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CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conference 2024
CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conference 2024
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85 Results Found
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Planned Giving Pointers for Every Program
Add the planned giving arrow to your fundraising quiver. Programmatically and individually, schools and their fundraisers have much to gain from talking with prospective donors about planned giving. But many don’t. This session will explore key rationale for strengthening or building your school’s planned giving program and why you should be expecting every fundraiser to secure planned gift intentions from constituents. The session will also help attendees overcome the common stumbling blocks that often get in the way of having these conversations. In a case study, we will look at how one school used an historic bequest intention as a catalyst to increase the focus on planned giving. Whether in or between campaigns, discussing planned giving with your school’s prospects is good for your institution and your donors. Come and learn strategies for doing so.
Speakers: Elizabeth Farr, Senior Vice President, Grenzebach Glier and Associates (GG+A), T. Mark Aimone, Director of Advancement, Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Competencies: Strategic ThinkingIndustry or Sector Expertise
Topics: Major giftsPlanned giving
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Advancement Data Storytelling, Board Reporting, and Dashboard…oh my!
Harvard professor Howard Gardner wrote, “Stories are the single most powerful tool in a leader’s toolkit.” Advancement professionals and Heads of School are tasked with presenting complex advancement data to support mission-driven, data-informed change. Leaders can utilize data storytelling to clarify priorities, create shared understanding, and build a culture of leveraging philanthropy to fuel institutional progress. Effectively pairing data storytelling and data visualization allows for strategic agility and addressing tough questions from the leadership team and board of trustees. Dive into the art of taking the “numb” out of the numbers.
Speakers: Ari Betof, Co-Founder & Partner, Mission & Data, Dan Hickey, Head of School, Upland Country Day School, Mike Kegler, Senior Data Architecture and Visualization Consultant, Mission & Data
Competencies: LeadershipBusiness and Financial Acumen
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Respecting Your School's History Without Letting it Define You
For the past two-plus years at Brooklyn Friends School, "Arti-Facts"—a short story about an aspect of our school's history—has anchored our digital, weekly newsletter. Each week "Arti-Facts" looks back at a moment in time from BFS' history and is written in a very light-hearted, but informational way. This has caught on very well with our entire community. The main goal is to be able to share key moments in our school's history—which dates back to 1867—and put a spin on the story that applies, and relates, to today's families. These subject of these stories range from former students, colleagues, moments in time, the buildings our school occupies, etc. It is a great way to share history of the school with our current families and alums in a very approachable way. This session will demonstrate how pieces of your school's history are still relevant today and how the past often ties together with the present. How you can define their school's current mission, using past events and moments, without that event or moment defining who the school is. In other words, the event, person, or moment is critical to the story being told, but not necessarily to the outcome and the end result of the message you are trying to get across. This session is intended to be interactive—to help all school's tell their great stories—past and present.
Speakers: Brett Topel, Director of Communications and Marketing, Brooklyn Friends School
Competencies: Industry or Sector Expertise
Experience Level: All Levels
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
The Annual Fund Is A Team Sport!
In the realm of philanthropy and fundraising, the concept of annual giving often brings to mind individual contributions. However, the success of an annual giving program is increasingly reliant on the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders. This session explores the idea of annual giving as a team sport, where the synergy between donors, volunteers, staff, and the broader community drives a shared mission forward and makes game-winning shots. By examining Westminster’s annual fund program and strategies, this session will shed light on the importance of fostering a collective mindset engaging all participants in the journey of philanthropy, and share tactics for how to develop an integrated fundraising and marketing strategy to increase donor acquisition and meet campaign goals.
Speakers: Tiffany Wooten, Director of Annual Giving, The Westminster Schools, Liz Ball, Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications, The Westminster Schools
Competencies: Industry or Sector ExpertiseRelationship Building
Experience Level: Level 2
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Growing Your Endowment Through Gala Fundraising
Hear how Oakwood has utilized a dual fund approach to annual fundraising. While maintaining our traditional Annual Fund campaign, we have also built a philanthropic culture around supporting our annual gala, The Special Event. We will share useful tips on how this singular event has driven significant revenue growth and doubled our endowment in 10 years.
Speakers: Nancy Leptuch Virrey, Director of Advancement, Oakwood School, Christina Shirinyan, Associate Director of Advancement, Oakwood School
Competencies: LeadershipStrategic Thinking
Experience Level: Level 5
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Code Red: The Urgent Lessons Schools Can Learn From Hospital Fundraising
Healthcare and education employ different financial models and yet the increasing costs in both sectors have led to intense pressure on fundraising staff. The pace can be harrowing, and the pressure intense. This interactive session will explore what we in education can learn from our counterparts in healthcare fundraising.
In general, hospital fundraisers operate in a world of need and speed. There is typically a shorter cultivation period as compared to the time we take building a relationship with alumni or parents. Development professionals may connect with patient prospects the day they are admitted for medical care or shortly thereafter. We will demonstrate how shortening the cultivation period with certain constituents can be just as successful in a school setting.
Urgent fundraising is also necessary as hospitals experience fluctuating revenue from their payers, from insurance companies to government contracts, and so many aging hospitals are in desperate need of renovation and replacement. What can we learn from the way hospitals managers and fundraisers respond to these pressures? We will look at short cuts and disruptive techniques some healthcare fundraisers have applied, from mini feasibility studies and mini campaigns, to the creative use of volunteers, the elimination of volunteer groups and heavier reliance on professional fundraisers.
Finally, participants will explore the transferable benefits of grateful patient programs and related family fundraising strategies. These programs provide a pathway that connects clinicians and hospital executives to fundraising. We will explore how your own school's life transforming student stories can provide a foundation to engage Heads of Schools and leadership in philanthropy training that feels authentic to all.
In general, hospital fundraisers operate in a world of need and speed. There is typically a shorter cultivation period as compared to the time we take building a relationship with alumni or parents. Development professionals may connect with patient prospects the day they are admitted for medical care or shortly thereafter. We will demonstrate how shortening the cultivation period with certain constituents can be just as successful in a school setting.
Urgent fundraising is also necessary as hospitals experience fluctuating revenue from their payers, from insurance companies to government contracts, and so many aging hospitals are in desperate need of renovation and replacement. What can we learn from the way hospitals managers and fundraisers respond to these pressures? We will look at short cuts and disruptive techniques some healthcare fundraisers have applied, from mini feasibility studies and mini campaigns, to the creative use of volunteers, the elimination of volunteer groups and heavier reliance on professional fundraisers.
Finally, participants will explore the transferable benefits of grateful patient programs and related family fundraising strategies. These programs provide a pathway that connects clinicians and hospital executives to fundraising. We will explore how your own school's life transforming student stories can provide a foundation to engage Heads of Schools and leadership in philanthropy training that feels authentic to all.
Speakers: Beth Crutcher, Director of Development, Lawrence Academy, Bridget Murphy, Chief Growth Officer, Graham Pelton
Competencies: Strategic ThinkingIndustry or Sector Expertise
Experience Level: All Levels
Topics: Major giftsParent engagement
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Contention, Crisis, and Advancement: Dealing with Community Polarization
Major donors at many colleges criticized their schools’ response to the Israel-Hamas war and publicly threatened to withhold charitable gifts. At independent schools, the pushback tended to be more focused on community letters. How can the advancement office navigate global events and extreme polarization to achieve goals? In this session, we’ll look at research findings from psychology, neurology, and political science to better understand why our society feels intractably divided. We’ll dive into tabletop exercises to work through challenging scenarios that independent school advancement offices face, and we’ll examine ways advancement can help to bring the school community closer together.
Speakers: Myra McGovern, Vice President, Media, National Association of Independent Schools
Competencies: Emotional IntelligenceGlobal and Cultural Competence
Experience Level: All Levels
Topics: Parent engagement
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM CT
Cutting Through The Noise: A Unique Approach To Boosting Constituent Engagement
We face a lot of challenges as we compete for the attention of our constituents. How is it possible to cut through the noise to not only capture constituents’ attention, but engage them in a way that causes them to take action? This session will explore how easy it can be to elevate your school’s engagement with a few simple steps to amplify your message. We'll share how our team uses personal outreach, events, print materials, digital communication, and social media to create epic experiences.
Speakers: Shelley Baumgarten, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement, The Hill School, Claudia Buzad, Multimedia Content Creator, The Hill School
Competencies: Strategic ThinkingRelationship Building
Experience Level: All Levels
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM CT
From Hashtags to High Enrollments: Digital-First School Marketing
In today's digitally driven world, effective school marketing has transcended traditional methods and embraced the power of online platforms. "From Hashtags to High Enrollments: Digital-First School Marketing" is a dynamic session designed to equip educators, administrators, and communications professionals with the strategies and tools needed to harness the potential of digital marketing for boosting enrollment, enhancing brand presence, and meeting advancement goals. This interactive workshop will delve into the intricacies of crafting compelling content, leveraging social media, and optimizing digital channels to drive engagement, increase enrollment, and strengthen community connections. Join us to unlock the potential of digital-first marketing and discover how to transform digital strategies into measurable action items that can boost enrollment and fundraising, elevating your school's visibility and reputation in the digital realm.
Speakers: Thea Dodds, Director of Digital Marketing & Brand Strategy, Holderness School, Greg Kwasnik, Director of Publications & Creative Content, Holderness School
Competencies: Industry or Sector ExpertiseStrategic Thinking
Experience Level: Level 3
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM CT
An Inflationary Tale of an Ambitious Building Project
Have you ever been part of a project or initiative that has changed in scope in the midst of planning due to changing needs of program, evolving economic circumstances, long range ambitions of your institution and/or all of the above? The need for the Marksman Athletic Complex at St. Mark's was born out of a devastating tornado that damaged most of the campus and leveled the school's primary athletic facility months before the pandemic. Replacing and enhancing this core facility represented the largest project in school history. The team at St. Mark's set out to secure required funding for the project in a short time frame, highlight the importance of annual giving, lay the groundwork for a comprehensive campaign and highlight the role of athletics as part of a robust curriculum. Learn and discuss how the execution of a monumental endeavor in the life of one school can apply to any team striving to achieve critical success when the goalpost is moving.
Speakers: Scott Jolly, Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs, St. Mark's School of Texas, Tim Crouch, Director of Development, St. Mark's School of Texas
Competencies: Strategic ThinkingIndustry or Sector Expertise
Topics: Major giftsSpecial Events