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 Are the Dangers of Having an Angel Donor?
by Barbara Barron | Posted on February 12th, 2020 Are there downsides to having a donor (or two or three) who effectively secures our entire Annual Fund campaign each year? Or who provides most of our capital campaign (or major gifts program) giving? Does posing this question make me sound insane? I mean, why would we not want to have …
What Should We Do When We Make a Donor Angry?
by Barbara Barron | Posted September 6th, 2019 Imagine what goes on in the mind of a donor when he decides to make a big gift to your school… Something got him amped up – maybe attending an event or reading about a recent accomplishment. Sometimes we know the moment that ignited this generous impulse because we ourselves created it. …
How Can We Train Volunteers To Be Superstars For Our Campaigns?
by Barbara Barron | Posted April 10th, 2019 I’m a big believer in training. And practice. I’ve written before about the importance of practicing how to ask for support. How we need to strike the right balance between being sharp and focused in our approach, but also relaxed and confident. And how that balance is best achieved by doing it, …
How Do We Become Schools That Truly Value Teachers?
by Barbara Barron | Posted March 13th, 2019 With huge gratitude to the brilliant mind of Gordon MacKenzie and re-reading his astonishingly smart and creative book “Orbiting the Giant Hairball”, I’ve been moved to write about our typical organizational charts and how we might think about them in a very different, and perhaps better, way. Most schools operate within a …
How Can We Get Better at Asking Parents for Gifts?
by Barbara Barron | Posted September 12th, 2018 Let me start this by asking you a question: how many big asks have you made today? “Well, Barbara, I asked my favorite barista Chloe for a little less foam on my latte, and then I asked Jason to re-send that e-mail he sent yesterday because it didn’t show up…” I’m being …
How Can We Cultivate a Strong Relationship With Our Head of School?
by Barbara Barron | Posted April 11th, 2018 Got a little war story for you. A few years ago, my Head of School and I were at a solicitation breakfast with a very involved couple from our school. We’ll call them Alison and Greg. The couple’s two children attended our school. This prominent family made leadership Annual Fund gifts each …