If you’re a baseball fan (which I’m not), you probably know that Spring Training is officially underway, even though it looks and feels a lot like winter outside.
In the Office of Advancement, we’re getting ready for our own version of Spring Training, although unlike in the baseball world, ours will actually take place in the spring.
For the last couple of months, I’ve been busy developing a training program, slated to start in the spring, that will help fundraisers take their cases and proposals to the next level.
How do you build a compelling case for support? How do you craft a proposal that can inspire a donor to give? That’s just some of what we’ll cover in this interactive virtual course.
Over the course of 10 weeks, you’ll learn how to take an idea, develop it into a compelling case for support, take that case out into the world, and then tailor it to a donor who can make your idea come to life.
We’ll draw on time-honoured persuasion psychology principles and the latest information about donor habits and preferences to create communications strategies and materials that tell compelling stories of the impact of a Queen’s education. And we’ll learn how to present those stories in ways that your donors will find difficult to resist.
The course includes 10 hours of virtual in-class instruction – with lots of interactive writing exercises – as well as one-on-one coaching sessions on demand. And once it’s over, you’ll emerge with a finished case for support, a proposal that’s ready to deliver to a donor, and enough tips, tricks, and tactics to help you change your approach to development writing forever.
We’re working on finalizing the course dates and times, and we should be ready to announce them soon. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to Deborah or Caitlin Adair if you have any questions.
The Process Project
We all know how important process is to our work. A good, solid process can make a world of difference when it comes to getting things done quickly and efficiently.
But sometimes in a big organization like ours, it can be hard to know what the processes are -- or even if they exist. Employee turnover and loss of institutional knowledge are just two possible causes of this confusion.
ALT is in the midst of taking an inventory of our operational processes. We’re collecting and documenting all of the regular, recurring, and repeatable processes that we use in our day-to-day work to ensure that we have the documentation – and in some cases – the redundancy to do our jobs efficiently and effectively.
If you know of a process that’s vital to your work – even if you haven’t documented it – be sure to share it with your manager or your ALT lead. We’re hoping to have all of the processes collected by mid-March so we can begin work on getting them all documented as soon as possible.
Virtual KAIROS Blanket Exercise
Advancement's Advancing IDEAS group is excited to sponsor KAIROS Canada to walk us through a virtual KAIROS Blanket Exercise on Thursday, May 13 from 10am – 1pm. The KAIROS Blanket Exercise is a teaching tool that explores the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada.
While this exercise is normally done in person, KAIROS Canada is offering it virtually to adapt to our current reality. To sign up for this please email Kate Bearse. Signups will be on a first come, first served basis for up to 45 people. We will keep a waitlist just in case people are unable to make it. Please sign up by Mar. 30.
Reminder - CASE Circle of Excellence Awards
In the interest of celebrating all the extraordinary successes we had in 2020, please consider nominations for the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards.
Each year the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards recognize hundreds of institutions whose talented staff members advanced their institutions through innovative, inspiring, and creative ideas. The awards acknowledge superior accomplishments that have lasting impact, demonstrate the highest level of professionalism, and deliver exceptional results.
Kate Bearse will co-ordinate entries on behalf of the Office of Advancement. Those planning a submission should let Kate know ASAP, with final drafts due by no later than Mar. 3 for submission to CASE by the Mar. 10 deadline.
Jobs with Advancement
We need your recruitment help. Know great talent that would be a good addition to our team? If so, please promote the vacancies below with your networks and let’s find some amazing new team members.
Applications (including a cover letter and résumé) must be submitted through CareerQ. For additional information on this posting, please reach out to either Carla or the hiring manager for the position you are interested.
Available Position:
| POSITION | UNIT AND DEPARTMENT | CLOSING DATE | GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Director, University-Wide Development | Development | March 21, 2021 | 12 |
| Associate Director, Regional Strategy | Alumni Relations & Annual Giving | March 21, 2021 | 10 |
| Associate Director, Toronto Strategy | Alumni Relations & Annual Giving | March 11, 2021 | 10 |
| Senior Relationship Manager | Development, Smith School of Business | March 7, 2021 | 9 |
| Manager, Young Alumni & Giving | Alumni Relations & Annual Giving | March 4, 2021 | 9 |
Fun Fact
Dr. Clement Ligoure, Meds 1916
Did you know that Dr. Clement Ligoure, Meds 1916 was the unsung hero of the 1917 Halifax Explosion? In the aftermath of the explosion, Nova Scotia's first Black physician worked day and night to help the wounded.
Dr. Ligoure treated up to 180 patients a day at his private hospital on North Street.