Leadership
is reaching
new heights.

About our Leadership Initiative

Missions are advanced and visions realised when the passions and talents of individuals are engaged in a common goal. This requires exceptional leadership as well as generous donors.

Though there are many experienced fundraising professionals working each day to engage new donors and steward existing ones, the magnitude and pace of philanthropic giving are amplified when the institution’s top leader becomes its top philanthropy champion.

Marts&Lundy created The Azure Summit so that leaders of mission-driven organisations can experience the highest-quality teaching on the critical role they can play in developing a deep and broad culture of philanthropy. The Summit’s leadership curriculum is tailored to high-performing professionals who expect to gain significant knowledge that drives their expertise and action to new heights.

The Azure Summit Australia


The Azure Summit Australia is an intensive two-day series of interactive presentations and workshops that are designed specifically for Heads of Schools and Colleges who may be entering or are thinking of undertaking a major fundraising campaign.

Details on The Azure Summit Australia 2024 will be released soon. If you would like to be notified as soon as we have specifics, please send email us at theazuresummit@martsandlundy.com.

 

A Look Back at The 2023 Summit Curriculum

01
Planning a Campaign

01

Planning a Campaign

Before hitting the go button, ensure that your School or College is ready to take on the rigors of a campaign. This session will take you through an assessment to determine the readiness state of your school.

02
Executing a Campaign

02

Executing a Campaign

Few campaigns follow a linear path. This session will provide an overview of what to expect in each phase and examples of course corrections when necessary. Most important, this will give you a clear sense of the roles you, your board and your advancement team should play.

03
Crucial Roles in a Campaign

03

Crucial Roles in a Campaign

This session will address how to build a broad set of campaign champions and will define their respective roles, including your board, individual trustees, faculty and staff, and volunteers.

04
Campaign Realities: From the Head of School/College Perspective

04

Campaign Realities: From the Head of School/College Perspective

A campaign impacts the head differently and more deeply than any other person in the organisation. We will identify and discuss these stressors and pressures to help position you to thrive in this new role.

05
Mastering a Donor Meeting

05

Mastering a Donor Meeting

Understanding what motivates donors to invest deeply in your School or College is critical to achieving new heights in your fundraising program. We will position you to develop effective strategies for engaging your constituents in a meaningful and ultimately productive way.

06
Case for Support

06

Case for Support

We will focus on best practices in case development, reviewing the many paths to a case. There is no one way to get there, but there are core fundamentals to consider. This session will be infused with examples of strong cases and will provide you with worksheets to guide your thinking about building the case.

Testimonials

Attending Marts&Lundy’s Azure Summit was the most outstanding learning experience I have had in this area. The Summit brings Heads of schools together with experienced and expert fundraising consultants and professionals for a small-scale conference focussed specifically on fundraising campaigns and culture. Sharing this two-day conference experience with my newly-appointed Director of Development gave us a common language, a common framework and a sense of direction that has been invaluable and that has begun to bear fruit.

  • Tim Bowden, Head Master
  • Trinity Grammar School

Was the best 2 days of learnings I have ever had from a conference. The presenters were spot on and the topics very well chosen.

  • Peter Wilson, Director of Development
  • Trinity Grammar School

Each presentation got me thinking about what I need to do as Head of School to prepare my community for a campaign. I walked away with many ideas and direction that I would have never thought about without the Summit.

  • Jim Detora, Head of School
  • Avon Old Farms School

Presenters were fantastic, and it was wonderful to learn several new things. I really enjoyed the size of the group and look forward to staying connected with everyone!

  • Beth Giese, Director of Development & Community Engagement
  • Visitation School

The Marts&Lundy staff have been a wonderful resource to our school throughout our campaign process – and this conference continued to show what a great partner and first-rate organization they are.

  • Chris Webb, Director of Institutional Advancement
  • Avon Old Farms School

The benefit my Advancement Director and I received from attending The Azure Summit was far greater than I had imagined! I’ve been to many local, state and national conferences focused on the topic of building a philanthropic culture and capital campaign and this was by far more helpful and personalized. We both walked away feeling more knowledgeable, empowered, and prepared to create and lead the way in advancing my school! It was superb! Thank you!

  • Arvi Balseiro, Head of School
  • The Cushman School

As we are entering a campaign and have done a feasibility study with Marts&Lundy, this felt tailored to where we are in the process, and it laid out a great roadmap for the next steps. I would recommend that Heads attend after their first year in the role. I just finished my fifth and I absolute wish I had attended 3-4 years earlier.

  • Jennifer Galambos, Head of School
  • Kent Place School

My experience with the Azure Summit was nothing but positive. I felt that it was designed to help someone like me who has spent her career on the academic side of the program. It gave me the opportunity to learn from the experts, who have been in the trenches with schools across the country during their strategic planning and all stages of their capital campaigns in all cycles of the economy. The shared anecdotes, the role play with potential donors, and the opportunity to ask questions and dig in were invaluable.

  • Jess Hill, Head of School
  • Harpeth Hall

Many takeaways. I loved connecting with my peers. The program covered what I wanted to learn.

  • Sebastian Robert, Head of School
  • Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley

The most useful part of the summit was hearing about the campaign planning metrics and the information on gaining support of internal stakeholders.

  • Felicia Smith, Director of Institutional Advancement
  • Saint Andrew's School

As a new head of school, the Azure Summit proved an invaluable professional development opportunity. The Marts & Lundy team took the time to prepare a program that met the individualized needs of each of us in the room, and I left the Summit feeling prepared and more confident in my ability to lead my school’s upcoming campaign.

  • Noni Thomas López, Ed.D, Head of School
  • Gordon School

The Azure Summit provided myriad opportunities for me as Head of School to think strategically about inspiring meaningful gifts, strengthening my partnership with my Director of Advancement, and creating a vibrant culture of philanthropy in my school community. Most importantly, it developed my confidence as a fundraising leader who inspires donors’ generous support of my vision and my school’s mission.

  • Laura Konigsberg, Head of School
  • Turning Point School

I thought many of the sessions were engaging and helpful. I especially liked the session on strategic thinking. I appreciated the opportunities to brainstorm around challenges or scenarios.

  • Theresa Smith, Associate Head of School/Head Elect
  • The Webb Schools

Contact Us

If you’d like more information on our curriculum and presenters, please contact Alan Watkinson at watkinson@martsandlundy.com.

 

For questions or assistance with your registration or lodging, please contact Katie Armitage at armitage@martsandlundy.com.