What is prospect research? How can prospect research help you achieve your targets? What can we learn about potential donors before we meet them? What do we mean by due diligence? Learn about all this and more in an informal session with plenty of hints and tips to take away with you.

As Advancement professionals, we can tell incredible stories. Stories of the transformative impact of philanthropic giving; stories of the lifelong relationships forged at university; stories of the extraordinary lives our graduates go on to live. This session will explore how we can turn those stories into compelling content, and how that content can in turn drive alumni engagement and lay critical foundations for fundraising activity and volunteer recruitment. We will shamelessly pinch the most valuable marketing and communications tools – including creative briefs, content strategies and communications plans – and apply them to our work in Alumni Relations, Fundraising and Advancement teams so that we leave equipped to realise the potential of our institutions’ compelling stories.

Stewardship refers to how we take care of our donors, keep in touch with them, and show them the impact of their giving so that they feel motivated to give again. When we know that it costs five times more to find a new donor than it does to secure a gift from someone who already donates, effective stewardship isn’t just the right thing to do—it makes good economic sense. But in a world of finite resources and complex environments, how do you make sure your donors receive the right interventions at the right time? In this session, we will explore what stewardship is, how to approach it strategically, and how to use the tools at your disposal.

Actually, no. We don’t talk about mental health enough as a sector, especially since this profession can be an incredibly stressful career choice. In this session we’ll cover a range of topics, including the signs of fundraiser stress and burnout, and strategies you can use to build your resilience while continuing your career. We’ll also discuss our role in recognising when colleagues are struggling, and brainstorm ways to create a development workplace culture that prioritises mental health and wellbeing. I’ll also ask you to share (if you wish) your personal strategies for reducing stress and promoting work-life balance.

In this session, Emily and Liesl will take the mystery out of major gift fundraising. We’ll look at the theory and practice behind major gifts: who are these elusive major donors, why do they part with large sums of money, and most importantly how do we secure these gifts for our institutions? Participants will come away with an understanding of the basics of major gifts work and some practical ideas to take back to their institutions.

Asking for gifts is the most fundamental task for any face-to-face fundraiser. In this interactive session we will look at how to set the scene, introduce giving into a discussion, work as part of an asking team, and deal with situations that have gone awry. We’ll be looking at some examples of how to do it right—and how to do it wrong. And of course, we’ll be asking you to have a go!

Advancement professionals work in contexts where unequal power dynamics can be a significant factor. This can sometimes create unsafe or uncomfortable situations. For example, the Chronicle of Philanthropy and Association of Fundraising Professionals survey found that 1 in 4 female fundraisers and nearly 1 in 10 male fundraisers have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. Nearly two-thirds of people who reported sexual harassment blamed donors. In this session, Margaret Clift and Liz Reilly will explore some of the challenges that can face fundraisers in the field and the complexities of negotiating them. We will talk about planning for safety, strategies for handling situations that feel unsafe or uncomfortable, and different institutions’ approaches to protecting their staff.

Creating a transformative impact in society is a collective effort, and universities play a critical role in engaging with businesses to promote positive change through talent, research, health initiatives, and more. This session aims to explore the factors driving impactful collaborations between universities and businesses, and how to scale these partnerships beyond financial support into meaningful philanthropic relationships. Drawing on the experiences of delegates' universities as well as UIC Barcelona, we will examine the importance and potential of these strategic relationships.

In this interactive session, we will explore some of the most challenging reputational issues in the higher education sector today, and build practical toolkits for managing these issues with alumni and supporters. We’ll get under the skin of some of the most frequent criticisms levelled at our institutions, from ‘woke students’ to ‘social engineering’, ‘rewriting history’ and ‘money-hungry recruitment’, and we’ll then explore how Advancement professionals can use their unique position to shift damaging narratives whilst maintaining and driving forward valuable relationships.