Day 1, Wednesday, Feb. 23 

Today's focus: Define the field

NOON-1:00 PM
Registration

1:00-1:15
Welcome and Introductions

1:15-2:30
Critical Issues and Extraordinary Opportunities for the Chief Development Officer
As the chief development officer, how do you lead your program as the philanthropic landscape is changing? Do you sit back, ride it out and hope things return to "normal," or do you move aggressively to create new models for development? You have a choice...or do you? This session uncovers realities, explores expectations ad inspires you to take action.

2:45-4:00
Elective Sessions (choose one)

• Getting Off to the Right Start
  More and more individuals are coming to the advancement profession from other careers. Some of these careers are outside education. This session will focus on the skills and tools needed to navigate the academy and prepare for success as advancement professionals.
• Get Your Donors' Attention and Keep It!
  Our donors have many choices when it comes to their philanthropy. Creating a compelling case, personalizing "the ask," listening to feedback, promptly acknowledging the gift, and providing thoughtful stewardship all enhance our ability to stand out in the crowd. Come prepared to talk about the benchmarks for success, as well as the kind of resources they require.

4:15-5:30
Focus One: The Major Gift
Learn to build the blueprint for leadership gift success through pipeline development, gift officer training and philanthropic culture change. Discuss the steps to take to build the right pipeline with the right-sized prospect pool for long-term success. Building redundancy into your prospect coverage to ensure long-term success...tracking results through the careful application of one-, three-, and five-year goals.

5:30-6:30
Networking Reception
Sponsor: RuffaloCODY

6:30
Conference Adjourns for the Day
Dinner on your own

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Day 2, Thursday, Feb. 24

Today's focus: Become a Better Leader

7:30-8:00 AM
Continental Breakfast

8:00-9:00
"95/5" is the new "80/20"
Principal gifts have become increasingly important income streams for our institutions, and big ideas resonate with donors of significant wealth. Finding the right idea as well as the right partners to help "pitch" the idea can be both challenging and exhilarating for the chief development officer. This session will focus on ways to drive transformative investments to areas of strategic importance to your institution, including identifying investors, cultivating their interest, asking for their support and stewarding their partnership.

9:00-10:30
Tap into Your Leadership Skills and Drive Results
During your career, you have experienced the best (and the worst) in management practices and ideas. Now you are the one at the top, and people are looking to you to put your best practices and ideas into action. We will explore innovations in basic great-team practices so that you return to campus with a renewed focus and sharpened skills to be a leader who drives results.

10:45 AM-NOON
Elective Sessions (choose one)

• You Can Lead the President (and Trustees) to a Gift AND Make Them Ask...
  Review strategies for using the president and trustees in principal gift cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. Discuss preparing your VIP for building a relationship with your most important families, and techniques to tee up them up for success while building a culture of philanthropic expectation. The key to any ask—how do you determine the right person to say the right words at the right time ?
• Partnering with the Academic Leadership
  Deans and faculty are now discovering that being involved in fundraising is not an option but a requirement. Some accept this challenge eagerly (maybe too eagerly) and others run away from it. Discuss ways for working with your deans and faculty to achieve success within the framework of the overall advancement program in generating support for their college/program.

NOON-1:30 PM
Managing Expectations: The Whole Story (Lunch)
Among the many challenges of the chief development officer is managing expectations of campus and volunteer leadership. You've heard some of these: "Our campaign goal should be at least doubled because that's how much Rich College just raised."... "Mrs. Loyal Benefactor just made a gift of $3 million to the Fabulous Charity; she should give here."... "My new development officer still hasn't found anyone to put a name on this building."... "Our priority is to raise $5 million for Way-Out-There Project."... "If everyone gives (fill in the amount), we will reach our goal." Over a high spirited lunch, Craig Smith will discuss expectations and provide strategies to manage them with grace and diplomacy.

1:30-2:45
Board Boot Camp
We have ushered in a new year and with that always comes a recommitment to get in shape. The fitness of your board in dealing with new realities in development is every bit as important as your own. A healthy institution starts with a healthy board, you will learn how take yours to boot camp.

3:00-4:15
Leadership Focus: New Traditions in Development
A recognized innovator in higher education, Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr., is leading the successful transformation of Saint Leo University with institutional commitment to core values, qualitative measurement and effective use of technology. Completing his degree online 500 miles away, Donald Tapia first stepped foot on his university's campus on graduation day to receive his diploma. Today, his name is on the building that is home to the business school. These two leaders discuss best approaches to development in a changing environment.

4:15-5:00
Faculty Firing Line
A lively discussion of what has surfaced at the Institute and burning issues that are on your mind. An opportunity for an open forum to help you set your course.

5:00
Conference Adjourns for the Day
Dinner on your own

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Day 3, Friday, Feb. 25

Today's focus: Return with impact

7:30-8:00 AM
Continental Breakfast

8:00-9:00
Focus Three: The Ultimate Gift
Rethinking the Old Adage: Don't Put Off for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today
With the downturn in the economy, many prospects and donors became less comfortable with making large outright gifts or multiyear pledges. At the same time, many of them felt that the economy and their personal circumstances would recover. This mindset provides the perfect opportunity for fundraisers to introduce or refocus the discussion of the importance of deferred and planned giving. Discuss strategies for soliciting and securing deferred and planned gifts.

9:15-10:30
Elective Sessions (choose one)

• Engagement in the Small Campus Setting
  Review strategies to encourage your warmest prospect and coolest naysayer to  give at more meaningful levels. How do we build a culture of investment by providing value in each life stage of our prospects? Keep the value proposition alive beyond graduation through focused and relevant engagement. Do we mean more to them today than during their time on campus?
• One + One + One = Four!
  It doesn't add up-or does it? Creating and communicating a clear and consistent message to all of our institution's stakeholders (students and prospective students, alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff and local community members) creates synergies and enhances our brand. Plus, partnership and collaboration bring more efficient use of limited resources—financial and human. Come prepared to discuss how the collective efforts of our alumni affairs, development and public relations teams can enhance our shared goals and help us to stand out in an increasingly crowded media market.

10:45-11:45
Winter Institute Capstone
The Winter Institute comes with satisfaction guaranteed. We will review principles that you can apply and make a lasting impact for you and your program.

11:45 AM-NOON
Conference Wrap-up

NOON
Conference Adjourns

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