Anyone even tangentially involved in fundraising is familiar with this equation:
Donations = Total Population × Giving Rate
Lower giving rates and smaller populations beget smaller yields.
Small schools, be they colleges or independent schools, have to face the challenge of having a small total population every year. They learn to make the most out of what they have and develop strategies that prioritize depth over breadth.
Noble and Greenough School, familiarly known as Nobles, is one of those institutions. They've created a culture of philanthropy that allows them to be aggressive about asking for support, and they've devoted resources to nurturing individual relationships with their alumni. Their Graduate Affairs Office has also made alumni career services and networking a priority. By building a network on top of an already tightly knit community, Nobles is making its smallness work to its advantage.
We interviewed Greg Croak, Nobles' Director of Graduate Affairs, about Nobles' success.