Campaigns continue to drive philanthropic growth throughout higher education, but the traditional campaign model is changing. Institutions are using the lessons learned from traditional campaigns to innovate, with creative new approaches and responses to donors’ demand for institutional vision, transformative goals, and institution-wide engagement. This session will introduce emerging trends in contemporary campaigns and discuss the implications of “principal gifts.” We will explore how expectations for sources of campaign revenue are evolving and the inclusion of goals that are not measured in dollars. How has the role of volunteers adapted to our 24/7/365 world, and do they help or hinder? Whether your institution is in campaign, planning a campaign, or recovering from a campaign, this session seeks to challenge your thinking and inspire your work.

Every institution has interesting stories to tell from their history and we'll share real-time example of how we are telling our story at the University of Vermont. We found a dusty old scrapbook in the basement of our building from 1924 and spun it into a year-long storytelling project (with a $0 budget). We'll share how we planned the project; how we developed strategies for creating content; and how we are tying it into our alumni engagement and fundraising goals. If you are out of ideas for how communications and/or marketing can help with your alumni engagement and fundraising, this session is for you.

This session, led by two BIPOC leaders from McGill University's Advancement team, will facilitate a discussion around the reality of being BIPOC, and especially Black, in the fundraising field. Often we lack spaces to discuss how our perceived race changes how we engage with our donors and colleagues. Using prompts and guidance, this discussion with highlight the personal experiences of attendees as BIPOC fundraisers. We will also ask a basic but fundamental question: how have your respective organizations spearheaded DEI initiatives, and have they created palpable change? In addition to providing a safe space for personal discussions, we hope attendees will leave this session with concrete ways that workplaces can be authentically diverse while supporting their staff, and provide ways that we can all reflect on our positionality in the workplace and in society at large to ensure we are supporting are diverse workforce and creating more successful, engaged teams.

Are you ready to dive into the world of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and uncover the best solutions for higher education and advancement? Join us for an engaging and insightful session where we put three leading CRM platforms—Salesforce (Affinaquest, Kindsight) Slate for Advance, Raisers Edge, and Dynamics CRMs —head-to-head in a showdown that will reveal the strengths, weaknesses, and unique features of each system. We'll explore how each CRM handles data management, user experience, integration capabilities, and customization options. Discover which platform offers the best support for donor engagement and alumni relations. Whether you’re looking to streamline your institution’s operations, improve stakeholder engagement, or make data-driven decisions, this session will provide the clarity and insights needed to choose the right CRM for your unique needs.

BWF will facilitate this session and will highlight a panel of three nonprofit leaders on different CRM platforms.

Keeping it simple, doing more with less. In response to the pandemic, we fostered a culture of continuous communication that our community has come to expect and appreciate. To maintain and enhance this connection, we leverage diverse platforms to engage our audience and build stronger relationships. Our initiative highlights the stories of students, faculty, and staff through captivating video series, informative communications, and engaging podcasts. Join us to explore how these storytelling mediums have kept our community informed and strengthened our school’s sense of unity and shared purpose.

The number one way alumni wish to reconnect with their alma mater is through career ready programing, yet most campuses have a difficult time getting alumni affairs and career services to work together and support each other’s missions. The University of Hartford made a bold decision to merge the office of career services with the offices of alumni engagement and fundraising…. The result: hundreds of alumni volunteering annually and interacting with students while being cultivated towards giving. We also saw improved experiences for students, and enhanced levels of partnership with industry thanks to alumni employees.



Join this session to learn more about how career services, alumni engagement teams, and development officers can work together and achieve multiple goals. Learn about events and programs we have successfully brought to fruition at the University of Hartford and hear about lessons learned along the way.

Transform your approach to donor pipelines by using qualification protocols and data to identify and cultivate emerging major donors, especially those in the middle of the giving pyramid. We will discuss how leveraging innovative engagement strategies to build meaningful connections lead to significant and lasting philanthropic support for your institution. Participants will come away with tangible tips on how to implement qualification protocols to yield the most impact and how to create tailored and meaningful engagement opportunities to bring prospects closer to your organization, ultimately stewarding them to become top donors. To see this topic in action, we will leverage the example of Northeastern University’s recent development of a successful Leadership Giving Program aimed at cultivating, stewarding, and upgrading the university’s mid-level donors.

The road of philanthropy is not always straight. We have all left donor conversations feeling confused and unsure of the next steps needed to advance the relationship and gift discussion. In this interactive session, we will share examples of how internal and external partnerships can be instrumental in designing multi-step donor strategies and learn from one another how best to navigate the conversations that leave you saying “ok, now what?”