Learn how to grow your faculty and staff giving campaigns by simply using some tried and true techniques. Towson University had an historic FY19 with more than 1,000 faculty and staff donors, and all it took was some fine tuning and strategic implementation of various techniques. Find out how they did it.

All institutions have a priority to focus on student and young alumni fundraising, knowing these donors will become our future major and principal gift donors. Cornell’s investment in using Venmo as a payment option shows the innovative approach we’ve taken to meeting these donors where they feel comfortable. Explore the strategic partnerships that had to happen to get the project off the ground, the technological choices made to ensure the security of the platform and data integrity, and the case for student giving.

Ever wondered WHY video is such a powerful engagement tool? Get to know your brain and learn the physiological reasons why video has the ability to create better open, click-through, and conversion rates than any other messages. Learn how to use this knowledge to create video content that is specifically designed to leverage the most compelling aspects of the medium. Spoiler alert: Effective video marketing and advancement communications can be cheap, easy, AND effective.

Learn the essentials of creating an impactful student ambassador group that supports and benefits alumni relations and the annual fund. The student group works with both offices to promote beloved college traditions and educate their peers about the impact of philanthropy. Learn how to start a student organization, how to create student on-campus programs and communications, how to engage students into alumni programs, and how to assess the success of how the group helps achieve aumni and annual fund goals.

In 2017, Villanova University reimagined its regional “Chapter Challenge” from a competition heavily influenced by major university donors to a competition run by the people, for the people. Meet “The Nova Challenge,” a four-day giving campaign where regional clubs appeal to their members and raise funds that go directly back to the local club community through operations and local student scholarships. Find out how a partnership between alumni relations and annual giving can increase donor participation, create a little competition, and fund your university’s regional club program.

As part of a comprehensive fundraising strategy, events and direct response campaigns can combine to form a meaningful tool that increases both engagement and revenue. Events and campaigns can intersect to propel engagement forward – resulting in increased participation, unrealized revenue, and a pipeline for major gifts. In this session, the event leader and campaign leader will describe the strategy, implementation process, and tactics they developed to successfully create a scalable project flow that positions fundraisers for success, and is easily replicable and scalable for fundraising teams of any size.

We all face the problem of a shrinking and aging donor file, and our bosses are telling us to do something about it by reaching out to younger donors. But what should our expectations from these donors be? Learn about a 2018 study to determine the giving habits of the various different generational groups (i.e. Millennials, Gen Xers, Baby Boomers, etc.) and what we should be expecting from our own donors. Find out how Swarthmore College (and other institutions) are attracting young alumni through effective and proven direct marketing strategies.

Texting has made its way into higher ed’s communications channels: it’s quick, simple, and breaks through the noise of a full email inbox. See how Cornell implemented a multi-month texting campaign that brought together digital offers, engagement opportunities, and solicitations. This session covers the strategic partnerships that had to happen to get the project off the ground, campaign content, results, and how to make the case for your own usage.

Learn how the donor relations and annual fund teams at Drexel University collaborated to engage donors and increase retention resulting in a retention rate of 62% in fiscal year 2019. Explore the methods we used to engage donors that can be scalable to any size institution, and all on a limited budget.

This session is meant to help high fliers position thieir program and role as a top priority for your institution. Learn how to align effectively with the institutional strategic plan and how to understand and have the ability to think strategically. Find out how to earn a seat at the table with other key leaders in your advancement division and how to be accountable and attain your annual goals. Finally, discover how to achieve a highly-rated program with highly impactful results.