6. Provosts and Fundraising: A Conversation with Jim Langley

In this conversation, Gregor Thuswaldner discusses the evolving role of provosts in fundraising within higher education with Jim Langley, President of Langley Innovations. Langley highlights the importance of understanding donor motivations, creating conditions for investment, and avoiding common mistakes in fundraising practices. He advocates for a shift towards authenticity and partnership in fundraising efforts, encouraging provosts to leverage their academic networks effectively. The conversation concludes with insights on the significance of building meaningful relationships with donors and the impact of literature on personal and professional growth.

Takeaways

Fundraising is shifting from institutional to specific academic unit support.

Provosts need to develop skills in partnership building and understanding donor motivations.

Effective fundraising requires creating conditions for investment in academic initiatives.

Provosts should avoid common mistakes like being laissez-faire in fundraising efforts.

Donors increasingly want to engage in problem-solving rather than just giving money.