Independent schools everywhere face similar challenges: shifting donor demographics, increasing competition, and the need to inspire generosity in new ways. So many schools, mine included, aspire to build a stronger culture of philanthropy, especially amid this shifting landscape. And to do truly that, we need to realize that true transformation demands more than sending annual appeal letters or hosting galas; it requires cultivating loyalty and changing mindsets across the community.
At Saddle River Day School (NJ), we embarked on a five-year journey to intentionally turn giving from a transactional act into a relationship-driven commitment. We adapted the traditional “4 P’s of Marketing” framework for the advancement world, reframing it for philanthropy by identifying four strategic levers—purpose, programs, promotion, and people—to guide the process, which ultimately revitalized our community’s philanthropic spirit and dramatically increased giving.
Purpose: Redefining the “Why”
Educating an independent school community about giving beyond tuition is a significant challenge. The traditional “bridging the gap” message—asking parents to cover the difference between tuition and the actual cost of running the school—no longer resonates, especially with today’s millennial parents. These parents value positivity, an inviting community, and, above all, visible impact from their contributions.
Recognizing this shift, we moved our approach to giving away from transactional appeals and instead emphasized impact and possibility. We articulated our purpose to focus on three key areas: supporting teachers, offering unique educational experiences, and promoting innovation. We switched from “you can make a difference” messaging strategy to a more collaborative “join the team” approach, which included giving the annual fund a name––the SRDS Fund––to reflect a stronger sense of community.
Understanding that millennial parents are drawn to social activities, we also reimagined how to engage them during our annual gala. We empowered the Parents Guild to take the lead and engage the head of school more directly in fundraising, who took a more proactive approach. He met with key donors before the event, securing contributions for the Raise the Paddle segment of the fundraising auction, and delivered a compelling address during the gala itself. In the weeks leading up to the gala, senior leadership prioritized cultivation among families most likely to participate, creating early momentum that encouraged broader community engagement. By getting them "on board" we know we will have a successful paddle raise, which then leads to other families raising their paddles as well. As a result, the annual gala’s impact grew dramatically—from raising about $30K to 40K to exceeding $500K each year.
By aligning our message and delivery with the values and behaviors of our constituents, we established a purpose that feels less obligatory and far more aspirational.
Programs: Delivering on Impact
Donors want to see exactly how their contributions make a difference. At SRDS, we’ve been making deliberate investments in academic rigor and innovative programming that we are leveraging to fuel our philanthropic momentum.
We are now more intentional in highlighting how we have enhanced and expanded our academic offerings to provide students with a broader and more rigorous curriculum. For example, we’ve expanded from offering 14 to more than 30 AP, honors, and college preparatory courses. We restructured the math program in our lower school to foster foundational skills and confidence and introduced project-based initiatives across all divisions, including a new Gateway Diploma track that emphasizes career-based interests in the upper school and Capstone projects in middle school. The school’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the launch of a proprietary AI system, srds.ai, have redefined classroom teaching, enabling unprecedented levels of personalized learning.
We recognized how these enhancements make it clear to donors how their contributions drive progress in teaching and learning, and we communicate these stories through division head, admissions, Parents’ Guild, and other meetings, as well as across our website, social media, email, and direct mail.
The momentum generated by these initiatives culminated in the launch of the “Building the Future” capital campaign, underscoring philanthropy as the engine driving the school’s progress. Announced publicly in February 2023, the campaign—the school’s first major capital effort—raised $20 million.
Promotion: Getting the Word Out
Strong programs require equally robust promotion––which is more than just visibility. It’s about consistency and connection. We are committed to telling our story through every channel available––social media, advertising, our website, email, print, and direct mail––to seamlessly connect our brand, advancement, and admissions messaging and ensure that our message resonates and endures.
Our advertising theme, “Thinkers, Innovators, Leaders,” became the backbone of fundraising communications with messages like, “together, we are building the future,” reinforcing both the school’s vision and the essential role of our donors.
We expanded our digital presence through targeted SEO and social media campaigns and strengthened our visual identity through campus upgrades by updating signage, banners, flags and lobbies with unified logos and color schemes. We capitalized on events, from the annual gala to small cultivation gatherings, as opportunities for engagement, and on both direct mail and digital outreach to ensure that every touchpoint was intentional and meaningful.
Perhaps most importantly, we integrated philanthropy earlier into the admissions process. New families now receive a “Guide to Getting Involved & Giving,” which introduces them to the culture of philanthropy from day one, and our community engagement department began hosting parent activities to foster deeper connections.
People: Mobilizing the Community
Even the best purpose, programs, and promotions cannot succeed without people. At SRDS, that meant stabilizing leadership, aligning teams, and fostering a culture of belonging.
A new board chair and head of school brought cohesion to the administration through retreats and collaborative strategic planning, which led to a clearly defined shared vision. Leadership then invested intentionally in faculty and staff, offering professional development opportunities, annual recognition, social events, and an emphasis on teamwork. This commitment resulted in a strong, unified faculty and staff who fully participate in annual giving.
Parents, too, became active partners in this journey. Through surveys, open conversations, and the support of the Parents Guild, families expressed their priorities—academic rigor, college readiness, and community. By listening and responding authentically, the school built trust and momentum, strengthening relationships across the community.
The collective energy was contagious. Leadership set the tone, faculty and staff cultivated a welcoming environment, and parents rallied behind the mission.
Results
We started reimagining how to create a culture of philanthropy in 2019 and by 2024, the transformation at SRDS was unmistakable:
- Giving levels soared to 40x higher.
- Parent participation in annual giving increased by 50%.
- Galas broke previous fundraising records.
- The school launched its largest capital campaign in history.
But the most important transformation is that philanthropy truly became an act of shared purpose, fostering collective pride and a deep belief in the future of our students. Our journey taught us that when mission, message, and community are in sync, philanthropy becomes more than fundraising—it becomes an integral part of school culture.