What We Do
The Office of Development Planning and Initiatives developed and managed many of the work plans, policies, and procedures for the completed MIT Campaign for a Better World. To ensure continuity and disciplined planning, DPI serves in an ongoing capacity as an in-house fundraising consultancy and leads the conceptualization, feasibility analyses, and implementation of MIT’s strategic fundraising plans for approved initiatives and capital projects, and offers advisory support to other units engaged in fundraising across MIT, upon request. It works collaboratively with advancement colleagues, academic leadership, and faculty across the Institute to identify, organize, and rank priorities. DPI also oversees the MIT Corporation Development Committee (and its role in MIT fundraising) and the MIT Women in Science and Technology program, and serves as Resource Development’s liaison to the MIT Corporation chair, the Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Vice President for Research, Office of the Vice President for Energy and Climate, and various faculty and academic teams leading major initiatives and programs.
DPI is focused primarily on three interconnected functions:
Strategic Initiatives and Market Insights
DPI’s Strategic Initiatives and Market Insights function provides a disciplined fundraising consultancy approach to the development and implementation of fundraising strategy plans for approved Institute priority initiatives, capital projects, emerging giving opportunities, and campaigns. Leading the conceptualization and shaping, feasibility analyses, and implementation of MIT’s strategic fundraising initiatives involves convening many stakeholders across Resource Development and the Institute, and developing relationships and partnerships with advancement colleagues, academic leadership, and faculty to identify, organize, and rank priorities.
Through the compilation of market insights–from historical performance, prospective donor, and peer benchmarking analyses to emerging trends in organizational and campaign management, philanthropy, and fundraising across the nonprofit sector–a wealth of data-driven factors complements the design, feasibility, and goal-scenario modeling for proposed fundraising initiatives and campaigns. This work is often complemented by external consulting partners, campaign counsel, and/or formal Institute committees.
Development Operations Strategy and Planning
DPI’s Development Operations Strategy and Planning function is responsible for developing and managing operational protocols and guidelines; fundraising policies; progress reporting; and project management workflows related to fundraising initiatives, foundational support, and capital projects. It works closely with Finance, Facilities, the Building Committee, and other Institute stakeholders engaged in tracking and monitoring initiative progress and construction and renovation timelines. Additional responsibilities include managing the inventory of available naming opportunities and the $5M+ proposal development process; creating educational content for advancement colleagues and fundraising volunteers; and developing a robust knowledge base to organize and share information on fundraising priorities, capital projects, and naming opportunities with the advancement community across the Institute.
Leadership Engagement and Volunteer Development
The DPI Leadership Engagement and Volunteer Development function is responsible for managing processes for the deployment of the Institute’s senior leaders, including the MIT Chancellor and the MIT Corporation Chair, and overseeing the Corporation Development Committee and Associates program, the Campaign Leadership Council (when active), the MIT Women in Science and Technology Event program, and other RD fundraising volunteer committees and bespoke engagement programs and projects, as they are developed. Team members work closely with the Corporation Office to facilitate and support RD’s nominations to the Institute’s Visiting Committees and trustees, and serve as RD’s liaison to the Office of Admissions.
