When Lettuce Grows More Than Food

Earlier in my career, while leading development at a school, we helped launch a farming program.

I had seedlings growing in my office under purple grow lights. I worried about power outages like they were a capital campaign risk — and sometimes sat with donors bathed in a soft purple glow.

More than once, I was asked:

“Why is that the Development Office’s job?”

It’s a fair question.

On paper, fundraising can look separate from academics, operations, or enrollment.

But in practice?

It’s deeply connected to all of it.

We weren’t just raising dollars.

We were building identity.

Students were excited.

Teachers integrated it into learning.

Families could see generosity at work.

It didn’t “fix” retention or enrollment.

But it strengthened them.

Because it made the mission visible.

The farming program became a living expression of the school’s philosophy.

Hands-on. Experiential. Student-centered.

Prospective families didn’t just hear about the values.

They walked through them.

And when identity becomes visible, belonging deepens.

Fundraising, when done well, doesn’t sit on the sidelines.

It reinforces who you are.

And when people can see who you are — clearly —they are more likely to stay.

I’m curious — where has fundraising shaped identity, not just revenue, in your organization?