A perspective is a starting point. When we put things into perspective, we are better able to understand ourselves as well as our contexts. Consider how one comes to be a development officer. Many of us fell in or backed in or we were pushed. In my case, I was sort of seduced.
Development Officers
Working closely with school leaders, development officers perform an essential function that calls for high energy and innovative approaches. Through their participation with the Development and Institutional Advancement Program (DIAP), development officers benefit from sharing best practices and peer networking. Annual conferences, webinars, a listserv (requires email address from a member school), and other resources focus on administration and management strategies, assessment plans, legal issues, and personal concerns as well as the four basic areas of institutional advancement: the annual fund, major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaigns.
Here are several professional organizations ATS development officers have found useful:
- Association of Fundraising Professionals
- Association of Lutheran Development Executives
- Council for Advancement and Support of Education
- Certified Fund Raising Executive International
- Generosity Monk
- Gonser Gerber, LLP
- Mission Advancement Professionals
- National Association of Charitable Gift Planners
