Graham-Pelton

The fundraising consulting firm chosen by leading nonprofits worldwide

Many girls' schools in the UK are finding that fees alone no longer cover everything they want to offer their students. As schools turn to philanthropy to close the gap, working with donors has become a core part of the Head's role. For girls' schools, that work comes with a particular opportunity. Research from the Women's Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University finds that women are more likely to give, and to give more, to causes that serve women and girls. On 6 November at the ICGS Educating Girls Symposium in London, our Managing Principal Laura McGarry and Senior Vice President Jane Narich will join Martha Perry, Principal of St. Clement’s School in Toronto, for a session open only to Headteachers: "Philanthropy Strategies in Girls' Schools: A Leadership Conversation." They'll cover: - Building a culture of giving that fits your school's values and community - What motivates donors to give to girls' schools - The Head's role in major gifts and long-term stewardship - Moving from transactional fundraising to strategic philanthropy - Common pitfalls, and what campaigns in other countries show about avoiding them Laura has guided fundraising and campaign work at more than a dozen girls' schools during her time at Graham-Pelton and has worked in development at independent schools herself. Jane led a US$60 million campaign in 18 months at Chinese International School in Hong Kong and has built development offices for schools across Europe. Martha, a St. Clement’s alum, has been Principal there since 2010, after senior academic roles at Pickering College and Trinity College School. If you're a Head attending ICGS London, we'd be glad to see you there. International Coalition of Girls' Schools St. Clement's School #GirlsSchools #WomensPhilanthropy #Philanthropy #IndependentSchools

Nobody prepares you for losing a colleague who changed everything. Bob Van Wicklin's last conversation with his president Dennis was routine — a to-do list, a plan to pick it back up after the holidays. Three months later, Dennis was gone. What Bob shared wasn't a story about loss, exactly. It was a story about what endures. "That place was never the same for me after Dennis died. I just missed him." And then, later: "Some days, I do wonder why in the world I do this. And then I think of Dennis, and I remember." Fundraising is a profession built on belief: belief in a mission, belief in people, belief that the relationships we build matter beyond the campaign, beyond the gift, beyond the job title. The people who stay in this work for decades aren't just motivated by the mission on paper. They're motivated by the humans they've met along the way. The ones who showed up. The ones who said let's go for it, together. Who is your Dennis? -- #humansoffundraising #philanthropy #nonprofitleadership

Every sector has its version of a steep hill and fundraising is no exception. Donor trust is fragile and the pressure to perform has never been higher. Rabbi David Hoffman has navigated steep hills before — personally, professionally, communally. And his advice isn't to power through with blind optimism. It's more honest than that: keep your eyes locked on what is in front of you. It might not feel good in the moment, but what's waiting on the other side of the hill is always worth it. He's not pretending the climb is easy. He's just not looking up at it. #humansoffundraising #fundraising #nonprofitleadership

Dr. John Petillo knew because he was there, in the dining hall. More than that, he was present in a way that most people in his position simply aren't. And what he saw — a student quietly eating food someone else left behind — never appeared in any report or board presentation. It couldn't have, because that kind of truth only reveals itself to people who are present enough to see it. This is one of the most underappreciated realities in fundraising: the needs that move donors most deeply are often the ones that never make it into the data. They live in the margins and in the things your community can't quite bring themselves to say out loud. The only way to find them is to be there. SHU Shares exists because one person was close enough to witness something true. That's what presence does. What are you close enough to see? #humansoffundraising #fundraising #philanthropy

Imposter syndrome doesn't announce itself. It just settles in and makes itself at home between your ambition and self-belief. Dan Freeman knows this from early in his career. Even while he was doing great work, the voice was there: Am I ready? I can't be in that role. But then something shifted. It wasn't a dramatic moment of sudden confidence. Rather, it was a gradual realization, built through proximity to others in the profession: If they can do it, I can do it, too. Sometimes the most powerful professional development isn't a certification. It's seeing yourself reflected in someone who's already where you want to go. It's one of the underrated gifts of community in fundraising. Who has given you that gift? Read Dan's full story at the link below #humansoffundraising #fundraising #nonprofit