In 2021, the NIU Foundation launched its crowdfunding program: NIU Impact. Since then, we have been able to work with campus partners and stakeholders to conduct targeted and time-sensitive campaigns that harness the power of volunteers and their individual networks. To date, we have raised over $340,000 from more than 2,300 donations, and have partnered with units in every division of campus.
For FY24, the annual giving team crafted an internal marketing plan to help grow the number of crowdfunding projects, as well as increase the number of donors and dollars raised. The result? Our fall 2023 cohort of projects was the largest to date, with donors making over 450 gifts totaling more than $50,000, and we are on track to have the highest number of donors and dollars raised in a fiscal year.
In addition, for FY24 we shifted from group-based training sessions for crowdfunding partners, to a collection of asynchronous training videos. This change resulted in time-savings for both our staff and participants, and can be used again for futures cohorts.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has undergone a few hype cycles— neural networks, expert systems, and deep learning. But the latest advancements in large language models have sparked everyone's imagination, and the possibilities seem limitless. In the past 15 years, the nonprofit industry benefitted from prospect identification using statistical models and machine learning. What does the next 15 years look like when AI touches every aspect of fundraising? While we can't predict the future, we can explore the possibilities. In this session, you will understand how Artificial Intelligence started and how it has evolved, its current applications, and three ways it might impact fundraising with examples. Let's dive into the world of AI and fundraising together!

The benefits of education combined with the power of visual storytelling should make the work of marketing and fundraising campaigns easier than what they are. Yet even in a narrative environment with the best laid plans, there can be missteps and failures to launch. Pulitzer-Prize-winning and Cannes Lions-awarded photographer/director Alex Garcia will pull back the curtain on several videos for education clients to show how to recognize and avoid common traps no matter where in advancement you sit - from concept to execution, from subject selection and story direction to music choices and interview techniques. Please arrive by 12:00 pm to ensure you receive lunch service.

Who doesn’t love great perks? But wait… I can only give out those amazing alumni bumper stickers for so long. Building a lifelong relationship with alumni is critical, especially in an era when the value of higher education is being questioned right and left. Join this candid discussion on the “perks” of being a graduate during this interactive session aimed to help you walk away with a few ideas to try at your institution, no matter the size. Move from trinkets towards engagement while adding tangible value and loyalty to build your institution’s affinity through your alumni base.

Learn how a team of volunteers, guided by major gift officers, leveraged a matching gift opportunity to successfully raise significant funds for a longstanding scholarship program. You will hear directly from two of the volunteers who were engaged in this effort, and learn about the specific strategies you could employ to see similar success.

The expansion of a team typically signals success, pointing to an innovative group in need of additional resources to further pursue and amplify their objectives. Growth on a team is exciting and also has its challenges, especially in the field of relationship management. In this session, we will offer insights on how a team can survive and thrive through changes and growth, while maintaining and enhancing strong internal and external relationships and partnerships. How do we transfer consistent relationships when we are still part of the team but in a different role or region? How do we encourage our new teammates to take the lead on a project or relationship that we formerly led? When do we decide the transition period is over? These questions, though easily answered during a team exit, appear more challenging as a team grows and relationships and partnerships evolve. We invite you to participate in this thought-provoking session on harnessing change and growth to augment your team's success and innovation quotient amid the fluidity of the higher education landscape!

Getting the attention of donors, alumni and other audiences is essential to meaningful engagement. This includes creating genuine connections to keep audiences engaged. So how to do you maximize these efforts without creating team burn-out?

This presentation will share how the University of Nebraska College of Business team capitalized on key event components to create on-going donor engagement, stewardship opportunities and educate future donors across multiple audiences. Discover more about how you can maximize events and event components to generate new funds, increase existing funds or garner new buy-in while stewarding current relationships and educating future donors. Gain insight about how to strategically capitalize on what you may already be doing to meaningfully impact donors, alumni and other stakeholders.

Are you growing tired of the same Giving Day messaging year after year? In an industry where the stakes are constantly evolving, it is important to keep your marketing and communications strategy fresh and innovative. In this interactive session, Wayne State University will share specific examples of how we reinvigorated our branding, messaging and visibility after many standard iterations. Bring questions and suggestions from your institution, and we'll have a lively discussion about how to lead with creativity for maximum results.

Reunion celebrations are the culmination of a year's worth of event planning, volunteer engagement, fundraising, and outreach. So why not start the festivities sooner? Join the University of Chicago team to gain insight into additional opportunities for reunion programming and team collaboration to build momentum for Reunion Weekend and class giving. This session will discuss spreading the magic of reunion milestones throughout the year with pre-reunion engagement, collaborating with signature events, and empowering your volunteers to connect the importance of philanthropy with their class milestone to make reunion a success.

Portfolio management approaches are constantly evolving. From utilizing analytics to track portfolio performance to consulting with Prospect Development for routine portfolio reviews to determining the most helpful key performance indicators for leaders to stay up-to-date with their fundraisers' portfolios, today's fundraising climate requires a customized approach to portfolio management. Fundraisers contribute expertise about donors and prospects. Prospect development staff provide expertise with new ways to look at portfolios.

Join us as we discuss a unique hybrid approach to evolving portfolio management. This approach can be applied in large and small shops as a winning partnership with advancement services and development teams.