More details about the timing of the days can be found by clicking Learn More and Register, but session descriptions of the two days are below:   

The Complexity and Promise of Transformational Gifts
In this interactive opening session, you’ll identify your biggest obstacles when it comes to transformational gift work. Guided by our expert speakers, we’ll discuss how these challenges relate to trends and emerging philanthropic realities in higher education.

The Transformational Donor Cycle: Understanding and Unlocking “Institution Advancing” Opportunities
Cultivating, soliciting, securing, and stewarding a transformational gift requires a deep understanding of the transformational donor cycle. Using current trends to inform and guide our conversation, we’ll focus on essential aspects to prepare you for success. From knowing how to identify a transformational donor and align donor interests with institutional priorities, to navigating stewardship after the gift is made, you’ll learn the anatomy of a transformational gift and the strategies associated throughout the process.

Building and Aligning the Vision
Aligning the values of your institution with the donor’s passions and abilities leads to transformative opportunities. However, building and aligning this vision is a complex and highly personalized process from beginning to end. Learn how to achieve this strategic alignment by focusing on institutional ambition, donor interest, and the ability to deliver on your promise.

Top-Tier Cultivation and Solicitation
Creating a clear path for your donor requires ownership of a priority within your institution and a demonstration of the challenge the gift will be able to solve. By working through this process—one that leads to top-tier cultivation and solicitation—your institution will reap rewards for years to come. Learn what this looks like by understanding engagement tiers and how they can apply to the prospects in your network.

Donor Relations for Top-Tier Donors
High-level stewardship is required for high-level donors. In this session, you’ll learn what the most effective style of stewardship looks like for transformational donors and consider ways to strengthen your partnership with donor relations colleagues. By understanding how critical next-level donor relations are for securing transformational gifts, you’ll prepare your team for the cultivation of the next gift that advances the vision and mission of your institution.

Developing the Gift and Proposal Agreement
Developing a proposal for a transformational gift takes craft, precision, and significant attention to detail to demonstrate the future return on investment. You’ll learn the detailed expectations of transformational donors, as well as the critical components of what a successful proposal looks like. Building on this, you’ll also review the legal and practical considerations for developing and executing a gift agreement.

Action-Plan Sharing
The closing session of the workshop will give you time to develop an action plan based on what you’ve learned and how you can more effectively engage with transformational donors into the future. You’ll be able to strategize with other attendees and ask questions of the speaker panel to help round out your next steps from this workshop.