Elizabeth Kolb Farr

Elizabeth Kolb Farr, Senior Vice President, joined GG+A in 2017 and, in 2021, assumed leadership of the firm’s Independent Schools Practice Area. Liz serves the firm’s independent school and higher education clients, supporting them in identifying and seizing opportunities for fundraising growth.

She holds particular expertise in instituting and orchestrating high-performance major gift programs, preparing for and executing capital campaigns, sustaining and accelerating annual giving, coaching frontline fundraisers, and training boards in fundraising and campaign best practices. Liz’s article “The Importance of Fundraising Strategy” was featured in the Spring 2021 issue of Independent School, the magazine of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). She was also a featured contributor to the NAIS book, “The Trustee’s Role in Fundraising.”

Liz has significant experience performing advancement program assessments and campaign feasibility studies that result in clear, actionable recommendations for accelerating fundraising during or between campaigns. She is an expert in designing moves management protocols and ensuring their effective use, developing individual prospect strategies, and utilizing Raiser’s Edge and other databases to set and analyze fundraising metrics.

Before joining GG+A, Liz enjoyed a 27-year career in independent schools. Beginning as a teacher in boarding and day schools, she maintains a passion for teaching and learning. Liz most recently served as Associate Director of Development at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, PA.

An active volunteer for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Liz served on the Planning Committee of three CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conferences and has presented several conference sessions, each time earning Stellar Speaker honors. She is a past President of the Junior League of Philadelphia, where she was a five-time member of the Board of Directors, chaired the Annual Fund twice, and co-chaired the organization’s first-ever capital campaign.

Liz is an alumna of Friends’ Central School and holds a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College. She lives in Durham, NC, with her husband, Chris, an advancement professional.

Clients:

• American College of Sofia
• Association of Junior Leagues International
• Berkshire School
• The Bryn Mawr School
• Bucknell University
• Columbus Academy
• The Episcopal School of Dallas
• Far Hills Country Day School
• Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
• Germantown Friends School
• Girls Preparatory School
• Greenhill School
• Holland Hall
• Hood College
• Hutchison School
• King School
• The Kinkaid School
• Kutztown University
• The Lovett School
• The Madeira School
• Manzano Day School
• Merrimack College
• Miami Country Day School
• Montclair Kimberley Academy
• National Cathedral School
• New Canaan Country School
• Polytechnic School
• Porter-Gaud School
• Sage Hill School
• Saint Mary’s Hall
• San Francisco Friends School
• Sewickley Academy
• Sidwell Friends School
• Anne’s-Belfield School
• Christopher’s School
• Mary’s School (CA)
• The St. Paul’s Schools (MD)
• Tabor Academy
• Trinity-Pawling School
• Wichita Collegiate School
• Woodlynde School