Why this is important.
The development committee provides critical philanthropic leadership to ensure institutional advancement programs are prudently managed.
Committee members frequently establish and review fundraising policies, and participate in setting, approving, and monitoring progress of advancement goals. AGB empowers members of the development committee to create a committee that is fully engaged, fully informed, and fully supportive of their institution’s advancement program.
Source: The Development Committee by Peyton R. Helm, AGB 2012
Questions for boards.
These are key questions for your board to consider:
Fundamentals
Consequential Questions:
- Is our committee’s work aligned with our institution’s strategic vision, goals, and priorities?
- Does our committee translate our charges into annual goals and work plans that align with the board’s governance responsibilities and our institution’s strategic plan?
- When did our committee last update our gift acceptance and accounting policies?
- What are our sources of institutional philanthropic support and their relative importance? How much should reasonably be expected each year from annual giving, major gifts, planned gifts, foundation grants, corporate support, and government support?
Source:
Discussions
Consequential Questions:
- Is our committee aware of the impact of issues brought before other board committees that deal with advancement-related issues?
- When did our committee last conduct a feasibility study?
- Are our committee meeting agendas concise and developed with clearly stated desired meeting outcomes?
- Is our development program actively seeking out new sources of support, regularly identifying and qualifying new prospects, and reassessing past donors for future solicitations?
Source:
Relationships
Consequential Questions:
- Does our current staffing structure and budget support the key enterprises of a fully developed advancement program (annual giving, capital/ major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, alumni relations, development services, public relations, etc.)?
- In what ways do our committee members participate directly in our institution’s fundraising efforts? How can we deepen committee member engagement?
Source:
Recommended resources.
We carefully curated these staff-picked resources for you:
The Development Committee
2012
Peyton R. Helm, AGB
Fundraising Campaigns in Higher Education, Part I
Podcast
John Lippincott
