News / Blog

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Washburn & McGoldrick Co-Managing Principals, Bonnie N. Devlin and Carla S. Willis had the opportunity to have a conversation with Brian Flahaven, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at CASE to discuss the…

As part of WASHBURN & MCGOLDRICK’S 30th Anniversary year, each month we are featuring a brief conversation with one of our senior consultants. For February, Managing Principal Bonnie N. Devlin sat down with Carme…

During 2025, our 30th Anniversary year, each month Bonnie Devlin and I will introduce one of our very talented Senior Consultants. This month, meet Lil O’Rourke our newest member of the WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK team….

As we turn the calendar to 2025, we are thrilled to kick off the celebration of Washburn & McGoldrick’s 30 years in business!

As nonprofits & educational institutions face challenges from donors on polarizing issues, what are the best ways to address their concerns and keep them engaged?

Today, we share the news of the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Cynthia Khoo-Robinson. Over the years Cynthia worked with us at Washburn & McGoldrick, she expressed such a zest for life, sense of humor…

During this season of joy and celebration, the Washburn & McGoldrick team is appreciative of each and every one of our clients.

Winter 2025 Intensives: Creating Major Gift Success (January 21 – February 3, 2025) Creating Major Gift Success challenges gift officers to work collaboratively, think strategically, shorten their time horizons for…

This timely report released by The Generosity Commission offers some insights and data related to these declines and possible ways to reverse them. WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK is a proud member...

Over the last three years, I’ve examined the inner workings of dozens of advancement shops, assessing and learning the philosophies and workflow challenges that propel excellence in alumni engagement and those dynamics that can prevent progress.

In a special blog for The Giving Institute and Giving USA, Washburn & McGoldrick Managing Principals Bonnie Devlin and Carla Willis recently shared their insights on the Five Top Headwind Trends Facing Higher…

Episode 42: Navigating big change. On this episode, Carla Willis, Managing Principal at Washburn & McGoldrick, joins host Kim Nyoni for a thought-provoking conversation on navigating the twists and turns of a career in philanthropy.

To celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Senior Consultants Carme Williams, CFRE & Susan Pettyjohn with Washburn & McGoldrick have the pleasure of speaking with two women philanthropists,…

As Black History Month draws to a close, I have been reflecting on my prior work as the chief advancement officer at Florida A&M University from 2008 to 2011. During my time at FAMU we were the first to launch new…

In today’s highly competitive higher education development marketplace, the ability to understand and effectively use data analytics has become more critical than ever…

In last week’s episode of Alumless, Chris Marshall and Ryan Catherwood sat down with Carla Willis, Principal at Washburn & McGoldrick, LLC and discussed what it takes to be successful at consulting in educational…

Winter 2024 Intensives: Creating Major Gift Success (January 22 – February 2, 2024) Challenges gift officers to work collaboratively, think strategically, shorten their time horizons for productivity, and practice the…

Summer 2023 Intensives: Creating Major Gift Success (July 24 – August 4, 2023) Challenges gift officers to work collaboratively, think strategically, shorten their time horizons for productivity, and practice the…

Recently we had the privilege of speaking together at Washburn & McGoldrick’s annual client conference in New York City. We covered a lot of ground regarding leadership vision (see Lisa’s PRG Blog post for more),…

After 2 1/2 years, it was so energizing to be back in New York City at our 2022 Washburn & McGoldrick, LLC client…

Whether launching a new principal gifts program or working to maximize an existing one, it is frequently tempting to begin with questions like “How much?” and “How many?” While they represent important practical…

Our colleague Carme Williams is one of the most respected and talented educational advancement and philanthropic leaders in the industry. In recognition of Black History Month, she recently shared her journey in…

In my executive coaching work, I will often ask those I’m coaching: “What’s keeping you up at night?” I ask the question to prompt thought and reflection. If we are ever to consider new ways of working, thinking,…

Randall W. “Randy” Smith recently completed a 25+ year career at Vanderbilt University. During his tenure, he established a reputation as a builder of new results-driven fundraising programs, a seasoned...

As we approach the end of the calendar year, I would like to offer a few observations for 2021 year-end giving and legislative changes that might impact fundraising efforts in…

Carme Williams joins WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK after almost three decades in corporate and non-profit leadership positions. Carme’s most recent experience has been in higher education advancement at Rice University, Houston...

Since our founding 26 years ago, WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK has been known for the quality of our feasibility study interviews and our ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative information from those…

Last month, as we celebrated Women’s History Month and commemorated a full year of the COVID-19 crisis, I wondered about the pandemic’s effect on women donors as they make their...

For the past 14 years, the Washburn & McGoldrick consulting team headed to New York City every January for our annual client conference. We eagerly anticipate this annual event to...

Spring Intensive, Feb 22 – Mar 5: Creating Major Gift Success challenges gift officers to work collaboratively, think strategically, shorten their time horizons for productivity, and practice the language of…

We began 2020 with great anticipation. We had big plans to celebrate Washburn & McGoldrick’s 25th anniversary year…. 25 years serving colleges, universities, independent schools, museums and other educationally related...

I am an advancement leader with years of experience and a very large network of colleagues. For years, I have been exchanging ideas with colleagues and journaling about my advancement...

I clearly remember the day we reluctantly postponed our second annual Day of Giving, scheduled for March 25, 2020. So much effort and energy had been expended planning for the...

Since mid-March, the philanthropic world has endured dramatic changes to “business as usual.”  Major gift officers have become proficient in the use of Zoom, Skype, TEAMS, and, yes, even landline...

As we continue at Washburn & McGoldrick to help our clients navigate the new realities of engagement and philanthropy strategy, our blog this month focuses on enriching alumni engagement through...

The past three months have been a journey for all of us with a passion for education and philanthropy. At WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK we work with our clients to develop...

How can I… inspire donors to make their best gifts? tighten the time between solicitations? prepare campus leaders to get involved? and do all of this in a time of...

As daughters of educators, we were taught by our parents about the power of education to change lives. The Noels and the Lees were first-generation college students whose inspired teaching...

Each member of our WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK team is working with clients on a daily basis to help them navigate the many challenges they face as a result of the...

At Washburn & McGoldrick we understand how tremendously difficult it is for our clients to operate their institutions during this unprecedented time in our lives. We know that now, more...

Leaders in higher education are being called upon to lead as never before. Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, currently President of Prairie View A&M University, offers the following for all leaders:...

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): Impact of new tax law changes As of January 1, 2020, the new Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act could alter the way...

The WASHBURN & McGOLDRICK consulting team will commemorate our silver anniversary in numerous ways, including a series of monthly blog posts, which we happily kick off today. Step back 25...

Chris has over 32 years of experience as a leader in higher and secondary education. His primary areas of focus are engagement, philanthropy, external relations, board development, and planning. He...

We are thrilled to add their expertise as we continue Building Relationships to Advance Education and Philanthropy. Eileen Bertsch Donahue, Senior Consultant Carla Willis, Senior Consultant Chris Marshall, Consulting Partner

It’s been many weeks now since the 2019 Boston Marathon and I am still licking my wounds and analyzing what went so wrong. I’ve been a runner since I was...

The E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals whose professional accomplishments have made a significant and lasting impact on the field of institutional advancement.