Programs and Workshops
Upcoming Events
A Model for Operational Excellence in Times of Growth and Change
October 24, 2024 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM CST
Fundraising organizations play a critical role in our culture and the communities they serve, but they must be well-run and efficient to achieve their goals.
If we're being honest, though, our organizations are often resource-poor, inefficient, and even behind the times. Building an effective organization through growth and change can be especially difficult.
In this session, Jake Logan, VP for Advancement at UTEP, and Chelsea Lamego, FundMiner CEO and previous AVP for Advancement Operations at UTEP, will discuss the innovative and analytical approach to organizational change that helped them garner the support of stakeholders across their organizations and exceed expectations along the way. Jake & Chelsea will share real-life experiences you can apply to fundraising operations in any nonprofit organization on its path to success. They will discuss actionable methods to help you be more strategic, allocate your resources more effectively, and ultimately significantly impact the people you serve.
Free for Members!
Past events:
Deep Dive: Write Emails People Will Read
Do people read emails anymore? Yes—they do. But not the way you think. This talk will show you exactly how to write subject lines, optimize your links, and lay out your email copy so your message gets across.
Today's Donors Expect Access: Leveraging Your Leadership for Fundraising Success
Donors—particularly major donors—are increasingly seeing their gifts as investments. And just like any corporate investor, they want to know their gifts’ ROI. Universities that leverage their president, chancellor, cabinet, and faculty chairs effectively to build authentic relationships with donors are the ones seeing the biggest returns in today’s philanthropic marketplace. University of Arkansas – Fort Smith has transformed its major giving program thanks to the relationships its Chancellor Terisa Riley and department chairs such as Kendall Ross have built with key stakeholders and donors. Since Dr. Riley arrived on campus three years ago, major giving has skyrocketed. The university is set to exceed its $75 million centennial campaign’s financial goal by 33 percent, with record individual gifts and giving levels. To understand how other universities can build similar donor/president relationships, this presentation will focus on: -the role of the university’s advancement office in the process -qualifying and prioritizing the right donors -ideal allocation of a president’s time to fundraising -taking the first step in building the relationship -the types of cultivation events or individual meetings that are most effective.
CASE District IV ToGather
Achievement vs. Innovation: How to Inspire Next-Level Fundraising
In Advancement, we strive to be steadfast and dependable. We ask donors to trust us with their money. We ask students and faculty to trust us with their futures. Is there really room for real innovation or failure? In an industry where trust, accountability, and metrics matter, how do you take risks in your everyday work? In this session, we'll explore the struggle between achievement and innovation in fundraising. Whether you're a seasoned leader or a new fundraiser, you'll leave with at least one way to embrace risk-taking and encourage growth.
CASE Currents Deep Dive: Talent Management
Traditionally, when assessing potential employees, higher education institutions emphasize specific relevant experiences. Because of the dynamic nature of today’s landscape and growing talent scarcity a broader approach to recruitment is needed.
Unconventional recruiting efforts that prioritize transferable skills have emerged as a viable response, and this practice can open the door to a treasure trove of talent that might otherwise go unnoticed. At the LSU Foundation, some of our most successful hires were previously a teacher, a salesperson, and even a pastor!
During this conversation, Dr. Yvette Marsh will share how LSU’s Foundation is looking for transferable skills in the interview process and how strategic onboarding decisions have helped the LSU Foundation successfully recruit outside the box.
This ToGather is a deep dive based on this article Dr. Marsh wrote for CASE Currents.
Strategies for Engaging International Alumni
Some of your greatest champions live outside the US, but it's harder to keep them involved. Don't let borders and time zones limit your alumni relations! Extend your reach to alumni living around the world through strategic events, outreach, and relationships. Join this session to learn about and discuss why, when, and how to implement an effective international alumni engagement plan. We'll talk data, resources, ideas, best practices, and opportunities to create and sustain a vibrant global alumni community.
Keepin' It Real: Authentic Ways to Share Your Voice, Vision and Values Online
Whether we’re communicating with prospective students or current students, building campaigns, or writing for the c-suite at regional public institutions, communications teams have to be able to do it all – and do it all well. In this session, Carrie and Rachel share concrete tactics and strategies to collaborate across departments, build meaningful relationships, and empower the diverse voices of your campus community to tell powerful stories (that drive enrollment, retention, and alumni engagement!) You’ll come away from this session with effective methods for creating authentic content that resonates with the varied audiences you’re tasked with serving.
Back to Basics: Old-School Mentoring in the TikTok Age
In the age of TikTok and 37-second Instagram reels, learn how the Alumni Association at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, built an old-school mentoring program, focused on meaningful peer-to-peer connections between current students and successful alumni. Learn how the staff cleverly uses a limited budget, no fancy software, and a time-honored matchmaking approach to create one of the most sought-after student experiences on the Island.
Strategic Stewardship to Increase Donor Retention
Learn how you can apply strategy to your donor relations efforts that will positively affect donor retention rates as well as steward some of our more “at risk” donor populations. This is more important than ever as our industry sees declines in overall giving, staff and resources may be limited, and we must tie our donor relations efforts directly to the fundraising bottom line. We will explore strategies to explore retention in key populations, segmentation and messaging best practices, and shifting the organizational culture to a donor-centered retention mindset.
Mental Health 101 Bootcamp for Advancement Professionals
"Start Where You Are, Take What You Need", featuring Dr. Nick Patras, Director, Counseling Center at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Mental health matters. When it comes to the workplace, it matters. When it comes to doing meaningful work in the world, it matters. As a form of radical self-care, it matters. Learn more about why, and what you can do to ensure that even at work, you are prioritizing this aspect of your health and well-being.
Making Data-Driven Decisions with VSE Survey Results
In this session, Ann E. Kaplan, senior director of CASE’s Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) program, discussed the recently released results of the VSE survey that, since 1957, has been the definitive survey on U.S. higher education fundraising outcomes. The much-anticipated results cover the fiscal year that, for most institutions, began July 1, 2019, and ended June 30, 2020.
Learn:
- About the Alumni Engagement Metrics (AEM) survey
- How to download free reports on the year’s findings
- How to use the online benchmarking program, Data Miner
- How to receive further assistance with using the online database for benchmarking