A few months ago, the world’s first fully autonomous fundraiser interacted with its first assigned donor. During this time, two dozen+ nonprofits joined together as cohorts to engage donors with an AI-powered Virtual Engagement Officer but more importantly research, develop, and accelerate the deployment of autonomous fundraising for our entire industry.

All nonprofits can relate to the fact that they have more donors and alumni than they have fundraisers with capacity to build relationships. This is precisely where autonomous fundraising changes what’s possible.

In this session, cohort members will present the results they’ve seen from autonomous fundraising – donors engaged, dollars raised, and pipeline built, in addition to their experience being the first organizations in the world to deploy a Virtual Engagement Officer to a portfolio of their donors.

We’ll present what we learned, what we got right, where course corrections were needed, and how we navigated AI in a field defined by relationships. We’ll share all of our findings including portfolios for autonomous fundraisers, sourcing engagement content independently, accuracy, transparency, ethics, and more.

Finally, we’ll conclude by looking at where we are going, how we can continue to further personalize donor journeys, push the outer limits of technology, and more.

In turbulent times many smaller institutionally-related foundations (IRF’s) are seeking alternative economic models to be fully self-sustaining. The Kean University Foundation’s economic model is unique and, we believe, cutting edge. As we enter our sixth year in our restructuring plan, and embark on our first comprehensive capital campaign in more than 15 years, the Foundation employs all staff and absorbs the costs associated with staff benefits, human resources, information technology, legal, etc. This presentation summarizes the funding and spending plan for the Kean University Foundation as well as the organization’s competitive cost per dollar raised.

Gift agreements are the foundation for fostering strong, long-lasting relationships with donors. A well-crafted gift agreement not only ensures clarity and alignment between the organization and the donor but also plays a crucial role in effective donor stewardship. In this session, Christina Chase, C.P.A., J.D., the CFO and COO of the UC San Diego Foundation, will share valuable insights and practical advice on creating and negotiating gift agreements that strengthen donor relationships and encourage future giving.

Whether you are a seasoned fundraiser or a nonprofit administrator, this session will provide you with the technical knowledge and practical tools needed to create gift agreements that foster trust, transparency, and long-term sustainability for your organization. Join to learn how to leverage the power of effective gift agreements in building stronger donor relationships and securing future gifts for your organization.

How do you figure out what is the correct thing to do when confronted by a challenging situation involving a donor or your organization? It is rare for a decision to be clearly and obviously right or wrong, so what tools exist to help fundraisers discern how to uphold the highest standards of professionalism? In this session, participants will have a brief introduction to ethical principles in the fundraising profession and then will review and evaluate 5-8 real world ethical scenarios covering everything from donor/fundraiser relationships, planned giving, donor influence, and organizational expectations for fundraisers. Particularly designed for newer members of the profession, this session will be highly interactive and participatory and will include time for discussion and questions.

Overview
In today’s philanthropic landscape, effective stewardship is crucial for building lasting relationships with donors and ensuring sustained support and retention of donors. As one of the few Stewardship departments in the country housed within a Marketing & Communications team, this session will focus on a reimagined stewardship program by detailing the development of a comprehensive stewardship handbook and the implementation of an innovative student scholarship “thank you” process, that went on to become a nationally award-winning CASE event, "Notes from the Nest." A key emphasis will be placed on fostering collaboration and partnership across campus and within the provost's office to enhance stewardship efforts.

Presidential transitions are a pivotal time for higher education institutions, but they don’t always happen when or how you’d expect. In the recent past, Oregon State University has experienced both planned and unplanned transitions. The OSU Foundation has learned that the way advancement offices manage relationships with donors, friends and alumni during these times is essential to the future of the university. Using concrete, real-life examples, this session will walk attendees through how Foundation and alumni teams can shape presidential transitions and foster strong presidential relationships with key audiences by creating a strong plan with measurable goals, tactics, milestones and impact reporting.

In this engaging session, our speaker will share their journey through the ups and downs of their first year in fundraising. Discover essential research techniques to identify and connect with potential donors, learn how to build powerful collaborations across departments, and explore innovative strategies that can transform your approach to advancement. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this session promises practical insights, inspiring stories, and a fresh perspective on navigating the dynamic world of higher education fundraising. Don't miss your chance to elevate your skills and soar to new heights!