Veteran fund-raising consultant, Jerry F. Smith, shares the fundamental elements of fund-raising learned from 10,000 days on the job. Profound in their simplicity, you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of these yourself.

What’s In / What’s Out: Current Trends in Fund-raising

The basic principles of fund-raising are the same year-in and year-out, but the tools, strategies and buzz words of our profession are constantly changing. This seminar focuses on what is “IN” and what we believe is “OUT” as it relates to raising money in today’s competitive environment.

SuCCCess is Spelled with 3-C’s: Contact, Cultivate and Close

Learn to maximize your fund-raising efforts with these three simple steps. Find out successful ways to find and contact potential donors; cultivate their interest in your school; and close a prospect, making him or her a donor.

How to Cultivate Your Alumni into Potential Donors

Learn ways to build relationships with your alumni through a well organized Alumni Association as well as the Annual Fund Appeal that can lead to long-term commitments and major gifts.

We Know Our Constituency, Why Do We Need a Feasibility Study?

There are no shortcuts in fund-raising and a non-profit organization can not afford to fail. Feasibility studies are vital to the success of any major gift or capital campaign. This presentation will discuss the importance of a feasibility study and how it benefits an organization not only as they embark on a campaign but as a way to find out how the constituency feels about the performance of the organization in general.

The Phoenix Rising Out of Disaster: Online Giving

Since the Sunami Relief effort and post-Katrina, online giving has emerged as a viable source of gifts. This seminar will focus on trends in this new and exciting fund-raising tool. We will discuss when online giving is appropriate and how to use it effectively in your development efforts.

Cultivating and Sustaining an Annual Fund in Your Christian School

Learn the steps to planning, implementing and sustaining an annual fund program in your Christian school. Practical, pithy advice based on the J.F. Smith Group’s 15-year track record. It doesn’t get any easier than this. (This topic is specifically for Christian Schools.)

The Christian School Board's Role in Fund-raising

Board members of a Christian school must take a leadership role in a school's fund-raising efforts. This presentation discusses the rational for that leadership role, the reasons why board-led development efforts are successful, and the role of the board in the annual fund and capital campaign programs.

2007 / 2008 Presentation Topics