A recurring theme on this site is the independence Proctor has demonstrated within the realm of independent schools. Ten years ago, the Development Office at Proctor began to look at fundraising in a manner that was both common sense and novel. In line with the school's egalitarian nature, relationships between development officers and the school's supporters became paramount. Our donors' preferences became critically important to these relationships, as we elevated stewardship to job #1. Six years ago, Jay Goulart teamed with David Lawson to create the WOW! Institute, at which we teach new, donor-centered approaches to fundraising to the nation's most innovative advancement officers.

Once again, the conference is being held at Pats Peak, a ski area in Henniker, NH that treats us right. Participants are assigned to teams that fabricate a not-for-profit organization with a compelling mission, and deeply-held values. In this post-Enron world, integrity is a prefered quality.....

Philanthropists do not care about an organization's brand. They want to know that your mission and values are strong and true, and they want to know how their money will make a difference. Each team wrestles with the adjectives and descriptors they wish to choose to motivate philanthropic support.

On Wednesday morning, each group presented its evolution as a worthy 501(c)3. This organization is called "Inward Bound."

Proctor's Greg Samaha '71 and Keith Barrett '80 demonstrate their system for making annual giving "asks" on the telephone. You will notice that Wednesday is "Wild West Day" at WOW!

Tossing a beachball helps to clarify who is speaking at any given moment, thereby tracking where we are in the call.

The next task is to prepare to ask two "philanthropists" (Jay and David) for $1,000,000. Each team prepares to interview the donors ahead of time to determine their preferences and values.

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