The advancement division at Viv is prepared to provide the guidance, innovation and creativity necessary to “break through the noise.”
We are prepared to help you develop a unique approach to fundraising. Whether it is your annual appeal or your plan for a multi-million dollar campaign, Viv Higher Ed can offer you the strategic guidance to accomplish your ambitious goals.
Specifically, the services we can provide include:
- Annual Giving to Transformational Giving
- Strategic Fundraising Plan Development
- Donor Segmentation & Assessment
- Partnership Development
- Foundation Relations
- Case Development
- Campaigns
- Feasibility Studies
FEATURED PROJECT
In 2018, Jill began working with foundations that were launching their philanthropy for impact. Previously the foundations were making smaller grants that were helping hundreds of women and girls. The strategic challenge was how to multiply that impact so the Foundation would be helping thousands. Working with the founder and board, Jill developed a strategic plan that fulfilled the foundations’ missions and created a process of due diligence for evaluation and impact results.
THE RESULTS
- Developed a road map for the Foundations to follow that included short-term and long-term strategic philanthropy goals as well as a fundraising plan
- Thousands of women and girls were on a path to financial independence
- Launched the establishment of a Center for Well-Being at a prestigious women’s college
“Jill has a deep understanding of the many facets of philanthropy through her 37 years in the field, and a singular perspective that comes from her experiences as a fundraiser, foundation executive and consultant.
She knows how to guide donors in making significant impacts through their giving, but she’s not just helpful in the “ideas”phase. Jill supports and advises leaders and teams, to successfully move their advancement plans forward.
Most notably, Jill demonstrates a genuine interest in learning every client’s and colleague’s story to ensure that any donor’s plans are personal and meaningful while also being collaborative and effective.“
Our unique and proven approach to helping you expand your prospect and donor base include specific training and services to assist you in going beyond your alumni of record.
- Prospect Research resources
- Pipeline Development
- Wealth Screening & the role it should play in your planning
- Donor Journey Mapping
- The Why
- The 4-year experience (Parents)
- Lifetime connection (Alumni)
- Alumni, Parents, Friends & Donor Relationship mapping
- Faculty & Staff Campaigns
From small parlor meetings to large scale events, we have the expertise to develop a special events fundraising strategy to support your plans and achieve your goals. Our experience includes Capital Campaign Launches, Gala Celebrations, Specialized Lunches and Dinners, as well as smaller, curated gatherings.
- Unique Event Concept Development,
- Event Planning & Implementation
- Sponsorship Packages
- Donor Engagement Opportunities
- Production Timelines
- Program Development
- Strategic Event Follow-Up
“Working alongside Jill Abrahams on donor events has been both a rewarding and inspiring experience. Her professionalism and clear vision for each event ensure every detail aligns with her goals and the desired outcome. She is exceptional at managing expectations and consistently executes with top-level precision. Beyond her impressive skills, Jill leads her team with respect and support, making her a highly respected figure in our field. I truly admire and enjoy collaborating with her, as she brings both excellence and genuine leadership to every project.“
For five years, Viv Higher Ed has supported institutions with their communications and strategic marketing needs, specifically for enrollment management.
We are taking this expertise, combined with our working knowledge of advancement to offer this communications and marketing support.
- Persona Development & Understanding your constituency
- Strategic Marketing & Communications Plans
- Social Media implementation
- Campaign Case Statements
- Proposal Writing
- AI Policy Development
- Campaign Creatives
- Collateral Development
- Impact Reporting & Stewardship
Much like building a house, each advancement operation needs the proper foundation to ensure success. It begins with creating a team which can include experienced advancement staff to newcomers in the field along with the integration of faculty and administrative leaders in your organization.
At Viv we look at this with a three-pronged lens which includes: people, data, as well as policies and procedures.
People:
- Staff Assessments
- Organizational Charts
- Professional Development
- Customized Training
Data:
- Assessment & Implementation of CRM options
- CRM maintenance and integrity
- Data Analytics & Reporting
Policies & Procedures:
- Gift Acceptance Policies
- Acknowledgement & Gift Recording
- Gift Agreements
- Fundraising Compliance & Risk Management
FEATURED PROJECT
Smaller institutions, like Mount Ida College and Assumption University, find themselves faced with pressure to maintain level funding of advancement budgets, with increased demand to do more to engage alumni. Understanding that in many situations you cannot simply grow an advancement team by adding new employees, Jill developed a training program that would help expand teams from within by involving others outside of the Advancement division.
THE RESULTS
- Deans and faculty members became comfortable having conversations with donors which led to six figure gifts to support academic programs..
- Administrators, whose advancement skills had been developed, successfully engaged alumni, leading to a 50% increase in donations from the disengaged groups.
- By training and incorporating other colleagues into the advancement activities, the Advancement team doubled in size within the first six months of implementing these strategies. The expansion came without the added expense of adding new FTEs.
“Jill’s expertise and experience in advancement has been instrumental in my success as an advancement professional. She coached me on how to transfer my skills from student affairs to advancement, how to cultivate relationships with student, alumni and organization leaders and how to prepare for a gift solicitation.
Her approach of “teaching people how to fish” has provided me with my own personal advancement toolkit to take my work to the next level.“
Jill Wierbicki Abrahams, MBA | Senior Philanthropy Consultant
Jill’s career is a testament to her “teach them how to fish” mentality.
Through her multiple VP of Advancement roles, her philanthropic consulting , as Executive Director of Foundations and throughout her 37 years in philanthropy, Jill has facilitated hundreds of millions in donations and has trained hundreds of fundraisers, board members, deans, presidents and volunteers. As Director of Major Gifts and Gift Planning at the Harvard Kennedy School, she led fundraising efforts for six distinct Research Centers while working closely with faculty and administration to meet ambitious fundraising goals. Her experience transcends front-line fundraising to strategic planning and leadership. Her work with a range of institutions, from small and scrappy to large and venerable, includes all aspects of fundraising and administration including custom training programs and interim roles.
“With deep expertise in fundraising and strategic planning, my journey in philanthropy has been about nurturing growth and excellence. My approach combines creative gift planning with principal and major gift fundraising, bolstered by robust leadership development ensuring a sustainable impact on higher education and community enrichment.”
I’ve had the pleasure of working with these institutions:
Higher Education Institutions:
Non-Higher Education Institutions:
