Advancement Opportunities and Risks: Navigating What’s Next for Deans and Their Teams

Fundraising used to be a secondary responsibility for many deans. Today, at some institutions, it represents 50% or more of the role. Expectations for academic leadership have shifted significantly, and a recent EAB poll makes clear how urgent that shift is: deans ranked advancement and fundraising capacity among the top capabilities they must prioritize heading into 2026. Amid constrained budgets, policy uncertainty, and generational changes in giving, fundraising is no longer peripheral to the role, it is central.

This webinar extends an in-person session to a broader audience, welcoming deans who were unable to attend, along with their teams and the teams of those who participated in the Roundtable. By engaging a wider group of leaders and staff, the session supports shared understanding of fundraising priorities and strengthens alignment across those responsible for advancing college- and institution-level goals.

This session helps deans and their teams understand the evolving fundraising landscape and its impact on their colleges. The session examines policy shifts and generational challenges, identifies high-impact investment priorities, and outlines the most critical risks. For leaders balancing academic vision with growing revenue responsibility, it offers clear guidance on where to focus, invest, and lead with confidence in this new era of advancement.

Attendees:

• Examined the current fundraising landscape, including persistent historic challenges and emerging generational shifts.
• Distinguished between two major advancement opportunities: principal gifts and corporate and foundation relations, and two critical risks: campaign relevance and declining alumni engagement.
• Identified a clear next step aligned with their institution’s advancement priorities, their professional skill set, and their college’s specific demands.

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