True institutional transformation occurs when leadership emphasizes the critical role of centering equity as a priority and connecting practices to structures and processes, especially during times of uncertainty. Shared equity leadership provides advancement leaders a unique opportunity to scale their equity work by organizing teams across the division who take collective responsibility in developing and moving diversity and inclusion priorities forward. This session will describe how Brown University's Advancement Division pivoted during a time when our nation was addressing worldwide health crises and organically applied shared equity leadership to achieve its diversity and inclusion fundraising priorities and goals.

Today donors want to give with a single click of a button. Annual Giving teams are working to meet donors where they are. As such gift processing teams find themselves supporting several giving avenues across various platforms including traditional donation pages, social media, gaming systems, and much more. Plus they must be able to accept the traditional gift and the new age gift, from checks to cryptocurrency. What impact does this have on a Gift Processing team? How can you support your giving teams and donors but still keep high rates of efficiency?

We all know Deans are critical to fundraising success across our campus landscape. Whether you are working with a dean new to fundraising, starting with experience, or simply want to pause and revisit a long-standing partnership with your dean, this may be for you. Presenter and author, Brent Pieper, will share a book he recently wrote and was published by CASE. A Dean's Handbook for Philanthropy is steeped in the collective perspectives, stories and wisdom of over 26 higher education leaders who Brent has worked with including university presidents, chancellors, provosts, deans, athletic directors, foundation leaders, and yes--major gifts directors.

To improve the gender parity in UNC Kenan-Flagler's Full-Time MBA program, alumnae and Advancement staff collaborated on a new initiative called "100 Women". Since this initiative launched in 2020, the Full-Time MBA female enrollment has increased from 29% to 38%. 100 Women's success comes from nurturing meaningful engagement between alumnae and prospective/current students; developing mutually-beneficial partnerships across internal teams and other volunteer leadership groups; and increasing alumnae philanthropy for the School. Hear from Advancement staff on how they've partnered with alumnae leaders to develop a flexible and impactful program aligned with Kenan-Flagler's Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.

The sessions is a practical guide for new managers or those who are early in their management experience. It will be a continuation of the So You Want Me to Lead and Make It Rain session from the 2022 District III Annual Conference.

Young alumni are GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) because they are the future of their institutions and can help to create strong alumni networks. This session will discuss ways to cultivate giving and engagement relationships in ways that help young alumni stay connected to their alma mater, learn their responsibility in an alumni network, and why it’s imperative to be invested in their institution’s success through philanthropy.

Higher education leadership transitions require communications strategies that must effectively address a range of needs to ensure success. Allaying fears, building trust, embracing community and demonstrating vision are all key components that communications professionals must juggle when an acting or interim president is named on campus. The need exists to transform uncertainty into opportunity. Using a case study approach, this session will share practical examples of communications tools that were successfully deployed during the presidential transition at Florida Institute of Technology.

How do we go beyond the endowment report to engage our donors throughout the year, but keep our workload in check? Join us in discussing opportunities a few Case III institutions took to connect with their donors throughout the year on their funds, impact, and legacy.

To ensure successful branding of an institution, capital campaign, recruitment initiative or athletics program, a strategic message, followed by relevant positioning, must be developed first. This vital step is called brand development. It’s the deep, strategic pre-work and planning often missed by educators and leadership—an inside-out process of discovering who you are, what’s different and why stakeholders should care. Such work should begin with the President or Head of School, not with communications and marketing, which is an outside-in approach. Brand development also considers the hidden aspects to make any initiative wildly effective—virtually eliminating the costliest pain points.

Your alumni and donors have stories to tell, stories about how your school helped them to get where they are today, shaped them during a critical point in their lives and the memories that still make them smile. They also have stories to tell about how they want their gifts to be used and what is meaningful to them about the work you are doing now and in the future. By capturing these stories and feeding them back to them in your communications, you can create personalized communications that will be more impactful than generic appeals.