Think of the Illinois Advancement Competency Framework as a helpful guide that outlines the key skills and abilities needed to thrive in your job. It’s like a professional roadmap—it shows actionable behaviors helping you understand what’s expected in your role, and gives you pathways to grow in your career. It outlines the essential qualities that lead to personal success, stronger teams, improved operations, and, ultimately, the advancement of the mission and vision at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

It doesn’t matter if your role focuses on engagement, stewardship, or frontline fundraising—this framework makes sure we all have a shared understanding of the baseline behaviors and actions to thrive in our work and succeed together.

For an employee, the framework gives each person a manual for career development within Illinois Advancement. It can help you:

Understand expectations: You know what’s valued and how to show up effectively in your role, whether that’s through communication, accountability, or data integrity.
Track your growth: You can assess where you are now, identify areas to improve, and set specific goals using real examples.
Prepare for next steps: Whether you’re looking to expand your influence within your current role or explore other advancement paths, the framework can help you map out what’s needed to get there.

How does this impact your work? You get a clearer picture of what’s expected, how to succeed, and how your efforts connect to broader goals. You’ll also have a common, supportive system for feedback, growth, and recognition—not just within your team, but across the entire advancement community.

For a unit or team, the framework can become a practical tool for day-to-day management and team development. It can be used to:

Inform performance management: Managers can use behavioral anchors and proficiency indicators to provide consistent coaching, evaluation, and recognition.
Guide team goals and strategies: Teams can use the competencies to align their efforts with best practices and institutional priorities.

What does it mean for the employees? Your manager can use the same language of expectations as others across the advancement community, so your feedback, goals, and opportunities for growth are clear and aligned with the work your team needs to accomplish, as well as the broader institution.

For the institution, the framework acts as a unifying tactic for enhancing the work of advancement across the Urbana campus ecosystem. It will support:

Talent development strategy: People and Culture will use the framework to inform role descriptions, learning and development initiatives, and succession planning.
Cultural alignment: It can help foster an organizational culture built on collaboration, ethical practice, and continuous improvement.
Consistency in planning and operations: Leaders can better align goals and evaluate programs from a shared understanding of expectations and priorities.

What does it mean for the employees? This helps ensure your role and responsibilities are aligned with the larger institutional mission and priorities, and you’re being supported and developed in ways that matter to both your career and the university’s success.

The competencies in the Illinois Advancement Competency Framework were developed through a rigorous, thoughtful process designed to ensure they reflect both the reality of advancement work at Illinois and the highest standards of the field. The approach was grounded in behavioral science studies in the workplace, meaning it focused on observable, measurable behaviors that are tied to successful performance. Just as importantly, it incorporated the voices and experiences of people across the advancement community to ensure the framework is practical, inclusive, and credible.

The process began with extensive data collection, including a job analysis survey completed by employees, one-on-one interviews, and a review of internal documents and job descriptions. This helped identify the skills, behaviors, and attributes that are critical to success in a wide variety of advancement roles. These findings were then benchmarked against respected industry frameworks, including those from CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals), the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), and Illinois Human Resources (IHR). The competencies were also inspired by the University of Illinois Foundation’s core values (Exemplify Integrity, Embrace Collaboration, Inspire Innovation, Enable Impact, Practice Empathy).

This benchmarking ensured that the final set of competencies reflected not only our internal needs but also best practices and emerging trends in the higher education advancement industry.

The Illinois Advancement Competency Framework has several components that work together to create a shared understanding of how we define success, growth, and collaboration across our advancement community. Here’s a simple breakdown of each part:

The framework is structured around three levels, each with its own set of competencies:

Employee Level – What all advancement professionals need to succeed in their roles.
Unit Level – What entire teams or departments need to operate effectively.
Leadership Level – What leaders need to inspire, guide, and manage others.

At each level, competencies are divided into three major focus areas, or domains, that represent the pillars of workplace success:

Individual Excellence – How you manage yourself and your responsibilities.
Team Excellence – How you work with others and contribute to group success.
Community Excellence – How you support the advancement community and broader university mission.

Functional competencies are three specific competencies tied directly to the functional areas:

Role Acumen – Having the knowledge and skills to do the work.
Processes & Procedures – Having the ability to follow and improve how work is done.
Data Literacy & Integrity – Having the ability to use, maintain, interpret, and protect data.

Each competency has behavioral anchors and proficiency indicators to bring the competency to life, making it practical.

A functional area is a way of grouping roles within advancement that share similar responsibilities, skills, and contributions to the university’s mission. Because advancement work is so diverse, not every employee is doing the same kind of work—and the framework recognizes that and is designed to allow for that flexibility. Functional areas ensure that the expectations, growth opportunities, and performance guidance you receive are tailored to the actual demands of your job. Whether you’re managing events, supporting fundraisers, or working with data systems, the framework meets you where you are.

Functional areas are important because they connect functional competencies (like role acumen) to the specific technical and operational expectations of your functional purpose. This allows your training, feedback, and development plans to reflect the real-world context of your work—making the framework much more useful and meaningful in your day-to-day experience.

Here are the eight functional areas within the Illinois Advancement Competency Framework, each with its own focus:

Administrative Support – Ensures smooth daily operations of advancement teams.
Advancement Services – Manages data, systems, reporting, and operational processes that enable strategic advancement work.
Constituent Engagement – Builds relationships with alumni, corporate partners, and others through engagement opportunities.
Event Management – Designs and delivers events that connect stakeholders to the university’s mission and impact.
Frontline Fundraising – Cultivates and secures philanthropic gifts by building meaningful relationships with donors.
Marketing & Communications – Crafts strategic stories that elevate the university’s brand, build loyalty, and inspire support.
Stewardship & Donor Relations – Ensures donors feel valued through recognition, impact reporting, and personalized engagement.
Strategic Operations & Leadership – Drives alignment, sustainability, and advancement success within their teams.

Behavioral anchors are specific, practical examples that describe how a competency should be demonstrated in real workplace situations.

They make competencies “real” and visible by showing what behaviors define success.
Behavioral anchors bridge the gap between theory and practice.
They help employees, teams, and leaders align their daily actions around baseline expectations.

Think of them as: Clear descriptions that say, “Here’s what this competency looks like in action.“

Behavioral anchors will serve as a core integration tool by linking competencies to observable actions across operational processes.

They will be embedded into:

Professional development: Guiding learning plans, coaching conversations, and identifying areas for skill growth.
Talent management and hiring: Shaping interview questions, evaluations, and onboarding to ensure role alignment.
Performance management: Providing clear, shared examples for setting expectations, assessing progress, and giving feedback.
Organizational culture: Reinforcing a consistent understanding of “excellence” across the advancement community.

In short, behavioral anchors will bring the competency framework to life in daily practice, supporting fairness, clarity, and continuous improvement at every level​. Your role in the focus group is to help refine the behavioral anchors for a set of competencies.

Proficiency indicators are benchmarks that define different levels of performance for a competency.

They describe what effective or excellent use of a competency looks like at different stages (e.g., beginner, advanced, mastery).
Proficiency indicators make competencies measurable by outlining the actions, experiences, and outcomes expected.
They help with self-assessment, goal-setting, performance reviews, and career development.

Think of them as: Clear descriptions that say, “Here’s how we measure progress and success.“

Your role in the focus group is to help define the different levels of performance for a set of competencies.

Proficiency indicators will be built using the BARS model (Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales) to guide consistent evaluations​. BARS is a specialized method used to create fair, observable, and specific performance evaluations.

Think of it as: Instead of rating someone as just “good” or “average,” you evaluate exactly what behaviors they show — It provides consistency and objectivity when measuring how someone demonstrates a competency.

It combines a rating scale (e.g., 1 to 5) with real-world behavioral examples tied to each point on the scale. It ensures that each score corresponds to a concrete behavior, rather than a vague or subjective impression.

Below is an example of the BARS model for additional context:

Yes, the framework will eventually be incorporated into performance evaluations—but the intention is to do so in a positive and supportive way. Rather than using it as a rigid checklist, the competencies and proficiency indicators will provide a clear, consistent foundation for feedback. They’ll help managers and employees have more meaningful, focused conversations that highlight what’s going well and identify opportunities for continued growth.

The goal is to create a shared language and set of expectations that make evaluations feel less subjective and more constructive, empowering you to build on your strengths and understand how to progress in your role.

That said, the immediate focus is not on evaluation. The framework is first being embedded into professional development efforts and hiring practices to ensure it’s well-understood, thoughtfully applied, and aligned with the realities of each functional area. This phased approach gives employees and managers time to engage with the framework as a development tool before it becomes part of formal evaluations. Ultimately, it’s about building a culture of growth—not just measurement—so that when performance conversations happen, they are grounded in fairness, clarity, and support.

You won’t be expected to figure this out on your own. The Illinois Advancement Competency Framework is designed not just to define success, but to help you achieve it, with the right tools and support in place. As the framework is rolled out, there will be a variety of resources and learning opportunities to help you understand each competency, assess where you currently stand, and grow in the ways that matter most to your role and career goals.

This support will include a mix of training workshops, designed to deepen your understanding and skills in specific competencies (like communication or data literacy), along with mentoring and coaching programs that connect you with peers and leaders who can offer guidance and encouragement. You’ll also have access to self-assessment tools to reflect on your strengths and areas for development, as well as learning materials and reference guides that make the framework easy to use in real time. Whether you’re early in your career or looking to take on new challenges, the framework will be paired with ongoing, practical support to help you grow at your own pace—and in a way that’s relevant to your work.

Yes! Flexibility is built into the foundation of the framework. Illinois Advancement is made up of a wide variety of roles, each with different responsibilities, priorities, and paths for growth. The framework reflects that reality by including both core competencies that apply across all roles and functional competencies that are specifically tailored to your area of work. Whether you’re in frontline fundraising, data operations, events, stewardship, or another part of advancement, the framework adapts to the work you do by recognizing the unique contributions of each functional area.

This dual approach—combining consistency with customization—allows you to grow in a way that fits your current role while also keeping the door open to explore new directions. If you shift to a new position or take on additional responsibilities, the framework moves with you. It’s designed to support career mobility, helping you understand what’s expected in a different functional area or level (like moving into leadership) and what skills you might want to build to get there. The competencies aren’t static—they’re tools that can grow and evolve along with your professional journey.

At its core, the Illinois Advancement Competency Framework is about building a stronger, more unified, and future-ready advancement community. It’s not just a tool for individual development or performance—it’s a long-term investment in people, culture, and mission. The framework helps ensure that every employee, across every role and function, is equipped with the tools, clarity, and support needed to thrive. By defining what success looks like and offering shared expectations across the entire advancement ecosystem, the framework fosters a sense of connection, alignment, and purpose.

Ultimately, the goal is to amplify our collective impact. When we invest in our people and align our work with a shared vision of excellence, we strengthen the entire Illinois Advancement organization. That means more effective teams, more empowered employees, and better outcomes for the University of Illinois. Whether we’re building relationships with donors, managing data systems, hosting events, or crafting stories—this framework helps ensure we’re all pulling in the same direction, making a lasting difference for the university and the communities we serve.

Your feedback isn’t just appreciated—it’s essential to the success of the Illinois Advancement Competency Framework. This initiative is designed to reflect the real work, real challenges, and real strengths of the advancement community, which is why your voice plays a central role in shaping it. By participating in the focus group, you’re helping ensure that the competencies aren’t just theoretically sound—they’re practically relevant and genuinely useful for people in roles like yours. Your experiences, perspectives, and suggestions provide the lived context that makes the framework meaningful and grounded in reality.

Specifically, the input you share will be used to refine and enhance two major parts of the framework:

the behavioral anchors, which illustrate what each competency looks like in action, and
the proficiency indicators, which define how success can be measured across different levels of performance.

Your real-world examples help ensure these components reflect the nuances of day-to-day work in advancement—what it looks like to do a job well, where common challenges arise, and how excellence shows up across roles. In short, your insights will directly shape the tools that guide development, recognition, and growth for you and your colleagues across the advancement community.

The rollout of the Illinois Advancement Competency Framework is designed to be thoughtful, phased, and ongoing—not a one-time launch. After the focus groups are complete and all feedback is analyzed, the final elements of the framework will be constructed and refined. The current plan is to begin introducing the framework in Fall 2025, starting with communication efforts, practical resources, and training sessions that will help employees at all levels understand what the framework is and how to begin using it in their day-to-day work. This introduction will be intentional and paced, ensuring people have time to absorb, ask questions, and engage meaningfully.

Importantly, this isn’t a “set it and forget it” initiative. The framework will be gradually woven into different parts of our operations—professional development, recruitment, onboarding, performance conversations, and more. And just as it was built on community input, it will continue to evolve based on ongoing feedback. We’re committed to reviewing the framework regularly to keep it relevant, inclusive, and adaptable to changes in our work, our people, and the advancement profession as a whole. This is a living resource designed to grow alongside the Illinois Advancement community.

Absolutely! Feel free to explore the following to gain deeper insights into the Illinois Advancement Competency Framework:

The Competency Framework White Paper offers a full overview of the framework’s purpose, structure, and theoretical foundations.

This paper includes:

The goals and principles behind the framework’s creation
A detailed explanation of the three competency levels (Employee, Unit, Leadership)
Definitions of  the three domains of excellence (Individual Excellence, Team Excellence, Community Excellence)
Descriptions of all twelve employee competencies, nine unit competencies, and six leadership competencies
Insights into how behavioral anchors and proficiency indicators are utilized
Characterizations of the eight functional areas

The Competency Framework Overview Guide provides a quick, easy-to-navigate summary of the competency framework.