Making Independent School Dollars and Sense!

Is there any more valuable (or deeply misunderstood) department in an independent school than the Advancement Office? Staffed by a group of thick-skinned, fundraising and engagement professionals, these invaluable staff members are imperative to any successful educational organization. After all, there are only two ways for schools like ours to raise the funds necessary to keep our schools great, and a well-developed advancement team will help make your great school truly exceptional!

Facilitated by an established “Master of the Dark Arts,” attendees will perform a daring deep dive into all aspects of advancement and discover the many ways a thriving program underpins successful independent school operations along the way. Learn long-held trade secrets in your schools Endowment, Financial Aid, Alumni Relations, Capital Campaigns, Annual Fund, Donor Stewardship and more!

Learning will be facilitated through a number of different approaches, including presentations, case studies, group discussions and individual and small group assignments. This course is aligned with CAIS 2021 National Standard Nine - Recruitment and Community Engagement Indicators of Effective Practice for Advancement but, more importantly, participants will find it enriching, rewarding and a heck of a lot of fun, too!

Learning Intentions

Find the answers to every question you ever had about advancement but were afraid to ask, including:

• “What do school leaders, my senior leadership team and board members really need to understand about the role advancement plays in school operations and campus/facility development?”
• “How does my role contribute and connect to advancement in my school”
• “How can a robust program contribute to my school’s overall strength and permanence?”
• “How do I build a thriving advancement department in my younger (or smaller) school?”
• “How can focusing on ‘friend-raising’ in the present lead to fundraising windfalls in the future?”
• “What are some proven advancement best practices, and how can I incorporate them into supporting my school?”
• “What does a career in advancement look like?”
• “When does Chad Holtum find time to sleep? DOES Chad Holtum sleep?”

Facilitator Biography: Chad Holtum, B. Comm, B. Ed, M. Ed

Chad Holtum is in his tenth year at Glenlyon Norfolk School (GNS), a JK-12 co-ed IB school with 800 students in Victoria, British Columbia. 

Now in his third year as Head of School, Chad spent his first seven years at GNS as Deputy Head where, among other things, he reinvigorated a thriving culture of philanthropy at the school. During that time he also led the school’s Admissions, Fundraising, Alumni Relations, International Program, Communications and Marketing operations. 

A natural connector, Chad knows that any successful fundraising program is about people. Under his guidance, GNS has built and sustained a thriving culture of philanthropy, increasing parent participation in the school’s annual fund from 10% to 60% in only six years while at the same time increasing the annual dollars raised from $200,000 to $3M+. Chad also played a principal role in securing a $5M gift to GNS’ recent capital campaign, the third largest single gift at the time ever given to a western Canadian independent school. Now complete, the “Wonder Campaign” raised a total of $27M in four years, including eight gifts in the seven figures. During his time at GNS, the school has raised more than $35M.

Chad has extensive experience in Canadian independent schools. Prior to his current position he served as Director of Enrolment and Marketing at Shawnigan Lake School, as well as Deputy Head of Queen Margaret’s School.