All times are Pacific Time. Note that recordings for all sessions (except in-person-only sessions as noted) will be available for viewing after the conference.
8:00-9:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast and Networking in the Sponsor Lounge
9:00-10:15 a.m.
A Healthcare Fundraising Forum
Andrew Kaufteil, JD, Lucille Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, Wayne Combs, CHLA, Melissa MacRae, UCLA Health
Auditorium Room
Leadership Annual Giving – Fundamentals of Personal (and Digital) Engagement and Face-to-Face Fundraising
Ray Watts, Claremont McKenna College
Mountain Vista Room
Annual Giving is a dynamic and changing field, no longer solely focused on mass marketing through direct mail and student phonathons. The “new normal” for annual giving is a team-centered approach with a group of individuals who have personal prospect portfolios and expectations of much more face-to-face identification, cultivation and solicitation work. This workshop will be structured in an interactive format, with a focus on real-time learning and specific coaching. Come prepared to share experiences and learn strategies and tactics to make you a better development professional as you get on the road and work with donors one-on-one.
Non-Traditional Roles of Advancement Services Managers
Philip Garland, University of San Diego, Laurie Ogg, Sonoma State University, Shalonda Martin, Pomona College, John Taylor, John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
Hillside West
“What have I gotten myself into?” You will often hear this cry from the office – or cubicle – of many advancement services professionals! It seems the longer we are in our jobs, the more the job changes from what we were first hired to do. And while our primary focus continues to be on “traditional” advancement services functions, we now must find time to add additional duties to our plates – some requiring just as much, if not more, time and attention. Join this group of advancement services leaders who have “been there and done that.” In addition to their “day jobs,” they have been responsible for campaign planning, talent management, committee/council administration, campaign management, MGO support staff management, and assumption of “central” IT roles. We’ll also want to hear about your “add-ons.” But we’ll also discuss how you make room for these extra assignments and what leverage you have to enhance your compensation package – and your career path.
Best Job on Campus: Why Students Belong in Annual Giving
Emily Etzkorn, VanillaSoft
Hillside Central
Student employees are a critical piece of education annual giving programs. In this session, Emily Etzkorn, Fundraising Evangelist with VanillaSoft, will look at the benefits of having students as part of the annual giving office – even if you don’t have an engagement center. She’ll look at the importance of recruiting, training, and coaching of students to make them an effective and integral part of the annual giving team.
10:30-11:45 a.m.
A Community College Fundraising Forum
Bill Lambert, Mt. San Antonio College
Auditorium Room
Join a group of community college (and other small-shop) fundraisers for a discussion about fundraising with limited resources, important tools, shortcuts and “hacks,” outsourcing essentials, the particular community college case for support and prospect audiences. (Also join us for the pre-conference community college program and reception on Tuesday night, February 7th at Mt. San Antonio College.)
A Leadership and Digital Giving Officer Forum
Ray Watts, Claremont McKenna College and Bob Burdenski
Mountain Vista Room
As a sequel to Ray Watts’ session on “An Introduction to (More-or-Less) Face-to-Face Fundraising,” we’ll have a forum on all things personal engagement and gift solicitation. Leadership annual giving has been infused with a digital engagement set of strategies, solutions, tools and metrics. We’ll talk about the progression from annual donors to major donors, and the nature of relationship-building as donors progress up through the “muddle in the middle” on your giving pyramid. Some specific forum topics:
✔ What is “leadership annual giving” and why is it the same – and different – everywhere?
✔ How has the pandemic changed leadership annual giving, in some ways for the better?
✔ How do you identify prospects, and with what tools and resources?
✔ How has LinkedIn become a particularly good leadership annual giving resource?
✔ How do you approach prospects? What channels are most effective?
✔ What role does direct marketing have in leadership annual giving?
✔ What do you talk about with prospects?
✔ How do you effectively use Zoom, and when and how?
✔ How has Zoom elevated prospect visits in some ways?
✔ What materials/collateral do you use, if any?
✔ What contact reporting process does your institution have?
✔ What’s the new business etiquette in a Zoom and pandemic world?
✔ What stewardship and subsequent engagement strategies are effective?
✔ What’s the right role for the use of personal texting and video?
✔ What leadership annual giving tools, tips, and “hacks” help you to do your job?
✔ And how do you define success for leadership annual giving?
To Benchmark or Not to Benchmark? Benefits and Pitfalls
Jessica LaBorde, UC Davis, Mark Longo, Caltech and Jessica Channell-Iler, UNLV
Hillside West
Join us for this panel discussion to learn how to be a good benchmarking partner while avoiding common pitfalls. We will share stories and tools to determine what, how, and when to benchmark (and when not to). We will also talk about both metrics and operational benchmarking, and how you might be able to leverage data from existing resources.
Fundraising BS: Leveraging Behavioral Science to Drive Donor Conversion Rates
Felicity Meu, GiveCampus
Hillside Central
Making it easier for donors to give may just be the most effective strategy in the savvy fundraiser’s toolkit—and we’ve got the conversion metrics (and science!) to prove it. In this session, we’ll show you how applying classic principles of persuasion science to your everyday fundraising challenges can dramatically improve donor engagement and move the needle on dollars raised. Using the Fogg Behavior Model as a framework for understanding donor motivation and ability, Felicity Meu will share the simple strategies you can implement to achieve impressive real-world results.
Lunch – 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Conference Luncheon in the Kellogg Center Dining Room (Lobby Level)
1:00-2:15 p.m.
Forum for Young Professionals in Advancement
Kalyn Rose Miller, Pomona College, Gizel Avina, Claremont Graduate University, Carter Stripp, Claremont McKenna College, Kamalei Lee, Cal State San Bernardino, Tracy Telliard, University of Redlands, Brittney Morales, Claremont Graduate University
Auditorium Room
Being a young professional in Advancement can come with both challenges and rewards. Connecting with donors double (sometimes triple) their age and very different tax brackets can often be intimidating and confusing. Working alongside colleagues who have worked in Advancement for 20+ years, can do the same. Young professionals bring a rich and exciting perspective to our profession. They also bring fresh ideas, connections to students, new technology and the willingness to try new things. Join us in a panel discussion of young professionals at all experience levels as they share their journeys, stories, challenges and triumphs.
Social Media Advertising and Email Segmentation for Giving Day… or Any Day
Sean Briner and Noelle Reed, CSU San Marcos
Mountain Vista Room
CSU San Marcos effectively integrated social media advertising and advanced email audience segmentation into its most recent Giving Day 2022 this past November 29th. Learn what strategies they used, their measures of success, and their results.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Dashboards (and Reports) for Dummies
Mark Longo, Caltech, Jeff Callaghan, Loyola Marymount University, and Laurie Ogg, Sonoma State University
Hillside West
Join your hosts “Joel,” “Tom,” and “Crow” for this week’s episode of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 as they are forced to watch the best and worst dashboards and reports found in the fundraising industry. This no-holds-barred experience is not for the faint of heart. Pull up a chair, eat your popcorn, and learn what it takes to create an out-of-this-world dashboard.
Where Have We Been and Where are We Going?
DEI in Advancement Three Years After the Racial Reckoning
Perry Radford, Rad Philanthropy and Dr. Shalonda Martin, Pomona College
Hillside Central
In this moderator-led discussion, we’ll discuss how fundraising shops have approached DEI in their work, what results we’re seeing, and how these programs will continue to evolve.
2:30-3:45 p.m.
Women in Advancement Leadership
Kalyn Rose Miller, Pomona College, Gizel Avina, Claremont Graduate University, Nicole Forrest Boggs, CSU-Long Beach, Melissa Ellyn Watkins, Loyola Marymount University, Dolores Ybarra, Director of Development & Operations at Pasadena City College
Auditorium Room
Women make up the majority of nonprofit employees, yet they are underrepresented in leadership positions across nonprofit organizations. In this panel, we bring together women leaders and aspiring women leaders of nonprofits to engage in discussion about relevant issues and foster meaningful relationships. How can we understand both the challenges and the opportunities presented by women’s leadership? How do issues like gender roles, work-life balance, and mentorship shape women’s leadership?
The Recurring Riddle of Regular Giving Programs
Rachel Robertson, University of Utah, Bob Burdenski, Robert Burdenski Annual Giving
Mountain Vista Room
We’ve chased the elusive, effective recurring giving program for years. We’re proud that we can set up a recurring gift, but most educational institutions (and other not-for-profits) still struggle to attract significant numbers of recurring gift (monthly or otherwise) donors. There are successes to be found in other sectors (PBS) and even other countries (UK). What are the obstacles – and solutions – here in the U.S.? Come and see a collection of recurring giving strategies for promoting, stewarding, recognizing and sustaining a recurring donor base. Rachel will talk about the University of Utah’s successful recurring gift program — with more than 800 donors, and Bob will share a range of samples from other institutions.
IRS (and State) Sticky Wickets
John Taylor, John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC and Wayne Combs, CHOC
Hillside West
This session will focus on the complex legal issues that can impact gift solicitation and gift acceptance by your organization. We will cover the following:
✔ State Fundraising Registration Requirements
✔ Binding & Non-Binding Pledges
✔ Donor-Advised Fund and Family Foundation Issues
✔ Quid Pro Quo
✔ Corporate Sponsorships
✔ Raffles & Auctions
From Disengaged to Donors: Using Digital Data to Unlock Affinity & Engagement
Scott Williams, Vinyl Marketing with Kyle Vaughn
Hillside Central
Your institution is sitting on a powerful wealth of data that has the power to transform the way your team fundraises, largely left untapped industry-wide. In this session, we’ll cover how to unlock the vast potential of your institution’s data and transform it into a powerful tool for donor engagement in and out of campaigns. Discover how to use digital metrics and funnel strategies to nurture the relationship between your institution and its alumni – from disengaged alum to major donors and beyond with a clearer picture of engagement and affinity than ever before. Vinyl will be joined by Kyle Vaughn, whose experience with this strategy covers Advancement Services, Annual Giving, DXO, as well as his role as former Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at Ashland University, where this strategy was central to the resounding success of its most recent comprehensive campaign, closing at 2X its campaign goal following a failed feasibility study.
4:00-5:15 p.m.
An Annual Giving Directors’ Discussion
Rachel Robertson, University of Utah, Sean Briner, CSU San Marcos, Jessica Pfahler, University of Redlands, Moderators
Auditorium Room
Join an executive-level conversation for those running annual giving programs at their institution. How’s your organizational chart these days? What skills are you looking for in your team members, and where do you find them? In the office or remote? In-house or outsourced? And what if you’re running the program yourself? Get some ideas, solutions, tips and therapy from your peers at this directors’ dialogue.
Staying Remote – Permanent Off-Site Management of Advancement Staff
Jeff Callaghan and Christiana Simpson, Loyola Marymount U.
Mountain Vista Room
At the height of the pandemic, organizations pivoted to full-time remote work as a necessary solution to a temporary problem. Though most staff returned to the office in some capacity, Loyola Marymount University embraced the opportunity and reclassified several Advancement Services positions as permanently remote, including the entirety of the Analytics & Reporting team. With a year of this formal arrangement under our belts, Jeff will review the day-to-day of managing and motivating a remote Advancement Services shop, and Christiana will discuss the HR components. Both will share their experiences as once-upon-a-time-fully-in-person-and-now-fully-remote staff members, including the benefits and challenges of LMU’s new normal.
Data Collection, Maintenance, & Integrity Fundamentals
Dr. Shalonda Martin, Pomona College, Jessica Channell-Iler, UNLV, and Jennifer Garcia-Do, CHLA, and Laurie Ogg, Sonoma State University
Hillside West
Data is our greatest resource; it is widely used and highly valuable. It is imperative that we approach data with strategy to ensure we are meeting our organizational goals. Join us as we discuss best practices, common challenges, and the future of Data Collection, Maintenance, & Integrity.
Making Real-Time Enriched Data Work for You – Immediately
Bob Sands and Mike Smith, BlueRidge Data
Hillside Central
This session, delivered by the data experts at BlueRidge Data, will share strategies on how to update your professional data in your CRM in real-time to make your newly enriched data immediately provide advancement ROI. We will explore how expanding your employment and matching gift information will facilitate greater prospect information while turning contributions into twice their value. The session will also introduce NextGen giving forms that support Web3 Fundraising and Personalized Asks to integrate print and email online transactions to uplift Y-Y regular giving.