What does it mean to lead a philanthropy program that aligns with your school's values? Can philanthropy be inclusive and transformative at the same time?
Philanthropy is a powerful display of community engagement and when fundraisers lead with the school's values, the act of giving can foster a sense of joy and belonging for all members of the community. This session will inspire senior fundraising professionals, heads of school, and trustees to work in partnership to make all donors feel seen and valued. Attendees will walk away with tools for making the ask inclusively - honoring the donor and the needs of the school.

Ethics in philanthropy is of vital interest to all who work with donors, financial advisors, academic colleagues, and volunteers. Gift acceptance policies, state ethics requirements, the IRS, and others help guide our decision-making and help us make decisions. But, there are many, "What if's?" in philanthropy and this session will aid decision-makers in their pursuit to maintain high ethical standards.

This moderated conversation will dive into the crucial topic of nurturing diversity within the field of advancement. Attendees will gain insights into effective strategies for recruiting, retaining, including, and promoting talent from diverse backgrounds in advancement roles. We will share our own experience and practical tips to help organizations create inclusive and equitable environments, fostering the growth of talent from diverse backgrounds through early, mid, and senior leadership. Join us and participate in an engaging discussion that promises to drive positive change in your institution advancement staff.

The co-presenters will share their professional, real-world experiences with the challenges of workplace change while drawing upon academic research and advice from Disney's live-action and animated canons. Participants will learn skills and tactics to positively approach change and workplace challenges with grace and grit. Have you ever wanted to receive personalized advice from Walt Disney, Mary Poppins, Jiminy Cricket, or your own fairy godmother? Now is your chance!

In light of the Supreme Court's recent decision regarding the consideration of race in university admission processes, and the continued attacks on civil rights across the country, it is imperative that we continue to identify strategies for engaging diverse alumni communities through a social justice lens. We have also learned a great deal through the COVID-19 pandemic about how to serve and connect with alumni through virtual tools. This session will provide insight into how the UCLA Alumni Diversity Programs and Initiatives team has identified and employed new approaches, strategies and tools for engaging in life-long learning and relationship building with the diverse alumni communities that we serve. We will discuss how we define and operationalize a social justice lens that is nimble and capable of evolving in relation to the dynamic needs and interests of our alumni. We will also discuss the framework we utilize for fostering sustainable alumni engagement for identity-based alumni networks. We will then describe some of the key programming efforts and digital content that we have developed both virtually and in a hybrid format to connect with our alumni, and discuss both our successes and the challenges that we encountered. We will close with a list of our best practices for how any alumni leader, committed to both alumni engagement and social change, can assess their current offerings and begin to explore new possibilities for better serving and uplifting diverse alumni voices.

Engaging volunteers as advocates and ambassadors involves fostering connections and relationships through meaningful engagement opportunities. These opportunities can take the form of volunteer boards and councils, advisors, network connectors, mentors, pipeline enhancement, and beyond. Learn how to create meaningful engagement opportunities for volunteers at all levels to support your university's mission, vision, and priorities while creating deep relationships with volunteer individuals. By creating a vibrant and supportive volunteer ecosystem, universities can maintain a strong sense of community, increase fundraising efforts, and provide lifelong value to their constituents.

Do you approach problems differently? Do you wish more collaboration was happening? Have you ever felt like you’re not a "traditional" fundraiser?
In an ever-evolving philanthropic landscape, the traditional norms of fundraising are giving way to a vibrant tapestry of diverse backgrounds, approaches, and personalities which requires more diverse fundraising professionals.
This presentation aims to celebrate and harness the power of these differences, showcasing how they contribute to the success of philanthropic endeavors. From overcoming Imposter Syndrome to embracing DEI as a guiding principle to bringing your best self to work to being a catalyst for collaboration; our presentation will help you feel empowered because you are YOU!
By highlighting these distinct perspectives, we can create a more inclusive and effective future for philanthropic engagement.
In a world where philanthropy's impact is shaped by the convergence of diverse experiences, personalities, and ideas: this presentation serves as encouragement to challenge the status quo. Through embracing collaboration, championing diversity, and being YOU; we can redefine what it means to be a fundraiser and usher in a new era of meaningful and sustainable change.

Ready, Set, Go - Pomona College’s Technology Transformation

Get ready to hear all about the working plan that will transform and ascend Pomona College’s Advancement Operations into the future. Shalonda Martin and Rodger Devine join Caroline Chang and Karen Latora in an open discussion about their plan and pathway to their new CRM Digital Transformation Project.

Learn all about what it took to get to that Go Moment. The moment they began this journey. The team will talk about:

Budget
Communications
Staffing
System Selection
Implementation

Hear the real scoop, to help you in your planning and journey towards your own Technology Transformation.

At the intersection of UBC’s vision to inspire people, ideas and actions for a better world and its institutional mission to foster discourse, knowledge exchange and engagement, UBC mobilizes EDI-related research and expert knowledge to spotlight and encourage discourse around JEDI issues/topics. This session highlights the journey the Brand and Marketing team is on to build inclusive marketing capacities and diversify its content and storytelling to uplift under-represented, marginalized and equity-deserving voices at UBC and beyond. Marketing communications professionals will hear how a holistic inclusive marketing approach has helped UBC live its commitment to anti-racism and inclusive excellence.

For too long, college and university alumni and donor engagement strategies have relied on the programs of old - reunions, committees, gift societies, boards, and events - that are open to everyone but not always welcoming to all. In the digital age of virtual activities and social media - and as my 101 grandma from Georgia would have said - "ain't nobody got time for that!" Join us as we take engagement apart piece by piece through a series of exercises that will reveal new directions for your alumni and donor initiatives centered around the identities they create with their alma mater. Our core questions will include:
(1) What are the unwritten promises on a college diploma?,
(2) How do we address our constituents' library of needs?, and
(3) What do we want alumni and donors to be saying about the value of engagement with us?
Set your expectations high for a challenging workshop and discussion. To participate, you will need:
*A blank piece of 8.5"x11" paper
*A pen
*Six notecards
*An openness for first-draft thinking and
*sharing not-yet-fully-formed thoughts with you peers.