In the past year, the value of a college degree has faced scrutiny, tuition prices have climbed in reaction to inflated operational expenses, and Supreme Court rulings have shaken up the education sector. These challenges have exposed how critical endowments are to institutional sustainability, growth, and financial health. Our work as fundraising professionals in this sector has never been more important, and the need for a strong endowment has never been more significant. Join this panel discussion to hear development and advancement leaders from across District II weigh in on how they are making the case for endowment at their institutions. The group will discuss how their students, faculty, and communities have benefited from endowment-focused efforts and offer strategies to motivate, solicit, and steward endowment prospects.

Quality communications work resonates with a broad swath of constituents and brings everyone into the conversation - it makes everyone feel included. How often, though, have you crafted a social media campaign, a print magazine, an admission or marketing piece, a video, only to hear from your Diversity, Equity, and Belonging team that you shouldn't use it? Or even worse, you didn't ask them for feedback and ended up hearing from a segment of your community that you missed the mark and possibly alienated a group of families or alumni? In this session, we will discuss not only the importance of fully integrating a DEB/DEI lens into your communications work, but best practices for creating a culture that allows both programs to thrive.

Join us for a dynamic and interactive workshop designed to outline a DEIB program created in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, that has sustained and expanded efforts to engage the development and alumni relations staff at Johns Hopkins University in their personal journey, create opportunities to learn from colleagues at regional educational institutions, and build a pipeline of underrepresented college students to consider a profession in development. We will discuss the evolution of DRIVE (Diversity, Race, Inclusion, Vulnerability, Equity) from 2020, how we engage development executive leadership in the process, and some of the challenges of sustainability.

In a year when Barbie is breaking major records at the box office, more women are holding the highest political positions globally, the female labor force rate is historically high, and entertainers like Taylor Swift and Beyonce have boosted economies worldwide, the collective power of women should not be underestimated. As the fastest-growing charitable group globally, women are earning more educational degrees than men, holding many leadership positions in the workplace, and making the majority of consumer decisions in the home. Yet, most universities have not revised their antiquated fundraising practices to reflect this new certainty. This presentation inclusive of facilitated discussion will focus on the different motivations and patterns for giving between genders. By not embracing these differences, advancement shops are leaving money on the table and losing out on valuable insights, passion, and power with those who identify as women, a critical market segment that all we should all be talking about. Schools large and small can learn valuable information, discuss strategy, and hear compelling case studies about women’s philanthropy while learning how to implement a new philanthropic paradigm that embraces women's authenticity, empowerment, leading to impressive increases in philanthropic investment.

This past year, members of Rochester Institute of Technology’s advancement team launched a highly innovative approach to building a comprehensive engagement plan with the ultimate goal of matching strategy across teams.
This divisional approach to understanding and prioritizing both individual and university fundraising priorities transformed a simple fiscal year calendar into a robust plan of dynamic and creative engagement strategies that extend beyond traditional events.
Learn how the realignment to shared goals and purposeful activity can propel your entire team through a year’s worth of high-value engagement opportunities that strengthen the donor pipeline and unite your organization within a shared strategy.

Recently completing the inaugural year of the Georgetown University Alumni Association Black Alumni Council, we are excited to share the story of how this inspired group came to be. The group was formed in response to a desire for a more meaningful and tailored approach to the engagement and empowerment of Black alumni. Join us as we share the Black alumni leaders’ vision, the partnership with university and alumni association leaders, and the integrated approach to affinity groups. The Black Alumni Council is the first alumni affinity group of Georgetown University and sets the precedent for all Georgetown University Alumni Association affinity groups moving forward.

Over the course of any advancement professional’s career, you likely will encounter difficult conversations or situations. What do you do when someone is inappropriate, you are in an uncomfortable situation, or a constituent's values are different from the institution's. As a manager, what are ways you can support your staff? In this interactive session, a panel of advancement professionals will discuss strategies to scenarios submitted by the audience.

Fundraisers and DEI leaders are tasked with navigating the multifaceted world of philanthropy – a world influenced by both explicit and implicit biases. Implicit biases, often subconscious, can profoundly influence our decision-making processes and, in turn, the design of our data systems. This potentially results in the collection and interpretation of skewed or one-dimensional data. In this session will dive deep into:
• Understanding One-Dimensional Data: Recognizing its limitations in capturing the complexities of racial equity in philanthropy and the possible negative implications.
• The Power of Predictive Analytics: Exploring its pivotal role in recognizing and addressing racial dynamics, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and equitable philanthropic landscape.
• Practical Tools for Equitable Outcomes: Introducing Asset and Transformation Mapping as key methods to achieve sustainability and fairness in philanthropic impact.
Join us as we unravel the nuances of racial equity in fundraising and provide actionable insights for harnessing data for a just and equitable philanthropic future.

Whether you're steering a large university through a comprehensive brand overhaul or guiding an independent school with limited resources, this session promises to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to initiate a successful brand transformation journey. Presenters from Temple University and The Philadelphia School, both leading educational institutions in the city of Philadelphia, will join together alongside their creative partners from 160over90 and J2 to deliver an interactive discussion to help audience members explore how their school’s rebrand can be a welcome reset to help them move them move their institutions forward. This is serious business, but we’re going to have fun. In this engaging presentation, we'll explore innovative and cost-effective strategies that can be implemented by schools of all sizes. From creating a compelling brand narrative to leveraging digital platforms for maximum impact, our expert speakers will share real-world examples and success stories that demonstrate the transformative power of strategic branding. We’ll dig into identifying the right timing, understanding the commitment needed from your leadership, how to build inclusion, consensus, and joy in every step of the process. You’ll hear firsthand what it takes to find your school’s authentic identity and then clearly and impactfully articulate it to the world.