Every institution has some level of data collection in place. What data are you collecting? Are you focused entirely on fundraising receipts or are you also capturing alumni engagement and new funds committed? Are you reporting on advancement investment? Is your institution following the CASE Global Reporting Standards? We will look at common counting dilemmas. If you have a question that is not covered, there will be an opportunity to ask for clarification or discussion.

Middle management in advancement requires striking a delicate balance between leading a team and rolling up your sleeves to get the work done. In this presentation, we'll explore how to navigate the unique challenges of managing from the middle—where you're both executing and leading. By focusing on empathy and humanity, you'll learn how to foster a positive team culture, manage competing priorities, and support your team while meeting the demands of your role. Discover strategies for leading with emotional intelligence, building trust, and achieving success for both your team and yourself.

Philanthropic gifts have a double life, equally vital to the Advancement team that raises them and to the Finance office that accounts for them. Good communication between these offices is essential. That communication can, however, be complicated, because Advancement and Finance look at these transactions a little differently. This session will help Advancement professionals understand what gift revenue looks like from the Finance side, identify specific types of gifts that require special attention, and generally equip Advancement staff to be the best possible partners for their colleagues in the Finance office. (It will also help anyone from Finance understand why Advancement looks at gifts the way that we do!)

Come to this session prepared to discuss the most exciting solutions you've learned about here at the conference. We will use our collective brainpower to solve problems and share ideas that will work in small shops, from scaling down large shop solutions to abandoning some tropes of advancement services. Please bring questions, current challenges, and creative solutions that have worked for your shop.

Just because someone wants to donate to your organization doesn’t mean you have to (or should) accept it! Discover how to identify and manage problematic donations in this essential session for charitable organizations. Learn about conditional gifts, inappropriate items, and donations with hidden costs or from controversial sources. We’ll cover the financial, operational, and reputational impacts of such gifts and provide strategies for developing a robust gift acceptance policy. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, you’ll gain practical insights to ensure your organization remains mission-aligned and maintains donor trust.

Come together to discuss your greatest challenges and most exciting opportunities with those who truly understand: your colleagues. We’ll have dedicated tables for the hottest topics and biggest pain points you’re experiencing – taken straight from the pre-conference survey – and get you started with questions and ideas. Faculty will facilitate the session and participate with you.

While there may still be some in your organization who refer to our role as “back office” we are anything but! The complexity and demand for data in our organizations, especially in analytics, dashboards, accessibility, and of course campaign has moved our role to one of central importance. The panel will share how we’ve transformed our organization’s perception of these vital functions to get a well-deserved seat at the strategy table.