Advancement professionals are on the move: traveling, hopping from city to city, from donor meetings to alumni events. Alternatively, we can spend hours on our computers, seated at desks (or conferences - we get it!). It’s essential that we include wellness and regular movement into our lives so that we can be more focused and centered, balanced and steady. Join us for light movement and meditative breathing as you move intentionally - now and through the rest of this conference. This session is accessible to all.

In an era marked by rapid change and unprecedented challenges, higher education and advancement are at a pivotal crossroads. This insightful panel discussion will delve into the pressing issues reshaping the landscape, including the demographic cliff threatening student populations, ongoing reductions in state funding that strain resources, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the growing wave of public skepticism questioning the intrinsic value of higher education. Panelists will explore these issues—and more—as they discuss how to effectively harness the power of collaboration, foster resilient leadership, and champion a reimagined educational framework that meets the demands of tomorrow. This session invites thought leaders, educators, and advancement professionals to engage in proactive dialogue aimed at cultivating sustainable practices and redefining the future of education.

Campaigns continue to drive philanthropic growth throughout higher education, but the traditional campaign model is changing. Institutions are using the lessons learned from traditional campaigns to innovate, with creative new approaches and responses to donors’ demand for institutional vision, transformative goals, and institution-wide engagement. This session will introduce emerging trends in contemporary campaigns and discuss the implications of “principal gifts.” We will explore how expectations for sources of campaign revenue are evolving and the inclusion of goals that are not measured in dollars. How has the role of volunteers adapted to our 24/7/365 world, and do they help or hinder? Whether your institution is in campaign, planning a campaign, or recovering from a campaign, this session seeks to challenge your thinking and inspire your work.

Now more than ever, community colleges play a unique and important role in the higher education ecosystem. This session offers a chance for community college advancement professionals to come together and discuss the prescient issues of the current moment. Led by Tim Allison, the Executive Director at the Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges, and Shana Murrell, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at Northern Essex Community College, you’ll have a chance to participate in a conversation around what’s working, what’s not, who we are, and what’s next.

Every institution has interesting stories to tell from their history and we'll share a real-time example of how we are telling our story at the University of Vermont. We found a dusty old scrapbook in the basement of our building from 1924 and spun it into a year-long storytelling project (with a $0 budget). We'll share how we planned the project; how we developed strategies for creating content; and how we are tying it into our alumni engagement and fundraising goals. If you are out of ideas for how communications and/or marketing can help with your alumni engagement and fundraising, this session is for you.

Are you ready to dive into the world of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and uncover the best solutions for higher education and advancement? Join us for an engaging and insightful session where we put three leading CRM platforms—Salesforce (Affinaquest, Kindsight) Slate for Advancement, Raisers Edge, and Dynamics CRMs —head-to-head in a showdown that will reveal the strengths, weaknesses, and unique features of each system. We'll explore how each CRM handles data management, user experience, integration capabilities, and customization options. Discover which platform offers the best support for donor engagement and alumni relations. Whether you’re looking to streamline your institution’s operations, improve stakeholder engagement, or make data-driven decisions, this session will provide the clarity and insights needed to choose the right CRM for your unique needs.

BWF will facilitate this session and will highlight a panel of three nonprofit leaders on different CRM platforms.

Email has the power to build relationships—if you can break through the noise. In this dynamic keynote, Mailed It! co-authors Ashley Budd and Dayana Kibilds reveal the science and strategy behind emails that truly resonate. Explore behavioral triggers that shape inbox habits, uncover core drivers of trust that fuel engagement, and master proven writing techniques that ensure your messages are read, acted upon, and remembered. Whether you're nurturing an audience, driving conversions, or strengthening relationships, this session will give you the tools to make every email count.

Keeping it simple, doing more with less. In response to the pandemic, we fostered a culture of continuous communication that our community has come to expect and appreciate. To maintain and enhance this connection, we leverage diverse platforms to engage our audience and build stronger relationships. Our initiative highlights the stories of students, faculty, and staff through captivating video series, informative communications, and engaging podcasts. Join us to explore how these storytelling mediums have kept our community informed and strengthened our school’s sense of unity and shared purpose.

Fundraising is an “all-in” sport requiring the active participation of your institutional leadership team. As “coach,” the chief development officer oversees the enlistment, training, and deployment of key leaders to work with donors and constituencies. The CDO also directs strategies, measures progress, and maintains the momentum of the leaders throughout the campaign journey. Such a feat requires trust, creativity, endurance, and patience, especially when a campaign is underway. This session draws on the experience of four current CDOs whose careers span a variety of independent schools, colleges and universities. The panelists will share their learned lessons and impart their best practices adopted along the way. Attendees will have the added opportunity to ask the panel members for advice on leader engagement at their own institutions.

The number one way alumni wish to reconnect with their alma mater is through career ready programing, yet most campuses have a difficult time getting alumni affairs and career services to work together and support each other’s missions. The University of Hartford made a bold decision to merge the office of career services with the offices of alumni engagement and fundraising…. The result: hundreds of alumni volunteering annually and interacting with students while being cultivated towards giving. We also saw improved experiences for students, and enhanced levels of partnership with industry thanks to alumni employees.

Join this session to learn more about how career services, alumni engagement teams, and development officers can work together and achieve multiple goals. Learn about events and programs we have successfully brought to fruition at the University of Hartford and hear about lessons learned along the way.