In this session, conference chair Colin Hennessy engages three independent school leaders in conversation to discuss trends and best practices for building and developing relationships with students, parents, and families. The expert panel represents decades of experience in fundraising, including positions within higher education, consulting, secular and non-secular independent schools, and the performing arts. Our panelists will respond to questions ranging from the intersection of annual giving and major gifts to pipeline development, the difference between independent school fundraising and higher education, and questions from the audience. Join us for an enriching conversation on how best to build a culture of philanthropy with students, parents, and families.

The world has gone digital. Are you ready? In this session, we will discuss how to integrate digital tools, social media, and evocative storytelling into your annual giving plan. As we fight for the attention of our donors and constituents, annual giving programs need to consider the multiple ways our communities interact with the organizations that they hold most dear. The creative use of digital marketing and social campaigns can help to fortify existing multi-channel marketing, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.

Talent, Time or Treasure. Sometimes the synergy between how and when your alumni interact with the institution can be off within the parameter of your own office walls. Whether your shop is balanced or unbalanced between alumni engagement and alumni giving, this session will explore different models, and tactics to encourage conversations (both in and out!) to support alliances for strategy.

Get the blood flowing with a series of interactive group activities focused on real-world annual giving conundrums. The faculty has curated scenarios from their campus experiences over decades of active annual giving leadership. Come prepared to meet new people, exchange ideas, and work together to solve annual giving problems.

Engage in this second set of 10-minute mini-presentations by the Faculty, followed by Q&A. • Addressing student debt: How some universities are creatively responding • The Rise and (Pit)Falls of Incentives • How to make a career in Annual Giving

In a philanthropic landscape that is increasingly crowded, how do you show your donors how much you value them? In this session, we’ll talk about stewardship and how to illustrate the impact a donor has on your organization. From thank you notes to events – we’ll talk about what works and what to steer clear of (if given a choice). Showcasing donor impact is an essential part of any successful annual giving program and serves as an important capstone to the conference.