2022 Wednesday Sessions – Annual Giving + Advancement Services conference

Schedule for Wednesday, March 23, 2022. All times are Pacific Time. If you’re a member of an institution that’s Zoom registered for the MOTM Conference, use the Zoom Session Signup page to RSVP for the sessions you’d like to attend. (Contact the main registration contact at your institution for the password, or contact us.) Note that recordings for all sessions (except in-person-only sessions as noted) will be available for viewing after the conference. Registered in-person attendees do not need to RSVP for individual sessions.

9:00-10:15 a.m.

Measuring Performance and Productivity in Advancement Services
Armik Allen, California Lutheran University

As critical as our function is to any Advancement organization, far too often Advancement Services is overlooked. Often this is because others do not know or understand what we do. Sometimes it is because people believe that what we do is “automatic.” In this session, we will discuss the critical roles and functions of an Advancement Services department. We will then explore ways to monetize our work and learn how to highlight the difference we are making.

The Evolution from Phonathon to Digital Engagement: Material Shift…
Or More of the Same?
Rachel Spencer and Danielle Manriquez, VanillaSoft

There is widespread consensus within the higher ed. fundraising community that the “old school” approach to phonathons is broken, ineffective…and maybe even a waste of time. But, while it’s true that things need to evolve and change, and the ‘transactional’ approach to fundraising has to stop, is simply rebranding your “call center” as a “digital engagement center” the answer? Will approaching your alumni via a multitude of channels, rather than phone alone, serve to truly engage? Or does it risk backfiring and alienating your alumni population further? Does the great phonathon rebrand, and the rise of the “digital engagement center” actually effect a material change in strategy, approach and results? Or is it merely a relabelling of the same? Join this provocative session to find out (!!!)

Polite Persistence at Santa Clara University: How Donor Experience Officers are Increasing Participation
Caroline Shine, ThankView
Mike Wallace, Santa Clara University

10:30-11:45 a.m.

An Organizational Culture of Experimentation: Connecting the Dots
Rodger Devine EdD, Pomona College

Organizational culture remains a critical component of developing a high performing advancement team, but it can be challenging to build talent, capacity, and learning while navigating change. Drawing on diverse research concepts and evidence-based approaches, attendees at all career levels will learn how design thinking, creativity, and growth mindset tools, among others, can help them effectively respond to change, find solutions and generate innovative capabilities.

Theoretical Chickens: Small Gifts in the Big Picture
Emily Berry, Emilie Davis, and Spencer K. Izor, Miami University

Can university fundraisers and donor relations officers adapt the goats and chickens model to scholarships and professorships? Okay, so we’re a university. We don’t have chickens. Or goats. Or cows. But you’ve probably heard or received those solicitations from other charities. Sure, you know your money may not actually be going to purchase THAT specific goat for THAT particular family, but the illusion is a great way to ask you for a gift, and it gives you an idea of its actual impact, whether large or small.

Direct Mail Recipes – Add Spice to All Your Channels
Christina Brandel, CFRE, Marketing Communication Resource, Inc.

Stuck in an appeal rut? Want to spice things up but can’t seem to find the right recipe that pulls in all your favorite channels? Join in a conversation about how to use your favorite “ingredients” to spice up all your appeals.

Lunch – 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Lunch on your own

1:00-2:15 p.m.

Opening Plenary Session:
Be Mindful: All The Sessions (Left) You Don’t Want To Miss…
Welcome, Introductions and Conference Highlights
Bob Burdenski and John Taylor, Conference co-Chairs with
Dan Montplaisir, Vice President for Advancement, Cal Poly Pomona

Well-known Crystal Apple teachers, CASE authors, listserv moderators, and fundraising curmudgeons Bob Burdenski and John Taylor launch the 2022 Meeting of the Minds Conference with a festive welcome and a rapid-fire rundown of their favorite advancement services and annual giving conference sessions and speakers to follow. Often in sync, lovingly in conflict, and always working in support of philanthropic goals, annual giving and advancement services offices play a critical role in advancement success. Join Bob and John as they provide a preview of the great conference sessions to come, and hear a special welcome from our sponsors.

2:30-3:45 p.m.

Business Intelligence and Annual Giving
Rodger Devine, Pomona College with Lily Barger, UC Riverside, Juli Nguyen, USC and Derrick Fang, Pomona College, Loni Rocchio, UCLA Health Sciences Development

“Business intelligence” has become a function and a skillset in many advancement operations, and annual giving can be one of its biggest customers and beneficiaries. From participation goals to pipeline goals, business intelligence can help maximize the success and efficiency of them all. Rodger will convene a panel of “business intelligence” advancement practitioners to talk about their day-to-day work and the benefits for annual giving and the rest of the advancement office.

Class-Based Fundraising and Reunion Engagement: Pandemic Edition
Kerry Brooke Steere, Claremont McKenna College,
Laura Wensley, Pomona College and Kevin Barry, Mount St. Mary’s University

Is it the best of times, or the worst of times for class-based fundraising and engagement? In-person events remain a challenge, but alumni are more connected than ever before, and our multi-channel world offers more ways to identify affinity, invite involvement, and sustain alumni relationships – with the institution and each other. Join a discussion about how old class engagement and fundraising goals get achieved in today’s ever-changing world.

Gift Compliance
Caroline Chang, UC Innovation

(This session has changed from its original topic.)

4:00-5:15 p.m.

Thirty Years of FundList:
The Greatest Samples Ever Shared
Bob Burdenski,
Robert Burdenski Annual Giving

Public use of email began in the 1990s. Not long after, (in 1992) the first online fundraising forum began as a listserv at Johns Hopkins University. For the first time, fundraisers could immediately exchange questions, answers and therapy with each other. Celebrating its 30th year, FundList has thousands of current members and hundreds-of-thousands of alumni. Bob has now been the Fundlist moderator (and janitor) for more than half of its history, and will share his collection of the most useful ideas, examples and words of wisdom from those thirty years. Join him for a multi-channel walk through fundraising history and see a big box of fundraising ideas that have stood the test of time.

The Legal Ins and Outs of DAFs, Private Foundations, Pledges, and QPQs
John Taylor, John Taylor Consulting

This session will look at issues pertaining to giving through donor-advised funds, and the related issues for gifts from private (family) foundations. We will analyze the curious IRS Notice 2017-73 applying to DAFs, and dive deeper into the broader issue of pledges (enforceable, conditional, unenforceable – whatever!) being satisfied through DAFs and private foundations. Coupled with this, we will discuss donor benefits associate with gifts through these mechanisms and overall issues pertaining to quid pro quos.

Digital Wallets: What We’ve Learned So Far
Felicity Meu, GiveCampus

Digital wallets like Venmo, PayPal, and Apple Pay have eclipsed Visa to become the most popular payment method among donors to educational institutions. Join Felicity Meu, Senior Director of Partner Success, as she highlights the incredible findings from GiveCampus’ study on who’s using them, which ones are most popular, and how it’s transforming the donor experience across education institutions everywhere.

5:15-6:30 p.m. – Conference Welcome Reception

Opening Conference Reception Sponsored by MCR
(In-Person Event Only)