Noon–1:00 PM Workshop Check-In
Welcome to Atlanta! Stop by the registration desk any time before 1 p.m. to check in and pick up your conference materials.
1:30–2:15 Finding Your Institutional Voice
Whether you’re new to your institution or you’ve been there for decades finding your voice and learning how to talk about the impact of annual giving on your campus is a must. In this session, each faculty member will talk about how they learned the ethos, culture, and narrative of their institutions and how they leverage that knowledge to produce results. Storytelling is an important part of the annual giving framework and each campus has a uniquely special story to tell -- what’s your story?
2:30–3:45 Countdown clocks, challenge matches, and big numbers: All things Giving Day
Giving Days have taken the advancement world by storm in recent years. Whether you have one, plan to add one, or continue to be asked about it by leadership, donors, or colleagues, Giving Days are a topic that keeps coming up. In this session, we’ll review the benefits, struggles, planning process, and scalability of giving days, so you can decide if adding this tactic is right for your institution and most importantly, your donors.
3:45–5:00 Group Workshop Experience
Cap off the first day with a series of interactive group activities focused on real-world annual giving conundrums. The faculty has curated scenarios from their experiences on their campuses over decades of active annual giving leadership. Come prepared to meet new people, exchange ideas, and work together to solve annual giving problems.
5:00–6:00 Networking Reception
6:00 Conference adjourns for the day
Dinner on your own. Small group dine-around sign-ups will be available earlier in the day at the registration desk for attendees looking to join a group for dinner at nearby restaurants.
8:00–9:00 AM Breakfast and Roundtable Discussions
Join your peers for optional small group discussions during breakfast.
9:00–10:15 Small Tweaks – Big Improvements
In this session we harness the collective brain trust of the faculty to share some of the little things you can do for your program to yield big results. This collaborative session takes advantage of the decades of annual giving experience represented by the faculty, and touches on topics relevant to small schools, big schools, public, private, secondary schools, and even non-profit organizations. Think of this session as the punch list of what you can do now to show immediate ROI.
10:30–11:45 Electives (choose one):
Weathering the Waves: All things Phonathon
Once an anchor for many annual giving programs, call centers are facing turbulent tides. Is it ‘program overboard,’ or can we ‘right the ship’? It depends. But how do you know whether phonathon is still right for your institution? Or what if you plan to weather the storm, but you’re looking for a few more buoys? This session is for you.
We will engage in a candid discussion about all things phonathon. Starting from the dock by reviewing the basic techniques, we’ll venture out to discuss and tackle the storms we’ve faced along the way. Then we’ll explore deeper waters with emerging trends and new ideas. Come prepared to explore fresh ways to redefine call center success for the next century – or at least until the next major wave.
Open Me / Read Me: Getting Results from Direct Mail
In a busy world of multi-channel communications, direct mail continues to be a tried and true vehicle for Annual Giving. When competing for attention, what makes your mail piece stand out and get noticed? We will talk about what makes for a compelling mail piece and how different types of institutions, both big and small, can get big results from direct mail.
Digital Marketing and Social Media
The world has gone digital are you ready? In this session we will discuss how to integrate digital tools and social media into your annual giving plan. As we fight for the attention of our donors and constituents, it is important for annual giving programs to consider the multiple ways our communities interact with the organizations that they hold most dear. The creative use of digital marketing and social campaigns can help to fortify existing multi-channel marketing, solicitation and stewardship efforts.
11:45 AM– 1:30 PM Lunch on your own
1:30–2:30 Lightning Round with the Faculty (10-minute mini presentations followed by Q&A)
How do you stay informed?
How to choose a vendor
Excel formulas we love
Wildcard: audience choice
2:45–4:00 Electives (choose one):
How to Get Nerdy with Numbers when you are Not a Numbers Nerd: Basic Annual Giving Reporting
The concept of a data-driven program can feel overwhelming, or like you need a background in statistics. Not very many of us bring that to the table, and yet data is the lifeblood of any annual giving program. We use it to report on results, to evaluate our success, to build our plans, and improve performance. In this session, we’ll talk about how to effectively track your key performance indicators for each channel, segment, and project. Learn how to use data to help manage your decision making and planning processes. Discover how to effectively report results internally and externally. And, because it’s fun, we’ll get nerdy with some equations (no math degree necessary).
Making the Most of Volunteer Partnerships
This topic falls into the category of anything worthwhile is never easy! It is no secret that volunteers can extend our reach and influence peers. What’s more, research confirms over and over again that when volunteers feel a sense of ownership and investment in results, their own giving increases significantly. Once you’ve determined the role(s) you need filled, then the fun begins -- identifying potential partners, enlisting each one thoughtfully, and setting them up for success takes planning, patience and follow through. And that’s just the start. How can we keep volunteers engaged and motivated? How do we do all of this with limited resources? Let’s use this time together to think about the big picture and get into the details. As the famous saying goes: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Repeated Elective: Attendees Choice
Are you feeling a little FOMO (fear of missing out) because you wanted to attend both the phonathon session with Astria and the Direct Mail session with Meg - fear not! We know you’re here to learn and grow your toolkit and sometimes the two sessions you want to take are stacked right on top of each other. We hear you and we are going to take a poll and rerun an elective based on audience demand. Use your voice and tell us what should be back by popular vote.
4:15–5:30 Electives (choose one):
Breaking the Mold: Young Alumni, Reunions, and Affinity Programs
Does your institution have a reunion program? How about affinity groups? We all have young alumni and we all need more of them to give back. During this session we’ll talk about successful reunion strategies from planning the event, marketing, and peer-to-peer solicitations. We’ll discuss volunteer engagement and solicitation techniques that will energize your affinity groups. And lastly, we’ll ignite the pride your alumni have and get them to give back. This session is about breaking the mold and getting personal with your alumni to deliver big results.
Your new favorite term: “Pilot Program”
New programs bring excitement, change, and hopefully results into any annual giving program but getting them approved and getting the resources to be successful can often be a challenge. We’ll discuss how to frame a new initiative, ask for resources, and see what happens when a pilot program turns into a staple of your annual giving toolkit.
Repeated Elective: Attendees Choice
We’re wrapping up day two, and maybe you’re wishing you could’ve spent time with Jake learning how to pilot a program but you also wanted to hear from Alice on volunteer management. You’re in luck, because we are giving you the power to pick the second elective rerun. We’ll post a list of options and you’ll decide who presents twice.
5:30 Conference adjourns for the day
Dinner on your own
8:00–9:00 AM Breakfast, Roundtable Discussions and Faculty Office Hours
Join your peers for optional small group discussions during breakfast. Individuals who signed up for faculty one-on-one sessions will have their appointments during this time.
9:00–10:00 Lightning Round #2 with the Faculty (10-minute mini presentations followed by Q&A)
Time to say goodbye: how to break up with a volunteer
What’s new: informed delivery, visual caller ID and other cool hacks
Finding creative inspiration in the most unlikely of places
Wildcard: audience choice
10:15–11:30 An Attitude of Gratitude: Showing Impact and Saying Thank You
In a philanthropic landscape that is increasingly crowded, how do you show your donors how much you value you them? In this session, we’ll talk about stewardship and how to illustrate the impact a donor has on your organization. From thank you notes to events—we’ll talk about what works and what to steer clear of (if given the choice). Showcasing donor impact is an essential part of any successful annual giving program and serves as an important capstone to the conference.
