Your registration fee includes full access to all conference sessions and materials, breakfast, lunch, and access to the networking reception on Thursday, breakfast on Friday, as well as refreshments and snacks throughout the conference.

8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CT – Local time in New Orleans

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

8:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
With large campaigns remaining the norm in higher education fundraising, many institutions still try to meet these ambitious goals by turning to a shrinking pool of high-wealth donors. However, excessive focus on these transactional relationships only increases the number of alumni, corporations, foundations, and friends who feel their relationship with your institution has become undervalued or forgotten. Here, you will gain a better understanding of this phenomenon as well as similar issues that frame the future challenges of fundraising.

Note: A brief break will be built into this session.

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Your advancement team is going to be your greatest support in your philanthropic efforts and interactions with donors. By having a clear understanding of what advancement does, and where their obligations begin and end, you will be able to build this critical relationship in support of your vision. This session will dig into the specifics of how your advancement partnership builds upon the pillars of appreciation, affiliation, and agency. We will take an in-depth look at what has worked well over time and allow you to identify where there are opportunities for improvement within your existing advancement relationships.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Creating the conditions that make for successful fundraising must include strong volunteer engagement structures, unique connections to external stakeholders, and continuous engagement with alumni and friends. The connections built by you and the advancement team are imperative for keeping development officers operating at peak performance and for advancing your priorities. Focusing on a framework that allows for more disciplined communication with your donors provides greater potential for institutional growth.

2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Fundraising can become unnecessarily complicated when donors are presented with numerous, sometimes contradictory, giving opportunities. Having clear priorities is vital. In this session, you will work through increasingly complex case studies. Understanding the nuances of each situation supports thoughtful and creative solutions for each scenario, providing confidence in future donor relations. The formula for navigating complex donor relations is based upon strong situational awareness, outstanding listening skills, and the ability to adapt to quickly evolving situations.

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
This informal reception is your chance to decompress, have some refreshments on us, and expand your network of connections. Our programs are intentionally designed for smaller groups, so this is a great time to catch up with attendees and speakers with whom you may not have connected yet.

8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT - Local time in New Orleans

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Approaching a prospect with an idea, such as a white paper draft, can provide a substantive, early-stage connection to a project and allow you to build a focused, results-based relationship without social cultivation. By highlighting a variety of examples, we will show you how to collaboratively develop ideas and generate projects and initiatives that motivate continued giving.

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Ongoing strategic alliances that work together with a shared purpose are key to meaningful prospect volunteer experiences. Whether it’s an industry partner who provides a guest lecture or a prominent alumnus who sits on your advisory board, leveraging the volunteer experience to increase giving can be approached in a wide variety of ways. Learn how to define your mission with each prospect by creating impactful opportunities unique to their interests.

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.