1:00–1:45 Setting the Stage Join chair Shaun Keister to meet the faculty and learn how to get the most out of your time at the conference. Advancement best practices will be identified and attendees will have the opportunity to take an initial assessment of their strengths and weaknesses in these areas.
1:45–2:30 Trends in Philanthropy and the Impact to Giving Research shows there isn’t just an evolution in philanthropy, there is a revolution happening. Learn some of the latest emerging trends in donor behavior, giving trends and technology tools and assess how your program is not just keeping up but staying ahead in this fast-paced environment.
2:45–4:00 (Repeats on Thursday at 10:45 AM) Elective Workshops (choose one)
Data Driven Decision Making—Measure What Matters Most! Advanced CRM systems are at times a double-edged sword. While advancement programs have access to robust information systems it’s easy to get overwhelmed and lost in the data. Leaders need to focus on data that drives productivity. This session will help you think about using data to determine staffing, prioritize prospects, and allocate resources, as well as develop meaningful scorecards that lead to positive advancement outcomes.
Building Effective Advisory Boards
Advisory boards to schools and colleges often serve as helpful resources to a dean or academic leader – especially when well established guidelines have been created, strategic recruiting occurs, and clear responsibilities are defined. This session explores the positive benefits and potential pitfalls to avoid in establishing, maintaining or changing an advisory board particularly in light of the board’s role with major gift fundraising.
Developing a Case for Support, Part I This session will introduce methods and best practice on translating a vision into a compelling case for potential donors. It will address the elements of a strong case statement, engagement of stakeholders in the process, and testing the case statement.
4:00–4:15 Coffee Break
4:15–5:30 (Repeats on Thursday at 2:45 PM) Elective Workshops (choose one):
Strategic Planning This session will be a conversation about the strategic planning process and the strategic role your advancement leader can play throughout the process. The presenter will discuss critical elements of a strategic plan, different models, challenges, and opportunities. Participants will discuss ways to make the most of the partnership with advancement to inform a compelling plan that will resonate with both internal and external constituents.
Best Practice in Engaging Donors and Potential Donors We know that individuals who are engaged in organizations as volunteers give much more generously than those who are not. And yet, increasingly, surveys show that many deans and development professionals see volunteer management as a distraction. In a world where time is the most precious resource, many struggle to balance the benefits of volunteer engagement, with the time and resources necessary to do it well. This session will explore some of the best practices in effectively and efficiently engaging donors and potential donors in ways that lead to higher levels of philanthropy.
Developing a Case for Support, Part II This session will provide an opportunity to put the methods and best practice for building a case for support into action. Participants are encouraged to bring a 1-2 page case statement and will engage in peer review and discussion of these case statements to improve and hone skills in presentation and critique.
5:30–6:30 Networking Reception Join conference faculty and your colleagues to network and unwind after Day 1. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be provided. Don't forget your business cards!
6:30 Conference Adjourns for the Day
Dinner on your own
7:30–8:30 AM Breakfast
8:30–9:00 Keynote Philanthropic Investment in Higher Education: It’s Motivation and Impact Why is higher education such a magnet for philanthropic support? What can institutional leaders at colleges and universities do to maximize the impact of philanthropy from the perspectives of the donor, the institution, and the broader world?
9:15–10:30 (Repeats on Thursday at 4:15 PM) Elective Workshops (choose one):
The Art of Listening: Unlocking the Power of Donor Conversations Too often we prepare for a donor meeting armed with our own talking points, vision and goals and overlook the opportunity to hear from a prospect about what is truly important them. This session examines overall strategies of engaging with donors to assess their philanthropic goals while offering tactical ideas for who should make the ask, timing your approach, and how to genuinely learn from cues and clues of donors to deepen relationships and guide transformational giving.
Partnering with Leaders Across Campus Advancement is a team sport. Explore in this session how strategically engaging campus leaders and partners can impact advancement program performance and be a win-win for everyone.
Translating Vision into Fundraising Priorities
Philanthropists consider many factors when making decisions about how they want to support an academic unit. Sharing a vision for the future of the unit, aligned with a compelling list of fundraising priorities, is critically important for deans to attracting private revenue that actually advances their programs. The goal of this workshop will be to help attendees create a framework for identifying and communicating fundraising priorities that engage donor interest and amplify gift impact.
10:45 AM–NOON Elective Workshops (choose one):
Data Driven Decision Making – Measure What Matters Most! Advanced CRM systems are at times a double-edged sword. While advancement programs have access to robust information systems it’s easy to get overwhelmed and lost in the data. Leaders need to focus on data that drives productivity. This session will help you think about using data to determine staffing, prioritize prospects, and allocate resources, as well as develop meaningful scorecards that lead to positive advancement outcomes.
Building Effective Advisory Boards Advisory boards to schools and colleges often serve as helpful resources to a dean or academic leader – especially when well established guidelines have been created, strategic recruiting occurs, and clear responsibilities are defined. This session explores the positive benefits and potential pitfalls to avoid in establishing, maintaining or changing an advisory board particularly in light of the board’s role with major gift fundraising.
Developing a Case for Support, Part I This session will focus on translating a vision into a compelling case for potential donors. It will address the elements of a strong case statement, engagement of stakeholders in the process, and testing the case statement.
NOON–1:30 PM Lunch on Your Own
1:30–2:30 Common Challenges for Deans and Academic Leaders Balancing your responsibilities with internal and external stakeholders is essential for your success as an academic leader. This session will focus on the challenges and obstacles that deans and academic leaders often face and solutions for leading teams in complex environments and organizations.
2:45–4:00 Elective Workshops (choose one):
Strategic Planning This session will be a conversation about the strategic planning process and the strategic role your advancement leader can play throughout the process. The presenter will discuss critical elements of a strategic plan, different models, challenges, and opportunities. Participants will discuss ways to make the most of the partnership with advancement to inform a compelling plan that will resonate with both internal and external constituents.
Best Practice in Engaging Donors and Potential Donors We know that individuals who are engaged in organizations as volunteers give much more generously than those who are not. And yet, increasingly, surveys show that many deans and development professionals see volunteer management as a distraction. In a world where time is the most precious resource, many struggle to balance the benefits of volunteer engagement, with the time and resources necessary to do it well. This session will explore some of the best practices in effectively and efficiently engaging donors and potential donors in ways that lead to higher levels of philanthropy.
Developing a Case for Support, Part II This session will provide an opportunity to put the methods and best practice for building a case for support into action. Participants are encouraged to bring a 1-2 page case statement and will engage in peer review and discussion of these case statements to improve and hone skills in presentation and critique.
4:15–5:30 Elective Workshops (choose one):
The Art of Listening: Unlocking the Power of Donor Conversations Too often we prepare for a donor meeting armed with our own talking points, vision and goals and overlook the opportunity to hear from a prospect about what is truly important them. This session examines overall strategies of engaging with donors to assess their philanthropic goals while offering tactical ideas for who should make the ask, timing your approach, and how to genuinely learn from cues and clues of donors to deepen relationships and guide transformational giving.
Partnering with Leaders Across Campus Advancement is a team sport. Explore in this session how strategically engaging campus leaders and partners can impact advancement program performance and be a win-win for everyone.
Translating Vision into Fundraising Priorities
Philanthropists consider many factors when making decisions about how they want to support an academic unit. Sharing a vision for the future of the unit, aligned with a compelling list of fundraising priorities, is critically important for deans to attracting private revenue that actually advances their programs. The goal of this workshop will be to help attendees create a framework for identifying and communicating fundraising priorities that engage donor interest and amplify gift impact.
5:30 Conference Adjourns for the Day Dinner on your own
7:30–8:30 AM Breakfast
8:30–9:30 A Donor Conversation Hear from volunteers and philanthropists as they share the experiences that keep them engaged in philanthropy and offer insights about their giving decision-making processes. Opportunities for Q&A will be provided so please bring your questions.
9:45–10:30 Mapping Out Your Next Steps
Attendees will have the opportunity to revisit their initial assessments of the highlighted advancement best practices and reflect on what may have changed based on their conference experience. Faculty will also lead a discussion of big ideas to keep in mind as you plan your next steps.
10:30–11:30 Keynote Stewardship of Highest Level Donors This session will focus on the stewardship relationship in the context of high stakes: developing rapport and an effective working relationship, understanding expectations and intent, executing a productive project management plan, and strategic communications with all stakeholders including the donors, university administration, advancement executives, and the broader university community. We will share with you an inspirational UC Davis story whereby stewardship at the highest level helped develop the foundation for a philanthropic partnership that we believe will sustain for many, many years.
11:30 AM–NOON Final Reflections and Conference Wrap-up The conference faculty will share final advice and tips to conclude the conference. Plenty of opportunity for Q&A will be provided.
