11:30-11:45 AM
Welcome, Introductions and Setting the Stage

11:45 AM-12:45 PM
The Power of Annual Giving
Join the full conference faculty for this spirited conversation on the importance of Annual Giving. Together, we’ll discuss how to talk about the value of Annual Giving to colleagues (and family members) while outlining the long-term impact Annual Giving programs have on the development lifecycle. This opening session is a great opportunity to get to know the faculty in a group session while getting inspired and energized for the remainder of the conference.

12:45-1:00
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat
Use this time visit the virtual exhibit hall to view resources and set-up appointments.

1:00-1:45
Elective Sessions (Select One):

• Weathering the Waves: All Things Phonathon
  Once an anchor for many annual giving programs, call centers are facing turbulent tides. Is it ‘program overboard,’ or can we ‘right the ship’? It depends. But how do you know whether phonathon is still right for your institution? Or what if you plan to weather the storm, but you’re looking for few more buoys? Either way, this session is for you.

  We will engage in a candid discussion about all things phonathon. Starting from the dock by reviewing the basic techniques, we’ll venture out to discuss the storms we’ve faced along the way – including caller retention, training and pledge fulfillment. Then we’ll explore deeper waters with emerging trends and new integrations to maximize ROI. Come prepared to explore fresh ways to redefine call center success - at least until the next major wave.

• Getting Nerdy with Numbers (When You’re Not a Numbers Nerd!): Basic Annual Giving Reporting
  Data is at the center of any successful annual giving program. We strive to make data-driven decisions, but the concept of creating reports from scratch can be overwhelming at times. Reporting on results is essential to build our plans, improve performance, and evaluate successes. In this session, we’ll talk about how to effectively…and efficiently track key performance indicators for annual giving channels, segments and projects. Math degree not required!

1:45-2:15
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat

2:15-3:00
Elective Sessions (Select One):

• Engaging and Soliciting Students and Young Alumni
  We all know that engaging with students and young alumni is critical to the future of our institutions, but the reality is- it is really hard work! Learn best practices to engage with and educate students on the importance of philanthropy along with communicating and soliciting your young alumni. We'll talk about short term campaigns, meaningful volunteer opportunities and why communicating with Millennials and Gen Z. is unique!
• How to Start a Texting Program from Scratch
  Texting is the newest and least understood communication channel in Advancement. In this session, I'll walk you through how the University of Vermont planned for and started their texting program in 2020. I'll focus on the elements of good platform selection, training students, campaign design and execution, and assessment of results. By attending this session, attendees should walk away with a blueprint for how to successfully plan, build, and launch a new texting program.

3:00-3:15
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat

3:15-4:30
Faculty Lightning Talks and Small Group Discussions
Join the Faculty as they share some quickfire advice and expertise on a range of topics. Immediately afterwards, participants will be broken out into small groups for further discussion on the topics shared and/or any other outstanding questions from Day 1.

• Quick Appeal Checklist
• Excel Formulas We Love
• Venmo/Alternate Payment Methods
• How to Choose a Vendor
• Panther’s Forward Student Debt Relief Program

4:30-5:30
Networking and Live Exhibit Hall Chat
Pour yourself a cocktail (or mocktail) and meet virtually with conference attendees, faculty members, and exhibitors.  Use this time to check out resources in the library, visit the virtual exhibit hall or participate in the optional live chat.

5:30 
Conference Adjourns for the Day

Joint Day with Advanced Annual Giving Strategies
 

11:30 AM-12:30 PM
How Alumni Engagement Benchmarks can Transform Annual Giving Strategies
The alternate title to this session might be “what happens when an annual giving junkie gets to manage a survey on alumni engagement.”  Jenny Cooke Smith spent fifteen years analyzing annual giving trends prior to joining the team at CASE and brings that lens into this conversation of engagement metrics.  In 2019, CASE launched the global Alumni Engagement Metrics (AEM) survey, the culmination of a more than decade-long journey to establish a framework and standard for measuring ways alumni interact with their alma mater.  In this session, learn why annual giving professionals can and should play a pivotal role in the adoption of engagement metrics and more importantly, in guiding how they are used for greater good.  We will share results from the second year of analysis, in which 372 respondents from 16 different countries provided key inputs on engagement in four modes: philanthropy, volunteerism, experiential, and communication.  We will also discuss why engagement rate is merely the start of more complex conversations, and what other measures should be layered in for charting success.   

12:30-1:00
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat
Use this time visit the virtual exhibit hall to view resources and set-up appointments.

1:00-2:00
Elective Sessions (Select One):

• Reimagining your Faculty and Staff Campaign During COVID-19
  In 2020, COVID-19 presented many challenges to fundraising and to fundraisers. Our industry had to shift and re-think how many of our fundraising strategies needed to change. Events and face-to-face donor interactions ended and shifted to virtual engagements. In this session, learn some of the strategies Texas Southern University used to reimagine their Faculty and Staff Campaign and turn it into a three-week 100% virtual campaign generating a 45% increase in giving. By attending this session, attendees will learn: Ways to keep your zoom participants engaged; Creative games and interactive activities; Digital strategies that inspire giving; Ways to engage your leadership donors; and Ways to get your Deans invested in success.

• Increase ROI by Becoming Besties with Research & Prospect Management
  Traditionally associated with major gift fundraising, Research & Prospect Management (RPM) has untapped potential in supporting annual giving fundraising efforts. By attending this session, attendees will understand how building a better working relationship between the two departments can result in opportunities not only to increase annual dollars, but also to: 1. Reverse engineer data for predictive modeling; 2. Identify future affinity-based fundraising segments; and 3. Develop reports and metrics to create and enhance leadership annual giving.

• Transforming Phonathon
  It worked for decades, and then the world changed. Reaching donors through phone calls became harder, and the way many of us were doing it just annoyed donors. Enter integrated, mobile technology that lets you contact donors across calling, texting, and video messages, all driven by powerful analytics. The phonathon has transformed, students can work remotely, and we can maximize ROI and the donor experience with this new technology. And advancement leaders are realizing that this engagement is about way more than the annual fund: supporting events, major/planned giving, surveying and alumni engagement are now common. We’ll share results of the largest ever student ambassador survey, key data on impact of this transformation, and you’ll hear from leaders that transformed their programs, then engage in a discussion about how you can take the next step beyond “dialing for dollars.”

2:00-2:30
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat

2:30-3:15
Roundtable Discussions
Take this opportunity to connect with attendees from both conferences in small groups.  Each group will receive discussion prompts and will be encouraged to participate in the conversation on timely topics affecting our industry.  This is a great time to connect with peers to share best practices, ideas and support.

3:15-3:30
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat

3:30-4:45
Small Group Discussion and Final Thoughts with All Faculty

4:45 PM
Conference Adjourns for the Day

10:30-11:30 AM
Office Hours (sign-up required)
Have more questions? Take advantage of the opportunity to sign up for 15-minute coaching sessions with conference faculty. Participants are encouraged to bring challenges or use this time for personalized follow-up on information shared at earlier sessions.

11:30 AM-12:15 PM
Roundtable Discussions
Bring your breakfast or lunch and connect with attendees in small groups.  Each group will receive discussion prompts and will be encouraged to participate in the conversation on timely topics and opportunities will be provided for follow-up questions on content previously covered at the conference.

12:15-12:30
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat
Use this time visit the virtual exhibit hall to view resources and setup appointments

12:30-1:30
Countdown Clocks, Challenge Matches, and Big Numbers: All Things Giving Day
Giving Days: What started as a “fun idea” has quickly grown into year-round planning for the longest (or shortest!) 24-hours of the fiscal year. Whether you have one, plan to add one, continue to be asked about it by leadership, donors, or colleagues, Giving Days are everywhere and often take center stage within our industry. In this session, we’ll review the benefits, struggles, planning, and scalability of giving days. We’ll also talk about the future of giving days and our ability to change and adapt (even in a global pandemic!) one of the more high-profile annual giving channels.

1:30-2:00
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat
Use this time visit the virtual exhibit hall to view resources and set-up appointments.

2:00-2:45
Elective Sessions (Select One):

• Supporting and Leading Fundraising Volunteers
  Peer to peer solicitation is one of the top strategic priorities for the most successful annual giving programs. When managed effectively, fundraising volunteers can be great partners in increasing participation while raising dollars for your institution. Identification, recruitment, training, management and stewardship are critical components of successful volunteer management. Hear about best practices across the industry to start a volunteer fundraising program or to take your program to the next level!
• Using Events to Engage
  Is there a disconnect between ‘friend-raising’ and ‘fund-raising’ at your institution? Struggling with finding the ‘why’ behind hosting large-scale events or even virtual activities in a world of Zoom-fatigue? Don’t give up. You can still use events to activate prospects and acquire advocates and donors. In this session, learn how to build an events blueprint that ‘begins with the end in mind.’ Then, explore a few event examples through this lens and pick up some event ideas for specific populations including young alumni, parents, and current students. Finally, learn specific strategies to partner with campus colleagues in order to optimize opportunities for follow-up.

2:45-3:00
Stretch Break/Live Exhibit Hall Chat

3:00-4:00
The Virtual Gift Officer Revolution
DXO. DGO. DDO. Regardless of what they are called, virtual gift officers are revolutionizing relationship development in higher education fundraising. In a world that experienced a digital quickening in 2020, it will be imperative for future-focused advancement organizations to embrace digital-first fundraising to meet donors where they engage. This revolution will be FaceTimed, livestreamed, podcasted, messaged, and emailed. Join this session to learn how your team can leverage digital-first solutions that deepen relationships with donors to renew, retain, and upgrade donors at your institution.

4:00-4:15
Stretch Break

4:15-5:00
An Attitude of Gratitude: Showing Impact and Saying Thank You
In a philanthropic landscape that is increasingly crowded how do you show your donors how much you value you 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 the choice). Showcasing donor impact is an essential part of any successful annual giving program and serves as an important capstone to the conference.

5:00
Conference Adjourns