ONLINE BOOTCAMP
Advanced Gift Officers: Enhancing Your Donor and Portfolio Strategy
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Sophisticated donor strategies are the foundation of successful and ambitious fundraising. Join us to sharpen your skillset as a seasoned gift officer and increase giving at your institution.
Overview
In today’s fast-changing world of advancement, gift officers with several years of experience face a set of unique challenges related to leveling up their donor and portfolio strategies, creating a long-term vision for their major gift efforts, and assuming more of a leadership role on their team.
Join us for this highly interactive and engaging six-week learning experience to elevate your skills as an advanced gift officer and learn how to think more strategically about your work. Our expert speakers will cover:
- Current and emerging trends and how you can use them to your advantage in your work.
- Best practices for advancing your portfolio by upgrading current donors in a thoughtful manner.
- Innovative strategies for planning, negotiating, and stewarding large, complex, and blended gifts.
- Storytelling: crafting the narrative around major gifts to enhance communications to donors and your leadership team.
- Considerations for managing portfolio health at the institutional level.
Over the course of the bootcamp, you will engage in a series of activities and peer-to-peer conversations to help you build a stronger understanding of campus resources. This training will help you develop strategies, build deeper insights into the necessity of collaboration, and promote a greater willingness to chart donor strategies on paper.
A Highly Personalized Experience
Your registration includes two one-hour sessions in which you’ll be able to ask our expert facilitators your burning questions and get feedback on your strategies. The two sessions are themed around the following:
- Five-Meeting Model with Kathy Drucquer Duff
- Complex Gifts with Zack Smith
To preserve the intimate and interactive nature of this training, the bootcamp is limited to 35 participants. Register early to reserve your spot!
What You Will Get
This bootcamp experience includes the following:
- Six live 90-minute learning sessions weekly— facilitated by our experts—to help you understand where you are in your growth and give you key strategies to implement.
- Between meetings, you will connect with colleagues at your institution on the topic of each module and complete assignments to practice and prepare for the next session.
Who Should Attend
This bootcamp is designed for major gift officers, planned giving officers, and other advancement staff with five or more years tenure within the field. Anyone looking to continue developing their major gift solicitation skills and learn new and innovative donor strategies will benefit from this program.
Follow Through With Success Coaching
Have you ever gone to a training only to find that you came back with great ideas but don’t have the time, support, or skills needed to make the changes?
Academic Impressions has produced thousands of trainings and we have learned that utilizing a coach after attending a bootcamp helps provide accountability and bridges the training with the on-the-ground work of getting the job done.
As a result, we are now offering success coaching on select bootcamp.
- Purchase this training + 3 one hour follow up success coaching calls
- Work with an assigned coach who has extensive experience in higher ed.
- Get individualized support to help you follow through on what you’ve learned.
- Workshop your plans, run your ideas by someone and get additional help/practice.
To get success coaching, purchase the Bootcamp + Success Coaching product below.
Learn More About Success Coaching
Hear About the Bootcamp Experience
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The Academic Impressions Bootcamp Experience: Dr. Jeffrey Malanson
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Dr. Jeffrey Malanson: The way the experience was structured, it provided a tremendous amount of flexibility to self-pace a lot of the material in a way that made the most sense for your schedule. But then you had the weekly structure of the Thursday and Friday face-to-face, in-person sessions, which were much better and more effective than I was expecting given everyone’s Zoom fatigue these days.
I generally think of myself as being a pretty reflective person, a self-reflective person, but was really impressed with the degree to which some of the activities we did made me confirm things I’d already thought about myself. But a lot of the activities really opened my eyes to the strategies I use in crisis situations and the way I communicate with other people, and the way maybe I need to do a better job of communicating with other people. A better understanding of the different buttons leaders can push to get better results out of their teams and to get better buy-in from the people that are working with.
One of the hard parts about a conference is you want to pack as much learning and as much experience as you can into the time you’re there. So by halfway through the second day or after lunch or whatever, you’re feeling pretty tired, maybe not as engaged with the material. So the online workshop really allowed you to engage with material on a timeline when you were prepared to do that when you’re prepared to learn the most, and really engage in, and then, you can ramp up for those weekly sessions each week and make sure you were fully prepared.
One of the nice parts is that the way they structured our bootcamp is that whenever we did little breakout sessions, they tended to put us with the same smaller group of people. So you had an opportunity, even if it was just in 10 or 15 minutes increments, to start building a longer-term relationship and to learn more from each other, rather than needing to essentially do new icebreaker events or get to know each other for the first time each week. You really got to build some relationships over time, which was really nice.
The focus on leadership philosophy that came from the bootcamp has really been eye-opening in terms of really thinking carefully about each experience I pursue, each opportunity I pursue, each interaction I have, “How is this confirming who I am, or how is this deviating from who I want to be? How is this getting me to that next step in my career?”
The two pieces of advice are one, make sure you really have the time to engage with the material each week. Then two would be to make sure you come to the participatory sessions ready, able, and willing to engage. It’s not the kind of experience where you can passively sit back and just absorb what others are saying and really fully benefit from it. You need to be willing to do the work, engage with the material, talk to your peers because that’s when you will fully be able to benefit from the experience.
The Academic Impressions Bootcamp Experience: Dr. Marilyn Odom
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Dr. Marilyn Odom: Well, I have been department chair for a little over four years, and with many academicians, we move into these leadership positions without having any formal training in leadership, so I try to seek out opportunities where I can. I had attended a conference by AI and I was really impressed with it. So when I saw this opportunity, I thought it would a good experience for me. I approached my Dean, he said yes and we did it.
I thought it was probably one of the best experiences of my academic career. I’d learned so much, I reflected a lot, I pulled things out that I had not thought about in a while. I had not really thought about my leadership philosophy in eons. It gave me an opportunity to think about that, reflect on it, to really pull out my core values.
Now I have my new leadership philosophy printed out and it stays right here in front of me, between my two monitors and at my keyboard, and I look at it. Especially when I’m about to have a meeting with my faculty, I will look at it and I will read it and I will remind myself what my philosophy is, and remind myself to stick to that philosophy. Whether that means I’m about to have a good conversation where I’m going to build them up even more, more, more, or if it’s going to be a not so good conversation where I have to hold them accountable. But I have that, and that is probably the most significant impact that I took away from the bootcamp.
Other than the leadership philosophy, one thing that I know that I probably had not been as attentive to is really telling my faculty how great they are. Because I chair a department, and I probably had not just applauded them enough. I did do some, I will not say that I did not do any, but to recognize that.
Just do it. Go in open-minded. Be prepared to work, be prepared to think, be prepared to reflect, but just do it. I told my Dean that this money was well worth it, it was a good investment.
“This was a wonderful, innovative experience. Great ideas and resources were shared by participants and presenters. High energy and an overall wonderful learning experience.”
– Marisol Marrero
Executive Director of StudentLink Centers, New York University
“I was so impressed with Academic Impressions that I cannot wait to recommend these trainings to colleagues and bring Academic Impressions to my institution!”
– Kristin Miller
Director of Advancement, College of Visual and Performing Arts, NIU Foundation
“The variety of expertise allowed me to bring skills back to my shop and overall improve our tool-kits.”
– Garrett Aanestad
Chapman Fund Manager, Chapman University
OUTLINE
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Module 1: Current Fundraising Trends
November 3, 2021 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
In this session, we will use our “new normal” digital environment to give you the latest information on:
- Donor-advised funds
- Women as philanthropic decision makers
- Interdisciplinary gifts
- Transformational gifts
- Looking at the current landscape face to face and virtual, as well as navigating consistent changes and perceptions
Module 2: The Five-Meeting Model
November 10, 2021 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Here, we will walk you through using the five-meeting model to fast track your ask and you will have the opportunity to apply it to a specific donor relationship. During this session, we will break down:
- Qualification
- Making the match with your donor
- Confirming that match
- Doing a test ask
- Making the hard ask over the course of five meetings
After this module, you will be able to meet with Kathy Drucquer Duff for an optional follow-up group session. In this time, you’ll be able to ask questions about the Five-Meeting Model with the founder of this approach.
Module 3: Donor Upgrades
November 17, 2021 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
As you become a more seasoned gift officer, the strategy for current donors making second gifts and increasing their giving level becomes increasingly important. We will discuss considerations for advancing your portfolio and will practice ways to move these conversations forward, including:
- Approaching your work from an interdisciplinary lens
- How to look for these types of donors and gifts
- Listening for key indicators
- Identifying what makes these gifts different
- Creating buy-in across the academic landscape
- Continuing the conversation remotely when it was started in-person
Module 4: Complex Gifts and Gift Planning
December 1, 2021 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
As you progress as a gift officer, it is important that you position yourself as the donor’s philanthropic advisor. The asks become more complex and must be framed in a way that inspires your donor and allows them to see how they can contribute and think long-term. We will discuss:
- Comfort around large asks and the potential of those being virtual asks
- Negotiating and stewarding large and complex gifts
- Innovative strategies for complex gifts and gift planning
- Blending various gift vehicles to achieve a net increase in philanthropy
- Navigating conversations when the stock market is facing challenges
After this module, you will be able to meet with Zack Smith for an optional follow-up group session. During this time, you will have an opportunity to ask your burning questions about complex gifts and your strategic approach.
Module 5: The Art of Storytelling for Donor Impact
December 8, 2021 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Donors are looking for more real-time opportunities to see the impact of their gifts. In this session, we will show you how to share incremental updates for campus and faculty partners in order to create transparency and engagement. We will also explore telling stories that require specific research or subject matter expertise and how gift officers can be more effective by sharing complex stories.
Module 6: Putting Your Learning to Action
December 15, 2021 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
This lab environment will anchor core principles learned throughout the bootcamp, while also providing a platform to explore any additional topics or questions that participants would like to discuss, tailored to participants’ unique needs. Please come with questions and scenarios to role play as a group.
INSTRUCTORS
Kathy Drucquer Duff, CFRE
Coach, Consultant, and Optimizer, KDD Philanthropy
Kathy is an executive advancement officer with over 26 years of experience helping non-profits and institutions transform the way they practice philanthropy. Kathy provides this expertise from her experience in higher education and healthcare, where she developed fundraising plans that have secured gifts of up to nine figures.
Zack Smith
Executive Director of Development, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego
Zachary leads the efforts of the external relations staff at the Jacobs School which includes major and principal gifts, donor relations, stewardship, and events. He works directly with the Dean of the School to provide strategic direction for a comprehensive major and principal gifts program as the University completes the next comprehensive campaign.
PRICING
ACADEMIC IMPRESSIONS MEMBERS
Online Bootcamp Only
$3,095 $2,745
through Oct. 20, 2021
Get access to THIS online bootcamp only.
REGISTER
Online Bootcamp +
Success Coaching
$3,895 $3,545
through Oct. 20, 2021
Get access to THIS online bootcamp + success coaching.
NON-MEMBERS
Online Bootcamp Only
$3,095 $2,995
through Oct. 20, 2021
Get access to THIS online bootcamp only.
REGISTER
Online Bootcamp +
Success Coaching
$3,895 $3,795
through Oct. 20, 2021
Get access to THIS online bootcamp + success coaching.
Become a Member
Get $250 off this bootcamp + 100s of FREE trainings with membership!
PRICING
ACADEMIC IMPRESSIONS MEMBERS
$1,295 $0
NON-MEMBERS
$1,295 $1,195
through March 16, 2021
Get access to THIS online bootcamp.
Become a Member
Get this + 100s more FREE with membership!
LEARN MORE
Interested in supplementing your experience with success coaching?
You will have the option to add 3 one-hour success coaching sessions during registration.
Can’t attend the conference? Buy the binder.
Questions About the Event?
Britt Iwaszkiw
Learning & Development Manager,
Academic Impressions
*All-inclusive members receive $250 off of bootcamp registrations (in addition to the early bird discount if applicable). Academic Affairs, Advancement/Alumni Relations, Business Office, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and Leadership members will continue to receive $100 off conference registrations. Upgrade your membership to qualify for a higher discount. Please note this discount is not applicable on pre- or post-conference workshops or conference binders.