Few phrases strike as much angst into a marketing and communications team as "complete redesign" and “website migration.” The entire process is fraught with potential UX, content, accessibility, design, SEO, and campus-relation pitfalls at every turn. In this session, the UAFS web team will share the strategies, tactics, and painful lessons learned during their website’s successful transition from antiquated to award-winning.

A milestone anniversary is often seen as a major cause for celebration. A time to look back and commemorate all that’s been - maybe round up some extra donor support. But for the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin, a big birthday is not a laurel to rest on. In this session, you will learn how McCombs’ Office of Marketing & Communications, Office of Development, and Office of the Dean came together in its centennial year to communicate innovation, human-centeredness, and empathy; to champion new voices and new perspectives in storytelling; and directly appeal to students, alumni, and supporters.

Some of your greatest champions live outside the US, but it's harder to keep them involved. Don't let borders and time zones limit your alumni relations! Extend your reach to alumni living around the world through strategic events, outreach, and relationships. Join this session to learn about and discuss why, when, and how to implement an effective international alumni engagement plan. We'll talk data, resources, ideas, best practices, and opportunities to create and sustain a vibrant global alumni community.

Join us as we walk through our efforts to revitalize The University of New Mexico Foundation’s Donor Acquisition (Annual Giving) program after years of under-funding and under-staffing. We will take the audience through our experience achieving growth of $1,000,000 from fiscal year 2019 to now by increasing trust with internal and external teams, creating structure and a firm foundation, and executing an omni-channel marketing strategy. We’ll bring a scalable guide to breathe new life back into your annual giving program with tangible action items, examples, and audience participation.

In Advancement, we strive to be steadfast and dependable. We ask donors to trust us with their money. We ask students and faculty to trust us with their futures. Is there really room for real innovation or failure? In an industry where trust, accountability and metrics matter, how do you take risks in your everyday work? In this session, we'll explore the struggle between achievement and innovation in fundraising. Whether you're a seasoned leader or a new fundraiser, you'll leave with at least one way to embrace risk-taking and encourage growth.

Hosted by the DIV O&I Committee This is an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, learn from each other's experiences, and build our professional network as we celebrate diversity. Together with allies we can continue to foster a supportive and inclusive environment where all individuals feel valued and respected, regardless of their background or identity. Allies are welcomed! Please RSVP by sending a PRIVATE MESSAGE at the top right corner of this post or via email to development@oxfordamerican.org . SPACE IS LIMITED. *Food and beverage not included.

Your donors and stakeholders understand the role your university plays in educating students...but do they appreciate how your faculty researchers are making the world a better place? Building your university's brand as a research institution requires a different approach, but when done well, it can be an incredibly compelling motivator for prospective donors and students alike. When the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) was classified as a Carnegie R1 institution in December 2021, we had the opportunity to lean in to our brand position as a research university. Attendees will gain insights into our metrics-driven, brand-advancing campaign that conveyed the impact of academic research to audiences who may not understand what it means, or why its worthy of their support.

This panel session will feature leaders of grant-making foundations in a facilitated discussion that addresses the following topics: effective cultivation and solicitation; what works in foundation fundraising (and what doesn't); diversity and inclusion from the lens of private foundation funders; and what foundations wish educational fundraisers would keep in mind. There will be time for some Q&A. This session will provide a rare glimpse into the perspectives of those to whom fundraisers are submitting proposals and seeking philanthropic support.

In this session, we will discuss the collection and importance of the CASE’s Alumni Engagement Metrics survey and how University of Houston continues to evolve in collecting their data. As early adopters and beta testers, University of Houston became one of the first institutions to take action using the results. Learn why measuring engagement really does drive outcomes and how your institution can take part in this important benchmarking project.

We all know the importance of discovery work, but it often gets pushed to the back burner. In this session we will talk about how newcomers to development, as well as established development professionals, can work with your internal partners to not only prioritize discovery, but embrace and truly enjoy cold calling.