Millions of professionals left their jobs monthly during the great resignation. While the trend has slowed drastically in 2023, companies are witnessing new challenges. Recent polls discovered that 50% of fundraisers are expecting to leave their job within the next couple of years. While not all staff members are exiting, employers are seeing less engagement and examples of quiet quitting. 

Our conversation with top executive search firm leaders will explore talent architecture and provide a starting point for advancement shops to avoid the pitfalls of talent engagement. Learn how you can be a champion for an engaging, functional and collaborative advancement team. 

Session Description: Creativity isn’t just for creative professionals or artists. Creative thinking is one of the most sought-after skills companies (and CEOs) look for. And yet, 75% of people think they're not living up to their creative potential. How, exactly, do you get more creative? In this session, you will: Learn the mechanics of creativity; Experience a mini-Creative Friday, an outrageous day of silliness used by the ASU Outreach Hub to increase creative thinking, teamwork, and professional development; Have some fun (without forced socialization); Leave with some creative thinking exercises you can do, anywhere and at any time.

How can we create an innovative and positive environment of support, acceptance, collaboration and progress that fosters creativity and talent? How can be become better at what we do? How about with a little bit of humor? Explore a world of YES, AND – acceptance and building; active listening; collaboration; risk taking; failure embracing and inspiration. Through engaging activities and participant discussion, we will practice elevating our work and our play. Find the joy in what you do, and bring it to others. Let’s participate, learn and find the FUN in FUNdraising!

We will share how a system of collaboration between Caltech’s Prospect Management and Research and Regional Major Gifts Teams has implemented analytics and strategy to measure output, mentor for success, and indicate promotion. This system helps avoid the pitfalls of unconscious bias to move away from anecdotal perception to measurable results. Clearly defined metrics and accessible reports are the basis for the collaboration enabling researchers to effectively support fundraisers’ progress toward goals, and managers to effectively mentor fundraisers. It maintains equity among peers by quantitatively reflecting achievements, highlighting areas of improvement, and indicating where promotion (or separation) is needed.

We’ve all heard the numbers on staff turnover in Advancement, but what we haven’t heard is how that turnover can result in positive outcomes for donors. Join us to hear directly from an Academic Dean, Development Officer, Donor Relations, and Development Communications on the unique interactions each has in cultivating a principal gift, and how their inclusion at different points of the donor’s experience help contribute to overall cultivation of prospect. We’ll flip the script on turnover and how you can use the inevitable changes to your team over time to your advantage.

Learn how UC Berkeley embarked on the hard work of bringing a decentralized advancement community together to address its pipeline health needs. In the final chapter of our $6B Light the Way Campaign, we are turning our attention to the mid-level portion of the pipeline ($1k-$100k) and addressing how a DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) approach to our work can transform the future makeup of our donor pipeline. Through an innovative proof-of-concept, UC Berkeley has seen early wins with a scalable qualification program that brings together direct marketing strategies and frontline qualification best practices.

The stakes have never been higher to find, grow and retain a high performing team. The rise of talent management has been key in developing strategies to address the challenges in the advancement market. However, talent management must have a seat at the table and strong support from the top of the organization to succeed. Please join Boston University’s Chief Advancement Officer and head of Talent Management to learn how a strong partnership from the President on down impacted unprecedented growth and success in fundraising. Topics include talent acquisition, compensation, onboarding, culture, recognition, engagement, training, DEIB, career progression and more.

Have you ever implemented a new strategy for your giving day and found its results lacking? Us, too! In an industry that demands constant improvement to remain relevant, sometimes “best practices” do not look their best at our own institutions. In this interactive session, Ohio Wesleyan University will share specific examples of how we have troubleshooted our giving day strategy over more than 10 years of iterations. Come prepared with questions about your own giving day and walk away with crowdsourced solutions. While no single institution has all the answers, our collective wisdom provides the expertise our giving days need.

More than 95% of US assets are held outside of cash. In order to strengthen our fundraising success, institutions and individual fundraisers must understand cryptocurrency and be comfortable soliciting and closing gifts of crypto. This presentation seeks to demystify crypto and the blockchain, so that institutions understand why they should entertain these kinds of gifts and individual fundraisers can close gifts of crypto that benefit their institution EVEN if their institution doesn't currently accept gifts of crypto.

Professional development conferences provide a catalyst for growth and connection. How do you create and maintain momentum post-conference once you are back in the office? This session will explore how we can foster unique connections, stay energized, nurture new habits and practices, and bring all this back to your teams and workplaces. These experiences can help you foster inclusiveness, recognize your institution’s investment in you, and grow your own leadership.