Most administrators in higher education get to leadership positions by traveling paths that do not have anything to do with philanthropy and development. Having worked their way up through the academy, institutional leaders do not always have a frame of reference for understanding the nuances of development. In this article, the author discusses the C[superscript 2], R[superscript 2] (Clarify, Concede, Redirect, Reframe) strategy--a fact-based approach that allows the development of realistic fundraising goals.