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.

Following on their well-received session from the 2023 CASE VIII conference (Old Skool vs. New and Cool: The Changing Look of Campaigns), Tamara and Lisa will lead a countdown of 10 tactics to set up for campaign success. They will highlight important areas of focus in campaign planning, sharing creative examples of successful work, lessons learned, and what to avoid. Set your institution up for campaign success by planning ahead, learning from peers, and making connections, and gathering creative ideas.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a standard strategic tool for many industries. For most advancement programs, it presents an untapped opportunity to prioritize predictable and sustainable gift revenue, grow recurring giving, maximize ROI on fundraising costs, and catalyze other important strategic decisions. This session will provide context on AI in the broader environment, with special emphasis on AI in advancement and the opportunities that exist today, supported by real-world examples.

The act of visiting donors and prospects face to face has never been more important. This interactive session will frame why face to face work still matters for all development professionals and will provide tip and ideas for those at all levels of experience.

The University of California Merced graduated its inaugural class of undergraduates in 2009. As the newest campus within the UC system, the average age of UC Merced alumni is only 28 years old. By establishing a special “Alumni Scholarship Endowment” giving program, the university has been able to transition its young alumni from supporters and advocates to major gift donors. This giving program also includes a special “signing ceremony” event that not only deepens their commitment to their alma mater, but promotes giving and demonstrates impact to their colleagues, family, and friends. Join this session to learn more about generational giving, how UC Merced engages its young alumni population, and secures transformative gifts.

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.

Many institutions have models that measure audience engagement. Similar to a Swiss army knife, it is often the case that only one to two “blades” get regularly used. Are there more creative ways to use these models to their full potential?

The University of Calgary strategically embeds depth measures — engagement points that go beyond a passive click or mention — from our Engagement Scoring Model into planning market segmentation, the construction of prospect pipelines, and projecting future and at-risk engagement trajectories. UCalgary’s model is iterative and we are constantly improving it to accurately capture the changing landscape of opportunities and initiatives available for alumni, donors, and community members to engage with the university.

Join UCalgary to learn how we utilize every one of the tools in our Swiss army knife and pave the road to the bold goal of tripling engagement by 2030 as part of the institutional Ahead of Tomorrow strategy.

Private universities have been raising millions of dollars from parents every year for decades, yet many public universities have yet to tap into this oft-forgotten constituency. Parents can be a lucrative source of philanthropic support if approached in a thoughtful, cohesive and consistent way. In this presentation Michelle Glenn, Senior Executive Director of Advancement, Campus Colleges and Schools, University of Utah, will cover the internal obstacles one may need to overcome before starting a parent giving program, the differences between cultivating parents vs alumni, and the key components of a successful parent giving program.