Kickoff the conference by meeting the faculty, learning about the attendees present, and discuss how to get the most out of your time in DC.

Join our faculty as we discuss the ‘why’ behind some of our most controversial and varied processes. This session is intended to shake things up a bit as we talk about processing opportunities for pledge management, donor-advised funds as pledge payments, and even corporate hierarchy and recognition credit within our various systems. We will highlight how to overcome the obstacles that may be creating bottlenecks to pushing towards innovative solutions to our processing and technology wish lists.

With multiple sources of data and increased stakeholder demands, keeping your data clean can feel like (and actually be) an overwhelming role in your organization. In this session we’ll explore tips and tricks to methodically evaluating, streamlining, cleansing, and auditing your data using the core concepts of collaborative data stewardship to shift this role from being primarily the data team’s responsibility.

Processing gifts can often feel like a game of jelly belly jelly bean roulette- not sure what flavor you are going to get! In this session, we'll dive into the complexities of managing tricky gifts such as Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), private and family foundations, IRA/QCDs, Gifts-In-Kind (GIKs), cryptocurrency, and Quid Pro Quos (QPQs). We'll also explore concepts like bifurcation, discuss platforms like Benevity, and wrap it all up with a "Most Bizarre Gift" contest. Please bring your questions and join us for a fun, interactive look into the wacky world of gift processing!

In this session we’ll delve into best practices for managing donations from third-party organizations, with a particular emphasis on donor-advised fund gifts, matching gifts, and contributions from hybrid fundraising platforms like Benevity and Network for Good. We’ll cover essential dos and don’ts, offering practical recommendations to ensure your organization handles these gifts appropriately and maximizes their potential.

Successful data management is not always flashy on its own. Sometimes it can be hard to communicate our wins, efforts and challenges to our colleagues outside of advancement services. Let's talk about how you can use metrics for your gifts and data management teams to highlight your successes, demonstrate accountability for your work, and drive buy-in and investment to advancement services. We'll also talk about how to use your measurement systems to spot areas of concern so you can adjust your strategies.

Join us as we walk through each phase of CRM conversion, from assessing your current system and planning the transition, to migrating data, integrating systems, and training your team. Learn how to implement the new CRM smoothly and continuously optimize it based on feedback. With real-world examples and best practices, you’ll get practical tips and enjoy interactive discussions. Let’s make your CRM transition a breeze and take your operations to the next level!

Navigating the complexities of gift receipting and commitment reminders is crucial for maintaining donor trust and ensuring compliance. In this comprehensive session, we'll cover everything from the fundamentals of gift receipting to the more challenging aspects of managing and tracking donor commitments.

In this presentation, we will explore how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) intersect with data governance, particularly in areas like Advancement Services, data collection, endowments, and scholarships. We'll also discuss how recent policy changes in other states have affected DEI practices. This conversational session will provide clarity on how DEI issues affect institutional processes and how we can potentially navigate this changing landscape while maintaining equity with our alumni and stakeholders.

Pledges, commitments, intentions, plans…whatever you call it at your organization, many of the same questions and pain points exist. In this session we’ll explore best practices for pledge forms, payment application, and pledge aging. We will discuss how to structure and route commitment forms effectively, optimize communications surrounding installment plans, determine if and how to apply the many kinds of ‘sticky gifts’ to a donor’s pledge, and manage pledge aging and past-due pledge management.