NOTE: All session times listed are in ET (US & Canada).
View the Online Program
10:30–10:45 AM
Setting the Stage
Join conference chair, Lorna Somers, to meet the faculty, review conference highlights and learn how to get the most out of your time online.
10:45–11:45 AM
Running with Scissors: Top Development Tips for Academic Leaders
Ok. So now that we’ve established what we know to be a winning approach to Development, let’s get granular. With more than 30 years of experience seeing what truly has an ROI worthy of your investment of time, energy and calories, we’re going to address what we consider the key ingredients and some cases, requirements to either establish a focused, high-achieving Development program or to take yours to the next level.
11:45 AM–12:15 PM
Stretch Break
Use this time to move around a bit, check out resources in the library, or connect with fellow attendees though the live chat.
12:15–1:00
Elective Sessions (choose one of three)
The Winning Partnership
A true partnership between a Dean and their development officer is the key to successful fundraising but what does it take to create this type of relationship? In this moderated conversation, hear from a seasoned Dean and development officer as they discuss the importance of clear roles, responsibilities and expectations. They’ll also explore critical success factors to consider and implement as well as tips and attributes to make your partnership a winning one.
Powerful Storytelling & Building Your Case for Support
A call to adventure. A shared sense of direction. The ability to make a difference, an impact. A well-conceived and crafted Case for Support provides the foundation for our fundraising, communication and outreach strategies. And in truth, the community we hope to reach can extend well beyond our alumni base and internal stakeholders if we can capture our vision and ambition in a Case that is compelling and memorable. But today, in our Snapchat world, that’s not enough. We need to take the aspirations of our Case and engage the reader and listener through powerful storytelling that inspires engagement and action. This workshop will consider what it takes to achieve both.
Building a Donor Pipeline and Managing Your Portfolio
How do we find the most meaningful approach to organizing an Academic Leaders’ external work? We’ll discuss scenarios for relationship building activity at all levels and how this activity effects the organization of time and calendars. We’ll also explore strategies, tactics and assessment tools that can help advancement officers and academic leader partners achieve positive outcomes for their institutions.
1:00–1:15
Stretch Break
1:15–2:00
The Role of the Dean in Successful Development
The dean has a special role in successful development, including designing the case for support, deepening the engagement of top potential givers and participating in all phases of the Cycle. This session highlights important areas of development for deans and includes ideas and strategies to keep in mind throughout the rest of the conference and beyond.
2:00–2:15
Day 1 Debrief and Next Steps for Day 2
All Faculty
10:30–11:00 AM
Open Forum Discussions
Bring your breakfast or lunch and connect with peers to share best practices, ideas and support. Each group will receive discussion prompts and will be encouraged to participate in these interactive conversations on timely topics.
11:00–11:15
Transition Break
Wrap-up your conversations and prepare to login to the plenary session.
11:15 AM–Noon
From Our Deans’ Perspective
In this moderated conversation, three Deans will discuss their road to developing their fundraising skills, how they collaborate with their Development Officer, and what they value about the opportunity to engage personally with their institution’s donors. Hear about their successes and challenges as well as lessons learned.
Noon–12:15 PM
Stretch Break
12:15–1:00
Bespoke Development and the Art of Echoes
Successful, strategic Development cannot be characterized as simply a financial transition aimed at filling a need or addressing a shortfall. While requiring thoughtfully tailored planning and rigorous and consistent implementation, success is often defined by the art and creativity that complements the science because Development is, first and foremost, about relationship building. It is about introducing and attracting investment in and support for a vision that is compelling and engaging. So let’s dispel some myths, build on some truths and better understand an approach to Bespoke Development that will inform all of our sessions together.
1:00–1:30
Stretch Break
1:30–2:15
Elective Sessions (choose one of three)
The Keys to Purposeful Advisory Boards
Many institutions find that active and engaged volunteer committees are key components of successful development programs. But what are the actual benefits, and what kind of staffing and planning are necessary to create and nurture your volunteer advisory boards for development purposes? Participants are encouraged to share their successes and challenges in forming and working with advisory boards.
Anatomy of a Successful Donor Visit
We often think of a solicitation as a singular event, a meeting where we "ask for the order." In actuality, this is more than just a transactional visit and when done right it should ensure success at every stage of the solicitation process. Strategic and generative conversations are at the heart of our work. Questioning and listening are powerful life skills. First and foremost, they should help you create productive donor relationships. Using the five stages of the solicitation process, learn how to develop questions instead of talking points that will inform your gift strategy, advance relationships, and result in a joyful, generous "Yes" to your request.
Strategic Planning for Your Faculty
Creating development strategy is critical to an effective fundraising effort, and is less daunting than you think. We will explore the fundamentals of how deans and development professionals can craft and execute a solid development strategy in a way that will transfer to any context.
The Role of Data and Metrics in Your Advancement Program
You are committed to pursuing an ambitious advancement program but where do you start? Advancement programs should have access to robust information systems, and it can be easy to become overwhelmed and lost in the data. In this session, we’ll focus on how to use data to better understand our baseline and track record to date, what are the characteristics of success across our institution and sector. How can you achieve ambitious goals and manage expectations, through understanding your constituencies, prioritizing prospect activity, enhancing stewardship and allocating resources to achieve positive outcomes. We’ll share methods for tracking, reporting, surveying and other analytics that will inform and empower your teams for success.
2:15
Conference Adjourns for the Day
10:30–11:15 AM
From Our Donors’ Perspective
Enjoy this rare opportunity to hear directly from four remarkable philanthropists about their motivation and commitment to supporting higher education. This conversation will explore their experiences as donors, their philosophies for their philanthropy, and will offer insights into how they engage as leaders with institutions and what contributes to their decision to give. The discussion will also explore what our panelists expect from the institutions they support and their motivation to invest so generously.
11:15–11:45
Stretch Break
11:45 AM–12:30 PM
Recognition and Stewardship
All gifts must be recognized and any opportunity for recognition is also an opportunity for stewardship. In this session we’ll explore how to effectively involve potential supporters and past donors in the institution’s vision, ensuring that they feel meaningfully engaged and are receptive to an invitation to invest in that vision. And once you get that all important ‘yes’, we’ll address how stellar recognition and stewardship not only shows gratitude and fulfills our responsibilities but can also lead to the next gift.
12:30–12:45
Stretch Break
12:45–1:30
Transformational Gifts
Philanthropic investments that truly shape our institutions are rare, but the work that leads to these opportunities is ongoing. In this session, we will discuss how best to build the capacity to secure transformational gifts at your institution using a framework that looks at the various elements: The relationship with the donor, the academic leader, the vision, the business model, and extraordinary stewardship.
1:30–1:45
Final Thoughts
Please don’t leave quite yet! Join us for a pithy and inspiring wrap-up conversation that will highlight and prioritize what we’ve heard over the last 3 days. Faculty members will join in and share what they consider to be their top take-away as you shortly depart to wend your way back to your Mothership and continue your Development journey.
