Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is SIGAP?

SIGAP (Strategic Initiatives Group for Advancement Professionals) is a non-profit organization that is led by and dedicated to a community of fundraising professionals whose work is focused on advancing Strategic Initiatives at the world’s leading institutions of higher education.  SIGAP convenes an annual conference to share best practices, augmented by ongoing networking and digital resources.

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SIGAP began in 2011 as an informal conversation among six advancement colleagues working in the Strategic Initiatives space. You can learn more about SIGAP's history on our About page. SIGAP is led by a Board of Directors, that is comprised of advancement leaders from across the United States.

How does SIGAP define a "Strategic Initiative?"

A strategic initiative is a multidisciplinary academic endeavor to tackle a societal problem in an innovative way, at scale. It is an institutional priority at the highest level—as indicated by resources, attention, and positioning—with a goal of enhancing the university’s ability to accelerate solutions through transformational philanthropic partnerships.

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Who participates in SIGAP?

Typically, we seek participation in SIGAP programming from those fundraising professionals working at the leading AAU institutions working directly on Strategic Initiatives. We find it’s important to curate the community of participants since we find having relatively strong similarities between institutions and roles allows us to tailor our programming to add value to this peer community.

 

I'm a fit for SIGAP! How can I get involved?

Reach out to us via our Contact Form and let us know about your interest and background. Participants in the SIGAP community have the opportunity to join our Community Conversations, be invited to the annual Strategic Initiatives Conference as attendees and presenters, and take part in other networking and learning opportunities.