11:00–11:15 AM ET

Welcome and Faculty Introductions

Join conference leadership to meet the faculty, review conference highlights and learn how to get the most out of your time online.

11:15 AM–12:15 PM 

Panel Discussion: Advancing Higher Education: New Strategies for Fundraising, Philanthropy, and Engagement

Moderator: Matthew Lambert, Vice President for University Advancement, William & Mary

Panelists:

Armin Afsahi, Associate Vice President and Dean of Development, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University

Rachel Vassel, Associate Vice President Office of Multicultural Advancement, Syracuse University

Michael Worth, Former Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs , George Washington University

What will the future of advancement look like? Facing challenges and changes in the twenty-first century, universities are giving increased emphasis to institutional advancement, encompassing constituent engagement, communications and marketing, and fundraising. Join our panel of industry experts to discuss the implications of change and best practices and innovations in advancement. With years of experience in the field, the panelist will share ways in which traditional methods must be adapted to the new environment, highlight new strategies that are growing in importance and discuss how these new strategies will impact campaign work in the future.

Many of the topics discussed are important to independent schools and other types of institutions and to the practice of advancement around the world.

12:45–1:45

Fundamentals of Comprehensive & Capital Campaigns

An overview of the fundamentals needed to conduct a successful campaign. This session will share the current trends in campaign strategy, trends in the field of advancement, and campaign planning best practices that support your institutions overall campaign success.

2:15–3:15

Building the Case for Support and Strategic Planning

Now more than ever decisions about the size and goals of campaigns need to be data driven. When the needs are great, how do you determine the scope of this campaign and choose priorities? Learn about how institutions can use strategic planning, analytics, and projections to establish campaign goals, timelines, key priorities and buy-in from stakeholders – internally and externally – to motivate philanthropic investment now and for future campaigns.

3:45–4:45

Curating your Lift Team: How to Tap into the Power of Alumni, Faculty, Friends and Students

Comprehensive campaigns are powered by institutional and volunteer leaders. Leveraging key relationships to maximize your campaign's success and ensuring outstanding experiences for those who contribute to your transformative effort is critical to realizing your monetary and engagement goals.

5:00–5:45

Faculty led Roundtable Discussions (optional)

5:45 PM ET

Conference Adjourns for the Day

 

10:15–10:45 AM ET

Faculty Office Hours (optional)

11:00 AM–12:00 PM

Resourcing a Campaign

Successful campaigns require both one-time, multi-year and permanent funding.

Successful campaigns require both one-time, multi-year and permanent funding to position the institution to meet the campaign goals. This session will provide an overview of today’s campaign funding realities. Considerations for financing your campaign, assessing current resources and needs, establishing appropriate staffing levels, and investments in additional resources (marketing, events, consultants, etc.) to prepare your university leaders and governing boards for the multi-year commitments to launch and celebrate the campaign.

12:15–1:15

Start to Finish: Keeping Campaign Momentum

How do you launch your campaign OR close your campaign during a pandemic? How do you stay focused on your goals in the midst of an ever-changing world? We will discuss the fundamentals of developing a powerful, inspiring campaign story, and engaging your full community.

1:45–2:45

Campaign Analytics

Evaluating the success and impact of a campaign is more than just managing the overall goal. The impacts of a campaign can cut across all fundraising programs and supporting departments. Analytics, often an embedded and critical function in prospect development, contribute to feasibility studies, goal setting, resourcing and optimizing processes along the way. In addition, analytics assists in successfully tracking and managing progress to goal and adjusting for risk and changing conditions. Our faculty will share components of analytics that are key to planning your campaign as well as evaluating impact along the way.

3:15–4:15

What’s Your Pleasure: Mini-Campaigns, Giving Days, Targeted Campaigns?

Whether conducted independently or under the larger “umbrella” structure of a comprehensive effort, mini-campaigns, giving days, and targeted campaigns can help accelerate your success. These time limited and focused fundraising opportunities help support campaign goals, drive key giving conversations forward, and expand the marketing and communication efforts to engage constituencies through the use of student and alumni stories and voices.

4:30–5:30

Supporting Presidents, School Heads, and Leadership During a Campaign 

Moderator: Jay Davenport, Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations, Virginia Commonwealth University

Panelists:

Mike Hirschfeld, Head of School, Kent School

Rebecca Kocher, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement, Wittenberg University

David L. Unruh, Senior Vice President, Institutional Advancement, Drexel University

Academic leaders are essential to the success of every capital campaign. The support, training, and counsel you provide academic leaders is the difference to achieving success and your campaign goals. This session will provide an overview of the keys to supporting academic leadership to achieve a successful campaign. You will learn what types of leadership you will need to work with on your campaign and what you can do to support the Gift Officers assigned to staff these leaders to ensure success.

5:30 PM ET

Conference Adjourns