A Realistic Look at Annual Funds

Was there a causal connection between these two phenomena — the divorce from fundraising and the rise of technology? Maybe. But the important thing is that they grew apart, far apart. Not long ago it was common to hear an alumni-relations professional eschew fundraising fairly vigorously. One version of the argument held that, “We’re about planting the seeds; development is about harvesting.” Or “We set the table; we don’t dine.” Implied was the argument that fundraising was somehow antithetical to getting people's attention and that, if you insert fundraising into the equation, people won’t listen to your case building.