Join us for an engaging session, "From Silos to Synergy: The Reporting Hub Revolution!" as we explore the transformative power of a multidisciplinary and cross-collaborative reporting hub tailored for fundraising and alumni relations. Discover how integrating internal departments with external stakeholders can enhance data sharing, drive strategic decision-making, and elevate fundraising outcomes.

In this session, we'll cover:

Innovative strategies for breaking down silos and fostering collaboration across teams.
Real-world case studies showcasing successful reporting hubs in action.
Best practices for leveraging data to strengthen alumni engagement and drive fundraising initiatives.
Tools and technologies that facilitate seamless communication and reporting.
Don’t miss this opportunity to revolutionize your reporting processes and unlock the full potential of your fundraising efforts! Together, we can create a vibrant community that thrives on collaboration and shared success.

It’s been almost nine months since the world’s first fully autonomous fundraiser interacted with its first assigned donor. During that time, 11 higher educational institutions joined together as a cohort to engage donors with an AI-powered Virtual Engagement Officer (and a second cohort is now live), but more importantly research, develop, and accelerate the deployment of autonomous fundraising for our entire industry.

In this session, Jennifer Shimp-Bowerman of Bucknell University and Natalie Spring of VCU will present the results they’ve seen from autonomous fundraising – donors engaged, dollars raised, and pipeline built, in addition to their experience being the first organizations in the world to deploy a Virtual Engagement Officer to a portfolio of their donors.

We’ll present what we learned, what we got right, where course corrections were needed, and how we navigated AI in a field defined by relationships. We’ll share all of our findings including portfolios for autonomous fundraisers, sourcing engagement content independently, accuracy, data collection, and more.

Finally, we’ll conclude by looking at where we are going, how we can continue to further personalize donor journeys led by donor engagement data, how to push the outer limits of technology, and more.

Pipeline development is a major challenge facing our profession. Donor bases are declining, retention rates are sliding, younger alumni are less inclined to engage with their alma maters, and the principal gifts concentration is only increasing. The University of Nebraska Foundation has developed multiple data-driven, innovative strategies to “double down” on its pipeline development work. Combined, these programs have already resulted in 14,000 prospects contacted, 3,000 personal meetings, 300 qualified major gift prospects, $10 million in new gifts, and 82% retention of leadership annual donors. Explore the strategic intent, data, and processes leveraged to build a new, innovative approach to comprehensive pipeline development.

Recent trends in U.S. giving indicate a consistent decline in donor retention rates over the past decade. This trend threatens the sustainability of crucial programs and initiatives. To combat this, organizations must harness the power of data-informed strategies to better understand donor behaviors, identify gaps, and optimize outreach efforts.
This presentation will explore innovative ways to leverage data analytics to reverse declining donor trends. Key areas of focus will include donor segmentation, predictive modeling, personalized communication strategies, and the significance of donor lifecycle analysis. By integrating these approaches, we aim to cultivate more meaningful relationships with donors, enhance retention rates, and foster long-term support.

In this engaging session, learn how to foster collaboration between advancement services and fundraisers for effective data management. Explore strategies to empower relationship managers with accurate data and skills, enabling them to navigate data independently and drive fundraising success. Join us to discover practical examples and valuable insights on building a seamless, data-informed fundraising process. Walk away with actionable tips to enhance efficiency, cultivate a data-empowered culture, and foster a successful partnership between advancement services and fundraisers