Prospect research is quickly evolving away from traditional research due to advancement in data, technology, and AI and moving towards proactive analytics that delivers actionable, data-informed insights that directly impact fundraising decision making. To keep ahead of these trends, the Oregon State University (OSU) Foundation embarked on a three-year initiative to redefine its research approach by creating a dynamic, proactive, data-informed program prioritizing close partnerships with Development and emphasizing strategic conversations grounded in analytics. This new approach resulted in the formation of the newly branded Relationship Insights team at the OSU Foundation. Recognized with a 2024 Silver CASE Circle of Excellence award, this presentation tells the story of how the OSU Foundation went from Research to Relationship Insights. We will share how other organizations can adopt similar approaches to enhance their organization's research and fundraising efforts by providing more proactive value to their development officers, and what the future holds for the Relationship Insights team.

For years, alumni engagement leaders have been feeling the burn of quantifying the results of our work. Never as easy to quantify as dollars in the door and other frontline fundraiser metrics, we find ourselves trying to justify funding and support for our work without being able to show the ROI as easily as frontline fundraisers. Have we been making it too complicated? In this session, Ellen Whitlock Baker and Aaron Clarry will outline how we have created an efficient way to measure and report alumni engagement metrics at Seattle University because of the strong partnership we’ve developed between our two shops. We will show how you can simply collect and report out on some of the CASE AEM data, even if you can’t track it all. We’ll also show examples of key reports to leaders and team members to keep alumni engagement metrics accurate and top of mind. This session is great for alumni engagement professionals as well as those who work in advancement services roles; it’s with our power combined that we are able to more effectively report on engagement KPIs.

Join us for an exciting dive into Willamette University's ambitious website project—a transformative journey that redefined our digital presence and strategic focus. We'll cover how we secured grant funding from the Murdoch Foundation, teamed up with the national website firm Simpson Scarborough, and built an SEO-focused team to boost our online visibility. Discover how we navigated the post-merger visual identities after merging with PNCA, managed a complex 50,000-page website (and reduced our digital footprint), and ensured accessibility compliance for all users. We'll also share our strategies for bifurcating internal and external content, focusing exclusively on prospective students, and updating brand guidelines to reflect our new identity. Plus, we'll talk about creating a new content policy and setting up a website governance oversight committee. Reflect on the lessons we've learned and get a peek into our future plans to keep our digital presence strong and effective. Don't miss out on the valuable insights and strategies you can take back to your institution!

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education fundraising, the role of academic leaders, particularly Deans, is critical in driving successful comprehensive campaigns. This session will delve into best practices and case study-style examples from the University of Idaho’s $500M "Brave. Bold. Unstoppable." campaign, highlighting the series of workshops conducted to empower Deans. These workshops focused on casting a vision, developing a case for support for each academic unit, creating individual donor strategies, and activating and utilizing volunteers for campaign fundraising at the unit level.

Are you feeling the need for a big change but have no idea how to get started? Maybe it’s that you’re burned out of your current role, wanting more (or less!) responsibility, needing to take charge of your work/life balance. The massive disruption in our way of life brought by the pandemic has shaken loose many folks' desire to make big changes - in life, in careers, or both. The way we work changed forever, and with everything that came with the pandemic many now see with clarity that we want to do things differently…but have no idea how to start. In this session, Ellen Whitlock Baker will lead you through methods to start to explore big changes, whether they be in your work or life. Using the “Immunity to Change” model, we’ll walk through how to assess your current state, identify what you want to change, and explore what’s holding you back. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how to begin to make those changes you’ve been thinking about...and the first steps to take to get started.

What is it about “the little engine that could” that allowed it to successfully pull the train over the mountain when larger engines refused to even try? Why is it that California pistachio farmers so often become millionaires when the trees take years to mature and bear fruit? What can we learn from the little engine that exclaimed “I think I can…I think I can” as it huffed and puffed to the mountain top? Can universities and colleges embarking on a major comprehensive campaign learn from these examples? Yes, when one considers the common characteristics or ingredients in a successful campaign: patience, persistence, and a healthy culture of philanthropy. It is almost universal that comprehensive campaigns, especially multi-year, first time efforts, are a mixture of challenges and opportunities. But with patience, persistence and a keen understanding of your culture of philanthropy, the challenges can be met, and the opportunities can bear fruit. Join us for an in-depth look at these issues and obstacles and get tips on how patience and persistence can lead to success: • How do you go about setting meaningful priorities and goals? How do you respond to shifting priorities? • Explore strategies when changes in leadership occur. • Join our discussion on successful techniques to grow or enhance your prospect pool. • It takes money to raise money. Explore with colleagues the multiple methods for aquiring resources that will put you on a path to a successful campaign. • What do you do when when campaign fatigue sets in? • Identifying and growing your culture of philanthropy is essential to campaign success. Explore with us the four key pillars of a robust culture and how you can improve them as your campaign unfolds.

With career pivots and side hustles becoming the norm, the alumni community’s appetite for ongoing career support is stronger than ever. The University of Calgary has successfully implemented a comprehensive suite of alumni career development initiatives designed to support professional growth and cultivate lifelong relationships. This session explains our multi-faceted approach, highlighting key career development offerings that have significantly increased alumni engagement and improved the lives of thousands of our alumni. These offerings are highly replicable and can be initiated by other institutions to improve engagement, all while providing life-changing support that positively impacts their alumni and greater community. The success of our innovative alumni programming is evidenced by increased participation rates, positive feedback, and the strengthened sense of community among our alumni. By sharing our strategies and outcomes, we aim to inspire other institutions to adopt similar approaches, ultimately enhancing alumni engagement and their lifelong career development.