What Advancement Resources does

Advancement Resources (legal entity DiffStrat Companies, Inc.) is a research-based professional education company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that trains fundraising and advancement professionals primarily in higher education and healthcare institutions. The company delivers a catalog of more than 15 branded programs including The Art and Science of Donor Development, The Art and Science of Healthcare Philanthropy, Professional Fundraising for Deans and Academic Leaders, Dynamics of Clinician Engagement, and Coaching Services. Its underlying technology consists of the proprietary Professional DynaMetric Profile (PDP) behavioral framework and the myAR (myAR Plus) online learning platform, which delivers self-directed e-Learning courses, printable resources, and videos under 365-day subscriptions with team management features and CFRE credit support.

The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales of private organizational training programs, open-enrollment public workshops (including UK- and Australia-specific catalogs), individual coaching clinics priced at $1,950 per session, and self-serve myAR subscriptions. Revenue is generated through professional services fees (workshops, coaching) and recurring annual subscriptions (myAR), with pricing varying by audience, date, and content. The company was acquired by Huron Consulting Group in 2024 and now operates as a subsidiary within Huron's education, healthcare, and nonprofit practice.

Customer evidence includes named institutional clients across higher education (Kansas State University Foundation, University at Buffalo, West Virginia University Foundation, University of Minnesota Foundation, Lehigh University, Oregon State University, University of Sydney), healthcare (Baptist Health Foundation, Vidant Health Foundation, MedStar Health, John Muir Health, American Society of Hematology Foundation), and nonprofit segments (Compassion International, Team Rubicon, Year Up, North Coast Church). The leadership team includes CEO Ben Golding, President Mauria Brough, and senior facilitators with 15 to 36 years of advancement experience.

Name

Advancement Resources

Legal name

DiffStrat Companies, Inc.

Website

https://advancementresources.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Advancement Resources is a research-based professional education firm that trains fundraising and advancement professionals at higher education institutions, healthcare systems, and nonprofits through workshops, coaching, and the myAR e-Learning platform. It was acquired by Huron in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Public Workshops: Fee-based workshop programs offered publicly, including The Art and Science of Donor Development and Professional Fundraising for Deans and Academic Leaders. Workshop fees vary based on audience, date, content, and other factors.
2. Virtual Workshop Programs: Live virtual workshop sessions with registration fees. The entirety of fees are due and payable upon registration.
3. Coaching Clinics: Face-to-face 60 or 90-minute virtual coaching sessions for academic leaders and their development partners, priced at $1,950 per clinic.
4. myAR Online Subscription: Online learning platform subscription with courses and learning plans accessible for 365 days. Individual courses and learning plans available for purchase through the catalog feature.
5. Coaching Services: Highly experienced expert coaches providing virtual delivery with communication and support throughout engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Advancement Resources delivers research-based professional education for fundraising and advancement professionals, primarily serving higher education institutions, healthcare systems, and nonprofits. Its portfolio includes instructor-led public workshops, organization-wide private training programs, on-demand e-Learning courses on the myAR platform, and one-on-one coaching and clinics. Programs focus on donor psychology, behavioral profiling, clinician and dean engagement, and building cultures of philanthropy.

Product overview

Advancement Resources is a research-based professional education company providing fundraising and philanthropy training primarily for higher education and healthcare institutions. The company offers a portfolio of instructor-led workshops, virtual workshops, e-Learning programs through the myAR online learning platform, and coaching services. Core offerings include The Art and Science of Donor Development, The Art and Science of Healthcare Philanthropy, Launch e-Learning program for new fundraisers, Clinician Engagement programs, Professional Fundraising for Deans and Academic Leaders, Coaching Services, and specialized clinics. Programs focus on donor psychology, behavioral profiling (using frameworks like the Professional DynaMetric Profile), communication strategies, and building cultures of philanthropy. The company has been acquired by Huron.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• myAR: Online learning platform offering self-directed e-Learning courses, print resources, and videos for professional development in fundraising.
• Launch: Essential Skills for Success in Fundraising

Products and services

• The Art and Science of Donor Development

Quantifiable outcome

• E-Learning can increase retention by up to 60% when combined with traditional workshop training through varied repetition.

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Graham-Pelton: Fundraising and philanthropy consulting firm serving higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit clients with campaign counsel, development assessments, and talent search. Directly comparable as a fundraising advisory firm serving the same customer verticals with professional services and consulting engagements.
• CCS Fundraising: One of the largest fundraising consulting firms in the US, providing campaign management, development counsel, and training to nonprofits, universities, and healthcare organizations. Directly competes for the same institutional advancement engagements and offers parallel training capabilities.
• Grenzebach Glier & Associates: International fundraising and philanthropy consulting firm serving higher education, healthcare, arts, and nonprofit sectors with campaign strategy, development counsel, and analytics. Comparable as a fundraising-focused consultancy serving mission-driven institutions globally.
• Accordant Philanthropy: Philanthropy consulting firm providing fundraising strategy, campaign counsel, and donor engagement support to healthcare systems and higher education institutions. Comparable scope and vertical alignment with Advancement Resources' healthcare and academic focus.
• The Curtis Group: Fundraising and development consulting firm working with universities, hospitals, and nonprofits on campaign planning, feasibility studies, and staff training. Directly comparable in customer base and advisory/educational service mix.
• BWF (Burk & Fletcher / BWF Foundation): Philanthropic advisory firm providing fundraising counsel, campaign planning, and professional development to nonprofits and educational institutions. Comparable in mission-driven client base and consulting-plus-training service model.

Broad incumbents

• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP): The largest professional association for fundraisers globally, offering certification (CFRE), training, conferences, and educational resources. Overlaps with Advancement Resources' mission of advancing fundraising professional skills but as a membership/association model rather than paid training.
• Ketchum (Ketchum Consulting): Broad-based fundraising and development consulting practice serving nonprofits, higher education, and healthcare clients as part of a larger communications holding company. Adjacent competitor with overlapping customer base but operating as part of a much larger organization.
• Blackbaud: Provider of fundraising software (Raiser's Edge, Luminate) and embedded learning resources to nonprofits, universities, and healthcare foundations. Competes indirectly through bundled training content attached to its dominant software platform.

Emerging players

• Philanthropy U: Online training and certification provider focused specifically on donor relations and fundraising stewardship skills. Niche overlap with myAR as a digital-first professional development platform for advancement professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AdvmtResources
• Facebookfacebook.com/advancementresources
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/advancement-resources-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Advancement Resources