Whether you are part of a large development team, a “one-person show,” or a School Head working without a dedicated development director, your ability to efficiently manage data, process gifts, support volunteers, and direct the cultivation and solicitation of major gift prospects has a profound difference to your bottom line.

Join ISM’s expert development team — ISM Consultants Michael Christopher and Phil Higginson, and ISM Adjunct Consultant Herb Soles — as they discuss administrative and operational approaches to set you and your Board up for fundraising success.

Managing staff is challenging — it requires determination and effective communication to address poor performance, resolve conflicts, and lead a team effectively. All too often, leaders confuse performance and evaluation conversations for coaching, because they prioritize immediate problems rather than long-term development. Coaching, however, encourages team members to reflect and improve on their goals — and can even lead to a futurist mindset of innovation.

Development plays a crucial role in your school's success and long-term strategic growth. An accountable Development Office must evaluate how well its operations reflect best practices and whether its objectives are achieved. Join ISM’s expert development team — ISM Consultants Michael Christopher and Phil Higginson, and ISM Adjunct Consultant Herb Soles — as they present an overview of the various aspects of successful development operations.

Among the primary responsibilities of a school’s marketing communications team is helping strategize, guide, and implement plans that drive enrollment and development success. Whether promoting an annual giving campaign or generating parent interest in an open house, the marketing communications team is most effective when it is perfectly aligned with the enrollment and development teams.

Collaboration between your Board, your School Head, and your Advancement Team (Marketing Communication Professionals, Development Directors, Admission Directors, and Enrollment Managers) is essential to achieve your enrollment and fundraising goals successfully.

As you look ahead to the 2024–25 school year, how can you think strategically about this collective approach?

As the school year winds down, the summer months present a unique opportunity for Development Directors to invest in their professional growth and craft robust and strategic plans for the upcoming academic year. Join us for an insightful webinar as we delve into why summer is the perfect season for honing skills, exploring new strategies, and laying the groundwork for success.

This webinar offers valuable insights and strategies for both seasoned and new Development Directors to maximize summer months for professional growth and school success in the coming year.

Giving days are an essential tool in annual giving programs. Traditionally, this is a time when you encourage the entire community to participate by making transactional gifts.

But could you develop an annual giving strategy that focuses on leadership donors and culminates in a tremendously successful giving day?

In this webinar, ISM Consultant Phil Higginson, IAP-L, will discuss how to encourage leadership donors to make their pledges early in your campaign and leverage their gifts through your giving day.

Annual Giving is the foundational program from which all other development efforts grow and flourish. Creating a sequential, assignable, and measurable plan for your annual giving campaign is essential for success.

In this webinar, ISM Consultant Michael Christopher, IAP-L, will walk through the 15-month process of planning your annual giving campaign from beginning to end.

Are you in your first year as an Advancement Director and are feeling overwhelmed? Or, perhaps you’re transitioning to an Advancement Director role this fall and wondering how you can best prepare, especially if you're a one-person or small advancement shop. This webinar is for you!