Rod Miller presented on best practices for institutional advancement. He emphasized that success requires having a compelling mission, focusing on older and generous constituents, and securing commitment from aligned leaders. Miller also stressed the importance of having a strong strategy, measuring processes like follow up and asks, and focusing communications on shared values and listening.

1. Big Giving Results
Rod Miller
September 19, 2012
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2. INTEGRATED PLANNING
Advising nonprofits in: www.synthesispartnership.com
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• Planning (617) 969-1881
• Organizational Development info@synthesispartnership.com
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3. www.mission.do
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4. Today’s Speaker
Rod Miller
Founder
Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange
Assisting with chat questions: Hosting:
Jamie Maloney, Nonprofit Webinars Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership
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5. Big Giving Results
Rod Miller, Founder
Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange
www.ExecIAE.com

6. Essentials
• Case
• Constituents
• Commitment
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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7. Maximize Success
• Case – compelling mission
“why” is the motivator
• Constituents
– older, generous constituents
• Commitment of aligned leaders
– time, savvy, resources
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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8. Advancement Best Practices on LinkedIn
Why, when and how to plan and execute best practices for
institutional advancement - share insights, ideas and creative
ways to transform advancement efforts.
For board trustees, CEOs and leaders with vision and
commitment to best practices for growing revenue,
philanthropy and marketing impact.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3874810
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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9. What are Best Practices?
A best practice is a method, process, activity, incentive,
or reward that is believed to be more effective at
delivering a particular outcome than any other
technique, method, process, etc. when applied to a
particular condition or circumstance…
... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best practices
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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10. Example: Alignment
• “…50% of board make a significant gift
• Tell your story that stirs the emotions
• Keep donors by
- thanking properly and personally
- sharing the actual impact of gift
• Eyes on donor retention, so you know if you’re improving it…”
- Diane Remin
Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC
6
www.ExecIAE.com

11. Leadership…Leadership…Leadership
Who leads the function?
Fundraising/Development/Advancement
Board Chair
CEO/President
Leader of function
“It’s the cook(s) not the recipe.”
Lee Thayer & Bruce Peters
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

12. Lead by Thinking & Doing
Negate Execute
Magical thinking Imagine the possible
Doing things right Do the right things
Copying others Adapt the best
Flurried activity Follow through
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

13. Advancement Best Practices Steps
1. Assess values, case, needs, goals and resources.
2. Review advancement strategy, process and behavior on-site.
3. Benchmark internally.
4. Engage new, key stakeholders.
5. Select and empower right leaders.
6. Sign-onto ROI performance: outputs, process and behaviors.
7. Establish pertinent, high-speed follow-through.
8. Reference benchmarks of world’s best practice.
9. Review trajectory and reward improvement.
10. Reassess stakeholder engagement.
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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14. Diagnose First
• How “ready”?
• Who is pre-disposed to giving?
• What options to reach new
levels?
(in annual, major and planned giving)
• How best to ask?
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

15. What Approach?
Rule 1: Don’t be your own doctor!
Rule 2: Find a confidante
- Who is ready for a long haul of effort, and study hard together!
Rule 3: Celebrate the unexpected successes
- Improved performance often occurs in unexpected ways.
Strategy > Process > Behavior
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

16. 1. On Strategy
Dream Big –
Think Real
What possibilities
create long-term
value for "your"
community?
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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17. Strategy: University with Best Potential
for Alumni Support
Old, prestigious, private, high-fee institution
with medicine, engineering, business and law
degrees
Large with 100,000+ alumni living nearby
Metropolitan area with expanding wealthy
Investing in personal relations
Alumni as philanthropists and CEOs
CEO/President who sincerely seeks out people.
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

18. Strategy: Keep Focus
1. Older, generous constituents
2. CEO/Chair engaging trustees and
peers
3. Community-relevant mission
4. Ongoing campaigns
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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19. Strategy: Case for Decision
How would you handle this?
. Wealthy doctor-researcher about to retire
. Active mentor for medical students
. Occasional 5-figure gifts in community
. Wants to sustain research effort
. Requests office/lab space
. Opposed by most senior management
The institution’s President asks your perspective?
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

20. 2. On Process
Measure the cost, quality, and time spent on
1. Growth - ID stakeholders > case > matching > cultivation > ask
2. Follow-up after the “ask”
3. Integrated services - cross-institution initiatives
4. Stakeholder stewardship
5. Other core areas?
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

21. Process: Differentials
Some key differentials that matter:
• Follow-through
• Quality and quantity of “asks”
• Continuous identification of "A-C-E"
Access = Open door
Capacity = Resources & Philanthropy
Emotional Connection = Match to mission
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

22. Process: It’s the List
To Compile the “A” list, three sources initially:
1. High net worth, philanthropic individuals who care about
your mission (and are well-networked)
board trustees / lead donors & peers
2. Community leaders who will help you meet with “1”
3. Laser focused prospect research that identifies “1”
“Mine your list for your ‘lost’ former supporters. White Pages can help if you don’t
have access to more expensive search tools…” Susan D. Ball
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

23. Process: Program Matrix
MATRIX OF SOURCES, Visits to prospect, + “Ask” ($Amt), Date, Who
Name of Program:
Person Responsible: Year:
Organization/ Income by end Asks by end of Engagements
Individual of quarter quarter Visit, $, date, who
(+ by year’s end) $, date, who 1 2 3
DONORS AT
PROGRAM LEVEL
DONORS FOR
UPGRADE
(by DATE)
PROSPECTS
New
Past year donors
Last year donors
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

24. 3. On Communication Behaviors
What’s most valued by stakeholders?
“Speed and pertinence”
• Shared values
• Conversations on big challenges
• Interactive – focus on listening
Close gaps between stakeholder expectations and the quality of service.
Analyze and compare to performance of competitors.
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
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www.ExecIAE.com

25. Summary
• Share your story of value
• Recruit and coach leaders (especially Chair/CEO)
• Build a generous board
• Mine giving records
• Sustain conversations and thanks
• Make “asks” happen.
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
www.ExecIAE.com
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26. Suggested Resources
Rod Miller, “Beyond Benchmarking Institutional Advancement” in Excellence in Communicating
Organizational Strategy, Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2001 (sample@ GOOGLE)
……………... Best Practices for Fundraising, The CEO Hour, WSRadio.com, 3 interview segments
http://tunein.com/program/?SegmentId=35465519&ProgramId=268692
……………... Major Gift Strategies that Work
http://www.slideshare.net/NonprofitWebinars/major-gift-strategies-that-work-7616568
……………... Why When and How the Big Gift Campaigns Work
http://www.slideshare.net/NonprofitWebinars/why-when-and-how-the-big-gift-campaigns-work-
7285907
……………... Best Practices to Advance Planned Giving
http://www.slideshare.net/NonprofitWebinars/best-practices-to-advance-planned-giving-13756501
……………... Advancement Best Practices that Work
http://www.slideshare.net/NonprofitWebinars/advancement-best-practices
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2012
www.ExecIAE.com
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