in your community, you must start by envisioning the ways the fund will make life better and brighter. Gloom and doom does not help anyone. Remember: you have a sufficiency mindset.

The next step to take is to begin to socialize your vision of this fund to the people you know who have been spared – thus far – the most devastating personal and/or economic damage.

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Do these people exist? Of course. The truth is that despite widespread hardship, there are still plenty of people and businesses that are doing fine. I’ve seen estimates of a sudden, unplanned stockpile of savings in some family’s bank accounts – the result of staying home, not dining out, shopping in malls, or going on vacation. Not for everyone, of course. These are now valuable resources in your community. It falls on you, dear reader, to find out where these resources are and then seek to put them to work, for the good of your organization and its people.

I think it’s critical to note here that this type of fundraising – at this sensitive moment – should not, generally, be a community-wide effort. It may become one, eventually. But, for now, this should be a laser-focused major gifts-type endeavor. It’s going to be a small group that you go to for this. Nothing like our wide-ranging, all-in Annual Fund, right? By not drawing a clear line between the two, we risk sounding abhorrently tone-deaf to the real and pressing fears and challenges facing so many of us. 

So, to reflect and summarize. Adopt a sufficiency mindset. Keep your sights set on those who can actually help right now. Ask them. As always, remain centered on the inherent power of your mission. You are the bringer of good news.

If you or someone on your team or Board starts to get cold feet or sweaty palms, don’t get frustrated. Expect this. Come prepared. Here are a couple of wonderful prompts I’m lifting from Brian Saber of “Asking Matters”. He and I were in an engaging town hall together this week and have been sharing our work since. He suggests you ask yourself (or be ready to ask someone else):

Was your mission relevant and important back in January?

Is your school going to be relevant and important to your students and families next year?

When the answer to both questions is, yes, consider this:

If we are not worthy of support today, how can we ensure that we are here to deliver on that mission next year?

Keep your vision big, and your effort targeted. The reward will be the most delicious and meaningful type of stewardship you get to deliver. You can, and will, have a lifesaving impact on the people in our communities we care for and count on. Our teachers. Our staff. Our families.

Wow! I am so in!

barbara@barbarabarron.com

860-604-9081

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.

The post What Are We Actually Raising Money for During This Crisis? appeared first on Barbara Barron.

by Barbara Barron | Posted April 23rd, 2020

This article is the first cousin to one I wrote a few weeks ago: “How Can We Think of Money in a Time Like This?”

I hope I made the case that not only can you raise money during the Covid-19 crisis, you really ought to.

I’ll start by telling you what you already know. Your donors care deeply about your organization. They want to see it survive. Even thrive.

Sure, not every donor is capable or comfortable with making new, larger, or additional gifts right now. But it is our job to ask them to support the fine schools we represent. Our duty.

So what of unpaid pledges? You likely have many on the books. Some are Annual Fund pledges made back in the fall. Some may be an installment payment on a larger campaign or major gift commitment. All were made in good faith, ideally fueled by the joy of supporting a worthy and inspiring place and/or an important initiative. Remember that part.

We have given our donors the option of telling us when the most convenient time will be for them to pay their pledge. Many choose the spring for any number of excellent reasons. (Including, “none of your dang business!”)

So, there they are. And, because they represent some real percentage of your total money raised, you need to try to collect them. But how to do so when everyone is so worried-scared-sensitive right now?

I’ve had multiple conversations with my client schools about this topic, this week. And I understand the concern. The last thing we want to do ever, and especially now, is to make anyone uncomfortable. We don’t want to put anyone on the spot and force them to reveal personal circumstances they are not ready to share. We don’t want to risk damaging our relationships with our donors. Or our families.

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But as I’ve written before, true relationships require honesty. And some degree of vulnerability. I’m talking about our vulnerability. I’m talking about our willingness to take a deep breath, and be real with someone.

Let’s reverse roles for a moment. Imagine you are the donor who made a very generous and joyful pledge to your school’s Annual Fund back in October. Believing, as you did, that your gift was going to be used wisely and well to support the beloved the teachers, enhance the program, and make it possible for students from a broad range of backgrounds to attend the school. Felt great!

Now it’s late April. And the world is on fire. Your children are still receiving an outstanding – albeit very different – kind of education, via remote learning. In fact, as you think about it, those beloved teachers are pretty much your heroes and heroines these days. (Pro Tip: if there ever was a time for the theme of The Year of the Teacher, 2020 is it!)

While other parts of your life may be messy, what you know in your heart is that your commitment to your child’s school is rock solid.

With that in mind, I say it’s time for us, as advancement professionals, to make the call. And I do suggest a phone call rather than taking the easy way out by sending yet another email. Call your donors. Ask how they are doing.  Tell them you are checking in about the beautiful pledge they made back in October. Thank them again. Tell how grateful the school is for their ongoing support. Maybe share a recent story of a teaching moment that exemplifies the level of dedication and talent of your teachers. Then ask how and when they plan to take care of that pledge. And then stop and listen.

For many, it will likely be a welcome reminder and they will arrange payment then or tell you when to expect it. Here’s another opportunity to thank them. For those who need more time, they’ll tell you! And you can offer to follow up again, later, if helpful. Thank them for their honesty.

A select few will confess they are not able to pay some or all the pledged amount. Perfectly understandable.

This is a moment where a deeper kind of relationship can be built. This very moment you fostered by picking up the phone today. And you, dear reader, are the person who gets to be with them in their embarrassment-fear-sadness, whatever it is. You can listen. You can remind them how grateful you are that they are part of the community. You will tell them you’ll hold a good thought for them during this difficult time. Whatever is the right thing to say, you will say it. And then you will thank them for telling you. This is your superpower.

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Even without this conversation, you were going to have to write off that pledge, come July. But now you know it’s not coming in, and can adjust your projections. You can inform the business office, so they can adjust theirs.

It’s always better to know, even if it hurts a little to know it.

And that donor? They will likely feel some sense of relief for having been open and honest with you. When things get better, that donor is far more likely to give again because the relationship has been strengthened by you. You were there in a time of crisis. You understood. You listened.

One more point. Do it now. Having these conversations in early June will be far, far harder. And way more awkward for everyone. Those are the moments when we as advancement professionals feel like bill collectors. And it’s arguably one of the things we like least about our jobs. So, don’t let that happen. Dive in now. Consider it the act of stewardship it is.

Good luck! And do share stories of successful conversations you have – regardless of the outcome. Emailing me is always the fastest way, but you can also reach out to me on Linkedin. Thank you for all you’re doing.

barbara@barbarabarron.com

860-604-9081

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.

The post Can We Collect Unpaid Pledges Right Now? appeared first on Barbara Barron.

by Barbara Barron | Posted April 6th, 2020

If ever there was a topic that seems nearly too hot to handle, it’s the notion of raising money right now. Is it unseemly? Inappropriate? Insensitive? Too soon?

Certainly the prevailing feeling (last week, anyway!) is that it is too early for schools to do anything other than batten down the hatches, reschedule or cancel events, and maybe, maybe, be in touch with members of your community. 

I’m not suggesting there is any lack of communication. Quite the opposite. If anything, communication in this moment might be at an all time high! If you doubt me, ask a teacher. I have two in my family who are snowed under with email, texts, and calls from parents and colleagues. They are spending untold hours in virtual meetings. 

As for me, I participated in no less than a dozen zoom meetings last week. One had 100 participants — all advancement and development professionals from schools around the San Francisco Bay area. 100. The need to connect, share, and learn how to do our jobs in a new kind of world is absolutely imperative right now.  

But I was surprised, particularly in that forum, how little conversation there was about fundraising. Everyone seems to be waiting for a signal. What signal, I don’t know. In uncharted times, we can’t expect to apply old methods. We must be guided by our best principals, our inner conviction. Our values.

I have a client school who embraced my suggestion of a community care campaign (see article). But what we quickly learned was that their Board was initially hesitant, even nervous, about calling this a “campaign”. Further, they weren’t really loving that the development office was coordinating the effort. What they feared was that their families would think it was fundraising. And they’d be offended.

Which brings me to the question that headlines this article. How Can We Think About Raising Money in a Time Like This?

To which I reply, “How Can We Not?”

Do me a favor. Close your eyes and think about a business in your community that you deeply value. They are closed now due to social distancing. How might you react if they reached out to you, a valued member of their community, asking for your help in this desperate and uncharted moment? Would you feel angry? I doubt it — after all, you want them to still be there when things return to normal, right? I believe you would understand that they, like everyone else in these strange and frightening times, are simply trying to survive.

Now ask yourself why that should be different for your school – arguably the heart and the soul of your community.

This aversion to talking about raising money reveals the false and negative perception that development and advancement offices exist only to ask for money. You and I know that what development and advancement departments and the professionals in them do is so much more than that.

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We build community. We secure resources (monetary and otherwise) so that our schools and the talented teachers within them can deliver the most fundamental and vital of our gifts: educating children. In a moment like this, I am reminded just how much work we still need to do to create true “cultures of philanthropy” in our organizations. (If it’s helpful, you can review the primer I wrote back in 2018.).

Okay. So now that we’ve come to terms with the feeling that securing financial assistance from our community isn’t wrong, but actually the right thing to do at this moment, let’s imagine what we could consider raising money for.

After all, we’re not suddenly raising money for a new swimming pool, right? I’m not suggesting that we conduct business as usual, friends! We must engage in the practice of listening to our community, first and foremost, and then react accordingly. The money must go where it is most needed. 

So what is needed? Far and away, the ideas I’m hearing across my client schools could all be listed under an umbrella called “Community Care”. There are lots of variations here, but you can guess as to what kind of work would be included. It might be funds for families already on financial aid but who now need more help. Or families who didn’t need financial aid until now. It could be raising money for teachers with partners now out of work so they are now down to one income. Maybe it’s a fund for the hourly staff at our schools, many of whom have been laid off. Perhaps it’s an expanded discretionary fund for our Head, so our leader can respond compassionately and confidentially to situations that only they know about.

Don’t all of those ideas sound reasonable to you? Don’t they sound downright necessary?

Some schools have already taken action. The Board of Trustees at one of my client schools has already established a fund for tuition assistance. Another has shifted its future fund-a-need to be financial aid for families.  

As a side note: I am seeing non-school, not-for-profits be far more assertive about raising money now. Why do you suppose that is? Perhaps we’re in a giving mood, all around. As we should be. We’re all hungry to feel like we’re helping in a wartime effort. But, I digress. 

If reading this article is making you nervous, I understand. If, at the end of this, you still believe that this moment calls for patience and making no asks of our community, I have sympathy.

But I want to put this bug in your ear. While this pandemic and the associated economic disaster is without true precedent, extraordinary moments of all kinds bring out the best in good advancement professionals. It’s like what we are called for. We need to lead with compassion and sensitivity, yes. But also, we need to lead with confidence. The organization you serve is worthy of support. You must believe that to your core and step forward from that place. Because here’s what I’m sure of: the people who care deeply for our organizations, who put us at the top of their philanthropic priority list — they want to help right now. They want our schools to survive this moment. Some, you may be inspired to learn, want our schools to thrive in this precarious moment.

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In closing, here is some guiding advice that I hope you find helpful as you do begin to raise money again:

• Get clear about what this effort is for. Balance clarity with flexibility.

• Be prepared for scrutiny. Take the time to sketch out your plan. Be sure your numbers back it up.

• Think of it as a mini case statement. Answer this: what will be supported and how? What will be prevented, improved, secured, or protected?

• Put a human face to it. Tie it to your mission.

• Keep this effort separate so you don’t cannibalize this or next year’s Annual Fund. Your operating budget’s health demands it.

• Ask key donors first. Keep it focused. Be sure they understand that anything they give to this special effort needs to be above and beyond their annual support. We will still ask them for their annual gifts. Forget about participation percentages right now.

• And last but not least, take care of yourself. As I said before, this situation requires a type of community-oriented confidence and leadership that you are uniquely positioned to provide. But you can’t do that if you aren’t taking care of your mind and body. 

No one knows how long this will last. So prepare yourself for the long haul. Don’t exhaust yourself so totally that you are susceptible to fatigue – or worse. 

We need you. Remember that.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter. My inbox is open. Stay well.

barbara@barbarabarron.com

860-604-9081

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.

The post How Can We Think About Raising Money in a Time Like This? appeared first on Barbara Barron.

by Barbara Barron | Posted March 18th, 2020

We’re only in the first few days of this shutdown and our “new normal”. Whether we are all back in school after April 7 is still a question. All my client schools have postponed or canceled their spring fundraising events and have suspended any annual giving activity. The few still engaged in capital campaigns have slowed down to rethink next steps. 

And yet, despite all this, there is still much we can do.

In fact – believe it or not – now is the exact right time to put into action some important and far-reaching work.

If you were to suggest to your peers that there is advancement or development work to be done right now, you would likely get the response of a raised eyebrow, at minimum. At most? Outright resistance or even hostility. And that’s fair. Right now we’re all in a state of panic. Many are trying to ensure their very survival. How could we think of asking for money right now? 

I would argue that this reaction is based on a fallacy. If you think of advancement and development as only asking for money – you’re right. But, as I’ve written here over and over, advancement and development are not only about asking for money. (And I could, and likely will, suggest at some point that at moments of great crisis, it is precisely the right time to ask very specific people – our most ardent and generous supporters, say – to help us weather the storm. More on that another time…) 

But for our purposes here, we need to resist the reductive thinking that development = asking for money. Doing so keeps us from doing the part of the work that is timeless, deeply valuable, and joyful. I’m talking, of course, about stewardship.

To help clarify what I mean, I want to share an idea that grew out of my article this month and was fleshed out in practice with one of my client schools yesterday. They have embraced it and are starting the work this week. We’re calling it, internally, a “community care campaign.” We are referring to it that way to ensure that we all stay crystal clear on our objective. This is not a fundraising activity. This is not a way to snoop into the private lives and the health of our families. The opposite! This is, at its heart, a way to create deeper connections within the school community.

We are going to systematically do a warm and friendly check-in on every family in our community the old-fashioned way. We’re going to call them on the phone. We’re putting the Board of Trustees to work.

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The DoD is rightly shepherding this project. She is creating assignments for each Board member. Maybe as many a dozen calls each. (It’s a small school. Their trustees are dedicated! ). We will provide a couple of guiding talking points so that trustees can confidently keep the conversation in the safe and friendly zone we want. Calls are to be made this week. Even if it means leaving a message, every family gets called. 

Trustees who learn something important will know the mechanism to confidentially share that information with the Head of School. And naturally, the Head will call the families where she knows there may be a particularly sensitive situation. Perhaps there’s a health challenge or an economic one. We’re bringing to the table what we already know about our families to ensure this is done right and builds connectivity, not disrupt it.

We also want to know what’s going well. What are families doing to ride out this crisis and keep their children feeling safe and cared for? How are parents managing distance learning? What are emerging as new or old favorite games? How are they staying physically active and healthy? Is there a new family recipe they are loving? What are the “new normal” routines and rituals emerging? We plan to capture these good ideas to share them with the community.

This morning, I read a harrowing but beautiful story from the Sunday Times about the earthquake in Alaska in 1964.  

Like in other, later catastrophes, the people of Alaska responded in ways not predicted by the government. No chaos, looting, or mayhem. Instead: spontaneous, human response. They simply got up and got busy, helping where each could.

I recognize that the moment we’re in right now is further challenged by our need to stay “socially distant”. We each need to find ways to be of help while we remain good citizens and not accidentally spread this virus further. But most of us, for now, are safe, have supplies, and live and work in a community that cares.  We have much to be grateful for. I know I sure do!

As we move further into this protracted moment, there will be other layers we add to my client’s community care campaign. The very nature of this crisis is uncharted. There are simply no protocols, no time-tested plans of action we can apply here. We will need to figure this out day by day. But we will. Together. And our school communities will be better for it.

If you’d like some help mapping out what are good, valuable action plans for your school, give me a call or shoot me an email and we’ll set up a call to brainstorm.

Meanwhile, stay well. And thanks for all you’re doing, remotely!

barbara@barbarabarron.com

860-604-9081

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.

The post How Can We Practice Stewardship During the Coronavirus Shutdown? appeared first on Barbara Barron.

by Barbara Barron | Posted March 4th, 2020

This week, due to the Coronavirus outbreak, my inbox is full of conversation threads about whether schools are thinking about canceling their spring galas. Or if travel to conferences and other major events ought to be rescheduled. Even when and if School Heads will decide to close the school and arrange to deliver lessons remotely.

Yours, too?

If this feels sudden, we may have been missing some of the signs along the way that would have helped us prepare a bit earlier. (What did we think “global economy” meant?) Regardless, moments like these cause us to stop and think about our “what ifs” and “contingency plans” like we haven’t really had to do before.

Prior to 1999, schools didn’t routinely conduct lockdowns and run shooter drills. Now, in 2020, we do.

So, while our schools’ leaders are wrestling with the critical questions of how to continue to educate our students and deliver the program, I am thinking, no surprise, of our donors. For most of us, these donors are also our current parents — so they’re in the thick of it with us.

For other schools, and certainly, in higher education, most of the key donors are alumni. They may be removed from the daily press of this moment back at their alma mater but are dealing with it nonetheless in their own lives, businesses, and communities. There’s a lot to think about beyond the virus circulating: the potential long-term impact on the economy, job security, everyone’s 401K…

So what is the role – if there is a role – for the advancement and development office in a moment like this?

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Some might question my question. If we look at our roles narrowly, meaning only the soliciting of gifts, well, sure. There’s little to no role. This is hardly a time to do a lot of asking right?

Or is it…? Supporting the school means, at the most basic level, securing its sustainable future. Making sure it exists and thrives for students today and tomorrow.

So I could make the argument that ongoing fundraising is still vital.

But for our discussion here, let’s take a view from 10,000 feet. If the role of advancement is the building and nurturing of relationships with people who care deeply about our mission; to be the connectors to families and individuals that kindle stronger, deeper loyalty, well, then the focus shifts. And the answer to my question changes.

It is often those of us in the front-line role of “fundraiser” who know our families well. Maybe best. If we are doing our jobs right, we are. We’ve taken the time to really get to know them as people, as families. We know what they care about at our schools and beyond. We are in touch regularly — and not just about the Annual Fund! We are having meaningful conversations about how our schools and their inspiring missions are integral to our families’ own values and lives. We know them. And they know it.

If this characterizes the nature of the relationships we share, then we are precisely the voice to be present when our schools are discussing communication messages and deciding on strategies that affect this important constituency. Our families.

However, if we’ve not taken the time to really get to know our supporters before an emergency hits, then we can’t truly be of service in moments like this one. It is virtually impossible to approach someone in a crisis if we only have a superficial relationship. There’s no real trust there. So we can’t engage with them or attempt to help them during a deeply personal moment. This is true of so many hard experiences: a serious illness, the death of a family member, a job loss, a natural disaster, the list goes on and on.

Think about the communities you feel most deeply a part of. Maybe it’s your neighborhood, church or synagogue, a social group, or place of work. Hopefully, it’s your family! When something bad happens to someone in that community, what do you naturally do? You reach out. You call. You show up at the door, maybe with a casserole, or a bottle of wine, or a hug. Whatever is called for.

The role of ally and commiserator is often one we as advancement professionals are particularly well suited for. But our sympathy and well wishes only ring as true if we’ve spent the energy intentionally creating a culture of connection and trust. Because – and this should go without saying, but I’ll just say it – our empathy only ever comes from a true, genuine place.

Examples of good and bad stewardship abound outside of our small school realm. Alaska Air and a few others are waiving change fees. That says, “We care and are trying to spare you any additional sting.” Candidates for public office are learning that they can’t show up in a community once or twice and expect to have any deep support. It’s only when they take the time to visit often, drink coffee at the local diner, and hear the concerns of business owners, teachers, and cops in the state that they get the opportunity to earn those votes.

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Same goes for us. We love to say that development is all about relationships. True. But we don’t really know how well we’ve actually cultivated our relationships until these moments of uncertainty and fear.

The time for the planning and budgeting of that kind of program was yesterday. But as my wonderful Benedictine client school says, “Always, we begin again.” A beautiful phrase to frame this approach.

Start today by thinking about who might need a check-in. Invite other administrators to a meeting to share intelligence about your families so you don’t miss someone who might be struggling. Share what you know with your colleagues so they can be sensitive and aware.

Be sure your stewardship plans are in place and operating in high gear. Have your donors heard from you lately about anything other than an ask or a pledge reminder? What about a report on something wonderful happening at school that their support has made possible?

What else can you do? Be visible and present at drop off, pick up, recess, and at school events, even the ones that are not yours. Show up at games. If you are the face someone knows best, if yours is the voice they’ve heard in good times and bad, you may be the very person to help at this moment. Beyond the affirmation you’ll feel as a contributor (important!), your school’s program will be strengthened because you are creating and fostering an advancement program with real stewardship at its heart.

What are you doing at your school to build community during moments of stress? Please share! And good luck in the coming days and months.

barbara@barbarabarron.com

860-604-9081

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.

The post Is There a Role for Advancement During a Crisis? appeared first on Barbara Barron.