About

Our Retreat

The Big Ten Fund Raisers Institute (BTFRI) was established in 1963 by a group of advancement leaders in higher education philanthropy. Before founding the conference, these leaders met throughout the year to exchange ideas on trends in the field. Building on these discussions, they created a “professional summer camp for advancement leaders,” designed to offer senior leaders a deep dive into emerging themes in the field of higher education philanthropy.

Originally held at the historic Grand Hotel located on Mackinac Island, Michigan, BTFRI is now hosted at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in picturesque Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Our Faculty 

BTFRI relies on its professional volunteers, most of whom serve as a Vice President, Vice Chancellor, or President/CEO at their institution. These six leaders selflessly contribute as BTFRI faculty members (five) or as the BTFRI dean. The retreat is organized by the home institution of the BTFRI dean.

BTFRI faculty develop themes, design curricula, and build the programming for the annual conference. They also manage the application and registration process to ensure an equitable, inclusive experience for the 40 hand-selected attendees.

These exceptionally talented senior leaders volunteer their time, creativity, and expertise to create an outstanding annual forum for higher education development professionals while continuing to provide invaluable mentorship within the advancement sector.

Sample Schedule  

Explore the 2024 schedule of events to find what kinds of presentations are available.