Jerry F. Smith, CFRE

Advancement & Foundation Advisor & Subject Matter Expert

Jerry F. Smith, CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive), connects advancement professionals with the right career, both for the individual and the institution.

Author, lecturer, teacher and fund-raising consultant, Jerry founded the J.F. Smith Group in 1991. His mission in fund-raising—to enable clients to fulfill their fund-raising dreams through a unique, educational, professionally-directed development partnership—has proven successful in over 28 years of business.

Following a successful development career as Executive Director of Alumni and Development at Auburn University (including a $110 million dollar capital campaign), Jerry formed the J.F. Smith Group, and has conducted feasibility studies and capital campaigns for clients across the country—from Edmond, Oklahoma, to Washington, D.C., and from Chicago, Illinois, to Orlando, Florida.

Jerry has authored four books on fund-raising. His most recent book, Think Up!…And Achieve Your Fund-Raising Goals, was published in 2018. He is also a popular and respected convention presenter. Jerry has conducted seminars on an assortment of fund-raising topics both here in the United States, for the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) and Blackbaud, and in Germany for the Catholic Fundraising Institute. He has taught fund-raising courses at Troy State University and Auburn University and was the recipient of the 2000 NSFRE Award for Civic Philanthropy.

Jerry has served on university boards of trustees, a foundation board, and as university board of trustees president.  Jerry has been the recipient of numerous university awards throughout his distinguished career.