Geared towards early-career advancement professionals, this pre-conference session promises a vibrant session filled with rich content, collaborative ventures, and interactive problem-solving. Participants will delve into crucial CASE competencies such as relationship building and leadership, as well as explore the emotional intelligence essential for thriving in the workplace. Attendees will walk away with valuable skills to successfully navigate the early phases of their careers. *Separate Registration Required

Most development professionals have experienced an uncomfortable, offensive, or harmful donor-constituent interaction. This cannot just be seen as “part of the job” rather something that is addressed to create a culture and systems that build brave spaces and policies and procedures that result in greater safety and professional satisfaction.

In need of a new event to energize alumni, engage volunteers, and offer opportunities for collaboration, the Alumni Engagement team at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo looked to the past to create a new annual tradition — Founder’s Day! Celebrating the university's founding on March 8, 1901, Founder’s Day aims to engage as many alumni as possible in new and exciting ways. During the inaugural event on March 8, 2024, 17 alumni communities hosted unique events across the United States, reconnecting alumni to Cal Poly by celebrating this special day in history. During this session, you’ll learn more about how we collaborated with our Board of Directors, alumni volunteers and campus partners to facilitate the planning, timing, pricing, food & beverage, and all other event details needed to pull off this successful engagement event. We’ll go over planning a timeline and marketing plan, as well as lessons learned and planned improvements for this year’s celebration. Join us for this interactive session and leave with a few ideas on how you can utilize your university or institution's unique brand and history to engage alumni on new levels.

Why is it that there is sometimes a tension between frontline staff and Advancement Services? Is it because we don't speak the same language? Join us in a lively interactive session with Dhiraj Chand, Principal Gifts and Paul Majnik, from the University of Utah along with Clay Buck, Kindsight Fundraising Coach and Caroline Chang, VP Product Evangelism, as they dive into why there is a communication gap and what we can do to bridge that gap to speak the same (love) language.

Are gift clubs dead? Not if you ask their members! But Starbucks, Target, and Amazon have changed what people expect from loyalty programs, and fundraising needs to follow suit. See how the annual giving team at Caltech put personalization over perks and stewardship over rewards to build a leadership annual giving program that accounts for nearly 90% of their annual gift revenue and is growing at a rate of 10% each year.

Explore the future of public relations as AI reshapes the way press releases are crafted and distributed. This session will cover the latest AI technologies that PR professionals can use to enhance their writing, personalize messaging, and increase the reach and effectiveness of their press releases. Gain insights into how AI can help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

Advancement Services professionals are the unsung heroes behind the scenes, supporting the greater collective while often neglecting their own well-being. At Harvey Mudd College, we've recognized that investing in our own team is paramount to effectively serving our constituents, including Major Gift Officers (MGOs) and other members of the development team. Join us as we share our journey towards self-care and efficiency through the implementation of task management and ticketing systems, and the transformative impact it has had on our daily operations.

In 2023, Harvey Mudd College took a proactive step by adopting Teamwork and Teamwork Desk products for task management and ticketing. This strategic decision has revolutionized our workflow, fostering seamless collaboration, eliminating silos, and ensuring that deadlines are consistently met. We've transitioned from a reactive approach to a proactive one, enabling us to better support our colleagues and stakeholders.

As we reflect on our progress in 2024, we've gleaned invaluable insights and lessons learned. Our utilization of built-in automations has optimized our efficiency, freeing up valuable time for strategic initiatives. Leveraging Tags has allowed us to generate accurate metrics, providing tangible evidence of our contributions to leadership and advocating for continued investment in our success.

Key Takeaways:
1. Investing in Self-Care is Essential: Prioritizing the well-being of Advancement Services professionals is not only beneficial for individual team members but also crucial for the overall effectiveness of the team in serving constituents.
2. Strategic Implementation of Technology Yields Results: The adoption of task management and ticketing systems can revolutionize workflow, fostering collaboration, eliminating silos, and ensuring timely delivery of projects and tasks.
3. Data-Driven Advocacy: Utilizing metrics and automation not only enhances efficiency but also provides concrete evidence of the value that Advancement Services brings to the organization, facilitating informed decision-making and continued investment in success.

The strategies and principles discussed in this session are not limited to the advancement services sector or specific software platforms. They can be adapted and applied across various industries and task management programs, empowering teams to enhance productivity and well-being irrespective of their organizational context.

By embracing self-care and leveraging technology strategically, Advancement Services professionals can empower themselves to better serve their constituents and drive organizational success. Join us as we explore practical strategies for enhancing efficiency, fostering collaboration, and advocating for the recognition and support that Advancement Services deserves.

In the dynamic world of advancement for education, effective management and support of volunteers is crucial for organizational success. This session, "Advancing Board Management," delves into the volunteer component of advancement, exploring how to optimize work with a variety of volunteer groups including alumni boards, advisory boards, foundation boards, governing boards, task forces, and committees.
We will begin by examining the best practices of high-functioning boards, highlighting key strategies that drive efficiency and impact. Learn about proven techniques to cultivate a productive board culture, establish clear roles and responsibilities, and implement robust governance structures.
Next, we’ll explore effective engagement strategies for board members that enhance participation and commitment. We’ll share innovative approaches to involving board members in meaningful ways, ensuring they are both motivated and empowered to contribute their best.
Finally, we’ll discuss ways to leverage communities of practice to increase collaboration among colleagues doing similar work, helping to provide for a more cohesive and coordinated approach towards effective board management.