Every institution's philanthropic pyramid begins with a solid foundation. Learn how and when the most successful shops build their philanthropic pipelines. Starting with campus philanthropy and young alumni engagement, discuss strategies to build a culture of giving across every donor cycle stage. Discover how to maximize fundraising productivity and ensure sustainability across the giving pyramid. 

Review nine characteristics of Millennials and post-Millennials that drive much of their behavior. Identify actionable tactics to increase this population’s philanthropic engagement.

As advancement professionals, we need alumni volunteers to serve not only as ambassadors for the institution but to serve as role models for their peers. When volunteer leaders are engaged, educated, and stewarded in relevant ways, they can have a major impact and amplify the work of the professional staff to support the institution's strategic priorities. Learn how the Temple University Young Alumni Association shifted its board culture and education strategy to secure 100 percent participation and increase peer-to-peer fundraising efforts to engage young alumni during Temple’s day of giving.

Connecting with alumni online is essential to any 21st Century engagement strategy. Explore how to cost effectively engage alumni with a variety of online programs including webinars, livestreams, virtual book clubs, podcasts, and more. Alumni relations professionals will learn a simple framework to determine where to make investments in virtual programs based on their goals, along with specific ideas for programs based on experience from more than 150 universities and independent schools. We’ll share several free tools that can increase the reach and quality of online engagement programs.

Staff in advancement services often feel far removed from the line functions of advancement. However, in our administration of matching gifts, we play a pivotal role in bringing dollars in the door. Explore the evolution of matching gift administration, the functions involved throughout advancement services, and best practices for helping to maximize matching gift support by strategic use of available systems.

The world of crowdfunding is ever evolving, with both institutions and platforms trying to keep up with what the donor expects in their peer-to-peer fundraising. This session focuses on how crowdfunding has shifted in the last few years, how institutions can take advantage of these changes both in crowdfunding and in the donors, and finally look into the future as to where crowdfunding could be potentially going.

Cornell Engineering increased from 843 to 2,608 donors on Giving Day between FY 17 and FY18, an increase of 309%. In 2019, we increased again by 24%. Through a modest matching gift program, offering $25,000 in funds across 20 student groups, we leveraged student enthusiasm to bring in thousands more gifts. With this program we have been able to access student networks to increase donors and dollars: Dollars also increased by 228% the first year ($48,000 increase), and then by 14% again in 2019. Find out how we did it.