Diversity within a nonprofit Board is a catalyst for organizational success. The more diverse a Board is, the broader the set of perspectives is in decision making. In a one-on-one conversation, hear how Smith College is approaching diversifying their Board. We will hear about successes achieved to date as well as activity currently underway. Beth Raffeld will share firsthand experiences and strategies for building an inclusive board that aligns with your mission and goals. Focused on Leadership and Strategic Thinking, this session aims to provide attendees with concrete tools for fostering diversity, equity and inclusion among their volunteer leadership that enhances fundraising efficacy and mission alignment.

Audiences will be encouraged to share their own experiences during a live Q&A session. Learning objectives include identifying barriers to board diversity and understanding how to strategically overcome them. Whether you're working on diversifying your Board or feel you’ve already made progress on this front, this session will offer valuable insights for immediate implementation. Come prepared to engage in meaningful dialogue that will inform your next steps in building a diverse Board.

Dive into the vibrant tapestry of Parent and Family Giving at Brown University. Learn about the Brown family community, how we build it, and foster its relationship with the University. Discover the ways in which Brown’s Parent and Family Giving team connects families through meaningful opportunities for intellectual engagement, volunteerism, and philanthropy.

Let's dive into enhancing and growing your senior gift campaign. This workshop aims to provide participants with insights and practical tools to elevate their institutions' senior gift initiatives, from lessons learned at a peer institution. We will explore avenues to engage and inspire graduating seniors, that aims to foster a culture of philanthropy that extends beyond graduation.

Whether you are a seasoned advancement professional or new to the annual fund program, this session will give you a few ideas to try at your own institution. Join us to unlock the full potential of your senior gift program and make a lasting impact on both your donors and the future of your institution.

The past three years have been exceptionally challenging for the philanthropic sector. Market conditions have fluctuated drastically, and social conditions change every day. On March 13, 2020, at the very start of real social and economic uncertainty, the University of Southern Maine (USM) voted in their first Zoom meeting ever to proceed with a $46 million comprehensive campaign. In June 2023, USM closed their campaign over goal ($50 million raised) and two years ahead of schedule. In this session, we will explore how this public regional comprehensive university kept focused and resilient amidst turbulent market conditions, an unpredictable philanthropic environment, presidential and Cabinet-level transitions, and a challenging capital approval process. We will pose several scenarios to the audience for group discussion and hear from USM how they tackled these challenges and turned them into opportunities.

In music the most basic chords are based in a triad, three notes that become something better, something magical, when played together. Likewise, in our work in higher education advancement and philanthropy there are three basic experiences that are the building blocks for success. Research has shown that these three experiences are equally meaningful for individuals at any stage of involvement from student, to involved volunteer, to major donor. In this session you will learn more about this magical triad and how you can build upon it to create success throughout the engagement pipeline.

Let’s face it, not every advancement team is built the same. But that doesn’t mean they can’t raise the same (and even better).

While being a member of a smaller team certainly poses challenges, it forces its members to embrace critical thinking, innovative ideas, and modern technology. In this session, you’ll learn about how Central Catholic High School, with an eight person team, did just that and exceeded their goals thanks to multi-channel communications, a unique approach to alumni volunteers, automated donor comment collection, and more repeatable low-touch strategies. When you leave this session, you’ll be ready to smash your goals by embracing efficient and modern marketing techniques and technologies.

Are you ready to save time and engage more?

Leveling the playing field for all families. More and more institutions are creating family engagement roles outside of the advancement office to better serve the general population of families. In this session, we’ll share our strategies and structures at our individual institutions, and highlight essential internal and external partners. Join us to learn how to engage and educate the parents and families that you serve.