Discover the Advancement Core Values that align all certified professionals.
The Advancement Core Values guide us in honoring our responsibilities to our schools; to our constituencies, both current and future; and to the students and families we serve. These values form a standard of professionalism for all of us who work in school advancement offices.
The Advancement Core Values are designed to serve as both an inspiration and a guide to support and reinforce the very best that we can offer our schools in the service of all our constituents.
- We believe deeply in the mission of our school and are compelled to action. Schools exist to serve students, and the school’s mission must embody this commitment. Advancement professionals must be unwavering in support of this commitment. We demonstrate this through our communications, acceptance of only mission-appropriate students and families, and acceptance of gifts that serve our school’s mission.
- We act in an ethical and legal manner. We place mission above personal gain, inspire others with our own sense of dedication, and subscribe to professional standards. Compensation is a fixed salary based on tasks we are required to do, not on the number of students admitted or the amount of money raised. We understand that our relationships are founded on trust—each one of our constituents can trust our words and deeds. Toward this end, we ensure data privacy and confidentiality, safeguarding and honoring the privacy of all constituents. We also subscribe to the Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice, and Donor Bill of Rights developed by AAFRC, AHP, CASE, and AFP.
- Our Advancement Team creates, nurtures, and measures relationships with our school’s diverse constituents. A school’s tradition of excellence is best illuminated by our constituents’ day-to-day and ongoing experiences of the school. We are committed to crafting a truthful and compelling message that articulates the promise of our school’s mission and persistently validates its delivery. We develop opportunities for our constituents to contribute their time, talent, and resources. We collect both quantitative and qualitative data that enables us to improve our practice and foster a lasting bond between our constituents and the mission, culture, and values of the school.
- Our Advancement Team delivers results. We hold ourselves accountable for success. We meet or exceed the expectations of our constituents, and we meet or exceed both our enrollment and philanthropic goals.
- We have a comprehensive advancement system in place, governing all admission and enrollment management, marketing communications, and development efforts. Starting from our own Advancement Team mission, we seek to develop a systematic and integrated approach to all advancement functions. We recognize the leadership of the School Head and Board of Trustees, and align our work with our school's strategic plan and strategic financial plan.In collaboration with the Head, we create clearly developed objectives, measures, and timelines for implementation—and coordinate with each other to ensure a cohesive approach. We seek data-informed solutions based on accurate, retrievable data. This provides the basis for assessing, improving, and implementing our plans.
- Our Advancement Team advocates for individual and team professional growth and renewal plans. We are committed to career-long learning. Professional development focuses directly on the needs and challenges that affect performance—and taps into the technical and leadership strengths we possess and share with our colleagues. Remaining current in the latest advancement research and practices (processes and behaviors) through reading, seminars, and workshops is a regular and frequent activity. We develop and maintain a network of fellow professionals with whom we share and exchange ideas and perspectives.
Learn More
To learn more about how our Certification Services can serve your school, email our IACP Manager or call 302-656-4944.