Annual Giving Workshop
This conference is designed for newcomers to the advancement profession and professionals with mid-level responsibility.
Benefits of Attending
Participation in this conference will prepare attendees to:
- Integrate proven and emerging practices to maximize results in direct mail, phone and online giving programs.
- Improve integrity and effectiveness of existing data resources.
- Inform and educate colleagues across campus about the value of annual giving.
- Assess effectiveness of appeals and apply lessons for more powerful solicitations.
- Build a philanthropic pipeline.
- Integrate personal solicitation into annual giving operations.
- Build a professional network through interactive online discussions with colleagues at peer institutions.
Who Should Attend
- Long-time development professionals with new responsibilities in annual giving who would benefit from fresh ideas and the opportunity to network with others in the field.
- Newcomers and intermediate-level professionals in annual giving.
Meet Your Chair
Colin Hennessy
Colin Hennessy brings over 15 years of professional fundraising and management experience with expertise in annual giving, alumni engagement, segmentation strategy, data analysis, and more. He is recognized as an industry leader with a proven track record of developing philanthropic pipelines through thoughtful interventions informed by behavioral economics, data science, stewardship, and engagement.
As Vice President for Alumni and Donor Engagement, Colin leads a team dedicated to supporting the University of Iowa through thoughtful and innovative engagement and programming—overseeing alumni engagement, communication and marketing, events, and stewardship efforts.
Before joining the UI Center for Advancement in 2022, Colin held leadership positions at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago. In addition, he was a senior vice president and practice area leader at the fundraising management consulting firm Grenzebach Glier and Associates. Colin earned his bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree in adult and distance education from the University of Phoenix, a master’s in public policy and administration from Iowa State University, and a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the 2019 Diane Thompson Award Winner for Excellence in Annual Giving from the Northeast Annual Giving Conference Association. In addition, Colin is a CASE Crystal Apple Award-winning speaker and teacher, in addition to the numerous CASE Circle of Excellence Awards presented to teams under his leadership.