PODCAST | What They Don’t Teach You In School About Fundraising (feat. Kim Jennings)

Resources:

https://generis.com/kim-jennings/

https://resources.generis.com/aspiring-heads-collective

Transcript:

Christa Neidig:
Welcome to the Vanderbloemen Leadership Podcast. I'm your host, Christa Reinhardt senior marketing coordinator here at Vanderbloemen. In today's podcast I get to speak with Kim Jennings, advancement strategist at Generis. Kim is a skilled fundraising leader with more than 20 years of experience serving in the nonprofit community. She spent more than a decade in faith based K–12 schools. In this conversation, Kim shares some of the challenges that heads of schools are facing when it comes to fundraising efforts and tips for overcoming these hurdles. We hope you enjoy this conversation.

Christa Neidig:
Well, hey everybody, thanks for joining us today as we talk specifically to heads of schools about the topic of fundraising. What we found recently is that this is a topic that I feel like a lot of people aren't prepared on, or maybe they aren't exchanging notes with others so they aren't sure the direction of where to go within fundraising for their school. And I think COVID and post pandemic has brought on a whole nother set of challenges. So we brought on our friend from Generis, Kim Jennings. Kim, thanks for joining us today.

Kim Jennings:
Thank you. I'm so glad to be here. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Christa Neidig:
Well, thanks. Well, Kim is an advancement strategist with an extensive background in education. And so I want to go ahead and let you share a little bit Kim, what it is you do and your background within education.

Kim Jennings:
Thank you so much. I really am so pleased to be here, and thank you for the opportunity to chat with you about K-12 schools, where my heart is. I love it. I am, again, my name's Kim Jennings, and I'm a certified fundraising executive. I have been with Generis now for a few years. Specifically, I'm with the Total Advancement Solutions division of Generis where we specialize in serving higher education nonprofits and K-12 schools, all of those faith based. I've been with the Total Advancement Solutions team for a few years. Prior to joining Generis, I was in faith based K-12 schools for 11 years in the Boston area and serving in development there, and really loved what I was doing. And my family, my children all attend those schools. My husband works in one, so our family is really embedded in that community. And prior to that, I was at Wheaton College where I like to say I cut my teeth in development and which is an amazing experience, a really wonderful team there. I also have a background in public relations and in theater.

Christa Neidig:
Oh, I didn't know [inaudible 00:02:45].

Kim Jennings:
I think that it gives me a lens of really understanding the importance of communication and communicating well, and also creativity and creative storytelling, trying to make sure that we're telling our stories really well in compelling ways.

Christa Neidig:
I love that.

Kim Jennings:
That's sort of where I'm coming from.

Christa Neidig:
That's awesome. Thanks for sharing. So you mentioned kind of your experience with this, and I know you work still so heavily in this area and your heart for K12. Just as you've been, I know you spoke to CISA not too long ago, and you've been pretty busy lately talking and out there on the road. What are some of the words that you would use to describe the challenges that face heads of schools and their fundraising efforts at the moment?

Kim Jennings:
Thank you so much for asking, Christa. I really appreciate you asking that because I think heads of school really faced a lot of challenges. Certainly COVID was just the tip of the iceberg. I don't think that heads really had an easy time of fundraising to begin with before COVID and all of the things that they had to deal with. And as I've really had the privilege of speaking with heads of school and working with heads of schools across the country, along with my Generis colleagues, some of the words that come to mind when I think about the challenges that they're facing, one is familiarity. And familiarity because, and I use that word because I think that it's when heads of school, especially if they're not very experienced in fundraising, it's easier to tend to go to the folks who have already been giving to the school or perhaps are the founding donors.

Kim Jennings:
We're seeing a lot of people now who are kind of what I call a baton campaign, where they're moving from the founding group to sort of the next generation. And so heads of school really have to fight that desire to be among familiar people. And the other two other words I would think of one is relentless. I think their jobs are absolutely relentless. And the tiering of the urgent can sometimes really take over, and that's extremely challenging for them. And the other word that I would think of is unsupported. And I say that because I feel like boards tend to have a real heart for the mission. They love the school that they've been asked to serve, but they don't really necessarily know how to be strategic partners to their heads in fundraising. And so boards could learn stronger skills in supporting their heads in that aspect in terms of raising money and in introducing new people to the school and all those aspects that could be really, really helpful for a heads effectiveness in fundraising.

Christa Neidig:
Right. And I think you and I talked about not too long ago, the lack of resource for boards and for heads of schools. There's just not a huge sourcing pool. And I know in a little bit, I want to talk to you about that more because I know you mentioned something y'all are working on and we're wanting to work on to try to provide some resources in this area, just to speak into some of the kind of pain points that we've been able to see and hear about. So I love how aware y'all are of this in working in that area, just your heart through that is so amazing to us.

Kim Jennings:
Thank you. Yeah, it's really an honor to partner with these folks. They're really, really amazing people who have vision for what their schools could be and what the Lord has for their schools. So we really desire to see them succeed, really want that.

Christa Neidig:
And then kind of off of that second question, you mentioned a few words that, I mean, honestly are some hurdles. So what are some of the hurdles that you're seeing heads of schools have to face?

Kim Jennings:
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Obviously, the tiering of the urgent can be a really significant hurdle for them. And related to that, I think a big aspect is clarity of strategy. And so if you are not super clear and dialed into the strategy and your vision and for reaching that vision, then it can be very easy for the tiering of the urgent to take over. And then you're kind of like going with the wind and going to deal with all the urgent things, rather than what's really going to move the needle forward and making your mission possible. And related to that, I think that school heads really can get pulled into the minutia. We have one client that we were working with. We were on site, a head of school and a staff person came in and there was a very minor issue, but something that typically he might have handled at the moment.

Kim Jennings:
But I was really proud of him because he was able to kind of lift his head up a little bit and say, can somebody else take care of that this moment? Because right now we're working on a strategy, it was for a campaign plan. And so he's like, I really just need this 30 minutes right here. And so somebody else was able to handle that. And I think that's really hard to do when you're in the thick of it. There's a lot of things that are coming at heads. And so the minutia is really challenging. And the last thing I would mention, I think a really significant hurdle for heads is as a scarcity mindset. And I don't mean that to be disparaging in any way, but I think it's really hard because they're having to raise money, get more kids enrolled, lead a team.

Kim Jennings:
There's so many things coming at them. And when they are looking at all the things they would like to do, but don't necessarily have the funds to do it, it's really hard for them. And I will say, I didn't work with this, but one of my colleagues worked with a college. Well, at the Gordon College, and it was really interesting the way that they handled, they were coming into this campaign, and they invested really dramatically in their advancement team. And the president hired, he brought in the team that they really needed to get it done. And I'll say that they were able to raise $187 million.

Christa Neidig:
That's amazing,

Kim Jennings:
Which was $56 million over their original goal. So I'm not saying that's true for every single school, but I was really pleased that they invested in that area and saw that it was necessary to get the work done, to meet the mission.

Christa Neidig:
Right. That's really encouraging. I feel like that's something that goes very overlooked. And then when you see someone that does it well and see the benefit of that, that's really impressive.

Kim Jennings:
But it is hard. I mean, it is definitely when you're in the thick of it, like I said, it's really hard for a head to say, I really need somebody, but I don't have the wherewithal to hire them right now. Maybe there's another way to do it, but that investment is really important.

Christa Neidig:
Yeah. So let me ask you, how are some ways that they can overcome these challenges that they're going through?

Kim Jennings:
Yeah, thank you. I think one of the ways that I think that heads of schools can answer this challenge is to really develop their team's skills and in very specific ways and which takes, of course, time and effort to do that. But for example, I talked with one head of school in Texas, and she has a really well thought out, well designed, and well implemented mentor program that she does within her school to develop leaders. What that allows to happen is that her leadership is kind of up and rising, and so that she's able to trust them and lean into them. And so it's certainly not foolproof, but really developing your team's skills is an important way to allow you to delegate better.

Christa Neidig:
I love that. Willie talked to us. He worked with so many succession plans and he's very aware of, hey, I don't want this to rise just all with me. I want this to continue past me. This is more than just the William Vanderbloemen show. I want leaders. I want people who are on this mission as well. And so I think when it comes to Christian education, having people back that up and able to lead and rise up is so important as the continuation of the school or organization.

Kim Jennings:
So true. It's exactly right. And I think it's really hard, especially for founding heads when it's their pride and joy, and they really put their life and soul into it for so long, it's really hard to make that hand off. So that's a really, I think that's a key area of growth that people could do. I think also, and I don't... It sounds self-serving but frankly, getting a coach. I think getting a coach is a really important thing. We all need coaches. I think we all need to get stronger in various areas. And so getting a coach, whether it's in public speaking coach or whether it is a fundraising coach, the Total Advancement Solutions team does this very well, I'll say, I think. Or at least our clients say so. But I think, I met with the head of school out in Sioux Center Christian School, and he wrote some articles about what heads of school can be doing.

Kim Jennings:
And one of his key takeaways was that heads really need a coach because they need to be able to deepen their own skills. And so getting out of counsel is helpful for that. I think another thing I want to mention is that an accountability network is pretty critical. And I do love the way that CSA, the organization CSA, they have a really nice heads of school accountability, and I'm sure other organizations do. I'm just familiar with CSA more directly. But so finding an accountability group is really helpful so that you can lean into one another and sharpen, iron sharpens iron, right? That's a really important piece. And the last thing I wanted to mention is, and this is a hard one. We have to be flexible. Obviously, we have to be able to take things as they come. But at the same time, I think that we as... Well, all of us as leaders, but certainly heads of school, I think they need to really prioritize.

Kim Jennings:
And I use the word, ruthlessly, but really it's kind of a strong word, but I think they need to be really ruthless and how they prioritize and know what their strategy is, so that they can really stick to the things that will move their school forward. What are the institutional pillars that matter to you and make your decisions based upon those pillars or what I like to call the north star. What's the north star that your school is going for in terms of fundraising, for example, and make your decisions based on how you're going to get there, and leave aside the things that don't get you there or pull you away.

Christa Neidig:
Right. I love that. Something we've talked a ton about lately is kind of starting and forming everything around your why and around your mission. What is the reason you're doing this? I mean, we've seen so much turnover and transition and burnout happen globally, honestly, throughout the last year or so now. And I think a huge part that we've talked about is like, let's get back to the why. What's your mission? What are we trying to accomplish here? And then us at Vanderbloemen like, how can we assist you in that? How can we help your organization or church get back on this mission and contribute to that, has been one of our favorite topics to talk about lately because I think it really does form and shape all those decisions you make and the next moves, and everything is around that. Why

Kim Jennings:
That is absolutely right. I totally agree with that. I think the why for your organization, the why for you personally. All of these folks who are serving in these schools tend to be working ridiculously long hours and really wearing a lot of hats, just serving, serving, serving, serving, serving. And so it's easy to get burnt out unless you are remembering why and you're being poured into. And really, that accountability group, I think, is helpful for that as well. It allows you to pour into one another and support one another.

Christa Neidig:
Well, let's listen. I want to hear kind of some of your advice that you have for people who are wanting to grow in their leadership roles. I think you touched on this a little bit, so maybe someone who wants to be and aspires to be a head of school. And then how can they prepare for this business side of it?

Kim Jennings:
Yeah. Thank you for asking. I personally and the team at Total Advancement Solutions, we really feel very strongly about pouring into leaders, current leaders, and future leaders and helping them to do their work effectively and more efficiently and have more success. So future leaders, one of the things that we're seeing, I know that you guys at Vanderbloemen are a key part of this is trying to fill the roles that are being left by heads of school. And there's a lot of spots that need to be filled. And so it's important that the next generation of leadership is developed so that they can step into those roles with confidence and capability. And so one of the aspects, so if you're listening to this podcast and you are aspiring to be ahead of school, or you are a fairly new head of school without a lot of fundraising experience, some of the things that I would suggest is be a real student of the business side of what you're doing.

Kim Jennings:
People tend to come to this head of school position from the education side, the curriculum, all of those pieces. All of that's important, but now, you got to remember it's a business. And so, that's a really, learn from experts, lean into your keyboard members, and learn from that. The other thing that I would mention, and I'm not saying that I pull this off personally very much, but is that they need to learn to be a stellar communicator. That is the one thing that I see a lot is that people who are in schools are crazy busy, faculty, staff, families, and they're not really paying attention to what's being given to them. So I think that heads of school and future heads of schools need to really hone their communication skills and be a good writer.

Kim Jennings:
A very good writer, I think is a pretty important key. And if you can't do that yourself, then have someone on hand that can do that with you as a partner. And a good speaker, I think that's also important. And if you are growing in that area, then getting some help in that area to grow because you're the one that casts the vision, and people need to be able to understand the vision really well and be compelled to join it. So I think that's a huge piece is becoming a stellar communicator. Another aspect that I would say, if you are a rising leader and you're not yet a head of school, I would volunteer for whatever's happening at your school related to fundraising if you're not already.

Christa Neidig:
Well, that's great.

Kim Jennings:
And yeah, I think that a lot of times when schools have a gala or something, they'll have faculty and staff step in and help and do things. And so that's very, very good, but I would encourage you if you can to go one step further and really learn. Peel back the curtain and see what's happening with your fundraising staff and how you can assist them and really kind of begin to understand the mechanisms so that when you yourself are fundraising or you yourself are leading a team of fundraisers as head you'll have had firsthand experience of what it's like in the trenches with them, even if it's just as a volunteer. That's really key.

Christa Neidig:
I love that.

Kim Jennings:
Last thing I want to mention real quick, Christa. Sorry, go ahead.

Christa Neidig:
No, I was just going to say, I think that's a great piece of advice. A quick story, a friend of mine one time went to their pastor, was like, I think I really want to get involved in church ministry. And they were like, great, go start stacking chairs, go get involved there. And they were like, be faithful there and learn as much as you can. You're at a young age where right now, the best thing you can do is learn and grow as much as you can. And I think fundraising is similar of like, great, if you want to start doing these campaigns, get involved down here and work your way to learn as much as you can. I think that's one of the best pieces advice I've heard.

Kim Jennings:
Absolutely. Thank you. I do think so. I think that folks want to jump right into the deep end and learn the de you know, nitty gritty details, but it might help just going in and sorting auction cards at the gala would be a really big help to the staff. And you would learn something about what the reasons are behind the choices that the fundraising staff makes. And the other thing I wanted to mention real quick is that I think, and if you were a current head of school, I think this is very relevant as well.

Kim Jennings:
I would really encourage you to advocate for your fundraising team in public and your fundraising colleagues. If you are not a current head of school, your fundraising colleagues are working really hard, and oftentimes it's a thankless job. They work in 12 months a year, and they are doing a lot of things. And so I think that faculty and staff sometimes tend to not understand what the fundraising folks are doing so understanding that and advocating for your fundraising colleagues. And then when you're a head of school, celebrating those wins publicly and helping your faculty and staff to understand the importance of their work, and setting that culture from the top is absolutely critical. And I tend to think that oftentimes development folks are sort of just in the background working hard. And I'm not saying that we have to be on stage and everybody celebrate the fundraisers, but at the same time, it's helpful when everybody's encouraging to the fundraising folks.

Christa Neidig:
Yeah, yeah. Celebrating that's great. Okay. Kim, so you mentioned a little bit about preparing leaders and that kind of area and resources. And so I wanted you to go ahead and share a little bit about what you are working on that I think is a great resource. And I want to make sure that everybody can hear about.

Kim Jennings:
Thank you, Christa. I am really excited about the aspiring heads collective Total Advancement Solutions. There were five of us together, partnered together to create this course. It's a five session course for folks who are either wanting to become heads of school and learn about fundraising so they can be stronger. Or also, we had new heads of school in the winter cohort, so folks who already had the job and were beginning to get trained in the area of fundraising. So this is a collective we had, and we are turning it into a digital course so that anybody can take it at any time. And we'll be looking forward to launching that in the fall. I cannot wait. I think it's a fabulous resource with tons of great content about learning how to be a fundraiser as a head of school and how to lead a fundraising team.

Christa Neidig:
That's great. And I know this is going to be a great resource, so I'll make sure we have that in the show notes for everybody to access. So I feel like we've talked a lot about kind of the challenges and the how to face these and the hard things. I wanted to kind of take a little bit of a turn and kind of talk about the blessings and the unexpected blessings that heads can get out of this part of their work.

Kim Jennings:
Yeah. I think that's a really wonderful reminder. I think that folks who are thinking about fundraising as heads of school or future heads of school, and they're looking at that as part of a job description nowadays, right, it's at least a third of the job description, maybe more. And if they don't have that experience, they might be looking at it with trepidation and worried about how they're going to do it. They don't want to do it. It's awkward. But at the same time, first of all, I think that anybody can do it if they have a willing heart. And I think that's a really important piece, but I think the thing that we tend to forget is what an incredible blessing it is to partner with God's people to make God's vision come forth. God has, at Generis, we talk a lot about culture of generosity, and that it is God's plan.

Kim Jennings:
And so we as God's people need to release God's resources to make possible God's plans and God's vision. And so that is a really beautiful piece of being a head of school or any fundraiser for that matter getting to partner with people who are deeply generous. And I had one head of school tell me that it was really a beautiful thing to have a front row seat to deep generosity, quiet generosity, folks who were paying extra tuition so kids could come when somebody lost a job or various pieces of things that heads of school get to hear about that no one else does because those are very quiet acts of generosity. That's a beautiful thing. And being used in God's work, the role of a head of school is pretty amazing. And so that's very fulfilling.

Kim Jennings:
The heads of school that I work with and talk with, that's what they express is how amazing it is to get to be in this privileged role to be a part of God's work. And the partnerships that you as a head of school will have with your fundraisers, certainly your team and the folks, your board, I think is a really important strategic partnership, but I think the partnerships with your donors as well, and because they are just amazing generous people who want to make possible the mission. And I think heads of school have an opportunity for that to be a two way street.

Kim Jennings:
I always say that fundraising is a dialogue, not a monologue which is a cheesy way of saying that. It's a nice way that I think of pointing out the fact that it's really about relationships. And so heads of school get to have amazing opportunity to meet so many wonderful people. And regardless of the gifts that are given by those people to the school, they are giving in other ways. They're giving of their time, treasure, and talent. And so the heads of schools that I know really have a wonderful opportunity and express that often that they love what they get to do about that.

Christa Neidig:
I love that. Well, Kim, thank you so much for joining us today and just shedding a little bit of light onto this topic specifically. I wanted to real quick, before we let you go, let people know where they can get in contact with you and your team. What's the best way to do that?

Kim Jennings:
Thank you so much for having me. It's been such a pleasure. And so I personally, you can find me on LinkedIn Kim T. Jennings. And I think that one of the things that I really want to point out is that the Total Advancement Solutions team is amazing. I have incredible colleagues that I get to work with across the country. There's seven of us and serving, like I said, in K-12 schools, colleges, and universities and nonprofits, all of those faith based. And so my colleagues and I can be found on generis.com. That's G-E-N-E-R-I-S.com. And there you'll find tons of resources for your school, complimentary resources that I think that you might find helpful. And I hope that you reach out. We would love to meet you.

Christa Neidig:
Yeah. And I'll make sure all of these resources that Kim mentioned are included in our show notes so you can have easy access to links as well as their new cohort that she is working on four heads of school, specifically. It's going to be a great resource that you were telling me about, and I want to make sure y'all have access to that as well.

Kim Jennings:
Thank you so much.

Christa Neidig:
Of course, thanks for joining us today.

Christa Neidig:
Thanks for listening to the Vanderbloemen leadership podcast. At Vanderbloemen, we help Christian organizations build their best teams through hiring, succession, compensation, and diversity consulting services. Visit our website, Vanderbloemen.com to learn more, and subscribe to our Vanderbloemen leadership podcast wherever you listen to podcast. Keep up with our newest episodes. Thanks for listening.