How can schools turn deeply held values into powerful fundraising tools? In this session, you’ll discover how the Gould Academy development team leveraged its strategic plan to identify core institutional values that resonated across generations. Their values-driven approach reignited alumni connections, inspired matching gifts and powered an annual fund campaign that exceeded its goal by 57%.
Through Gould’s story, you’ll learn how to distill your school’s values into a cohesive message, craft consistent storytelling across email, publications, and digital platforms, and launch campaigns that inspire alumni and parents to give.
We’ll then analyze data from more than 200 independent school campaigns to highlight how schools like yours leverage community‑centric engagement and messaging to boost participation and giving. You’ll walk away with a practical framework and ready‑to‑implement tactics to design a values‑based annual giving strategy that inspires your community.

We’ll share how we transformed the Wolverine Giving Society into a vibrant entry point for “mini–major” donors — alumni committing $25,000 before their 25th reunion. By partnering with the major gifts team, listening to current members, and reimagining stewardship and events, we turned an underperforming program into something alumni actually want to join and recruit their peers into. Attendees will learn strategies for revitalizing existing programs, engaging alumni meaningfully, and building a sustainable pipeline of future major donors. Expect real stories (including directly from a Wolverine Giving Society member); practical tips; and a roadmap for making giving feel engaging to your next generation of philanthropists.

For young children Grandparents Day is a special time to show their loved ones their school and show off what they have done during the year. It is a much loved event for everyone who comes on campus. Behind the scenes it is a logistical maze that involves advancement, marketing, food services, maintenance, the faculty and the students.
In this session you will learn how we transformed our process from the ground up into real-time planning tools for the entire staff. We’ll show you how detailed planning, internal communication and shared reporting gave structure to a complicated event. We will talk about our screening process and arranging key people to be in the right place at the right time to facilitate introductions and conversations. We plan this event as a catalyst for major gift discussions and a chance to see the impact of key gifts across campus. Planning an organized and well orchestrated event leads to success for everyone across the organization.
With the right systems large events can be powerful relationship building opportunities, strengthen bonds, increase generosity and leave lasting memories for everyone involved.

Small advancement teams often face the challenge of limited resources—but with the right tools, tactics, and mindset, they can produce outsized results. This session offers a practical playbook for how small shops can drive real progress in three essential areas: fundraising, communications, and events.

Whether you're a team of one or managing a lean department, this session will walk through proven strategies for setting fundraising goals, crafting compelling messaging, and producing high-impact events that build engagement and elevate your school’s profile.

Grounded in real-world examples and lessons learned from transforming a small advancement office into a high-performing, mission-driven team, this session will leave you with practical ideas and templates you can implement immediately.

Independent schools thrive on the generosity of donors—but what truly drives their giving decisions? This session will explore the key motivations behind donor behavior, drawing on research insights using the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework. We’ll uncover strategies to align your school’s mission with donor priorities, foster meaningful relationships, and inspire sustained support. 

Advancement is more than fundraising and participation, it’s about authentically engaging your entire school community to create lifelong value. This session will share how Greenwich Academy reimagined its Career Resource Center as a driver of alumnae engagement, parent participation, and strategic advancement goals. From “going back to basics” to leveraging technology, building community partnerships, and creating meaningful mentorship opportunities, you’ll learn how this integrated approach supports students from their first day on campus through every career stage. Discover how putting mentorship in motion leads to stronger relationships, deeper institutional loyalty, and, ultimately, transformational philanthropy.

Navigating the relationship between the advancement and business offices can be a challenge, with differing priorities, processes, and perspectives. This session explores strategies to foster collaboration, streamline communication, and align goals for successful reconciliation. We’ll discuss common points of friction: gift processing, G/L posting, and financial reporting, and offer practical solutions to bridge these divides. Attendees will gain insights into building trust, establishing shared language, and creating processes that honor both advancement needs and fiscal responsibility. Whether you're an advancement professional seeking better business office alignment or a finance leader looking to understand fundraising complexities, this session will equip you with the tools to cultivate a stronger, more unified partnership.

A historic total of young alumni contributed to Xavier High School's annual giving challenges in 2024 and 2025, surpassing the previous high marks by hundreds of donors. Participants will explore the creative features that motivated engagement and giving, such as a multi-state college tour, social media campaigns, peer-to-peer leadership, special events, parent involvement, and the impact of segmentation. In the end, we will discuss the intangible community-wide benefits of effective young alumni relationship building.

In today's philanthropic landscape, we increasingly encounter families where multiple generations are involved in charitable giving decisions. This presents both exciting opportunities and unique challenges for advancement professionals. Successfully navigating these dynamics requires a deep understanding of generational values, communication styles, and philanthropic motivations. This presentation will explore strategies for building strong relationships and securing support from families with diverse perspectives and priorities. We will examine how to effectively engage both older generations, who may have established wealth and giving patterns, and younger generations, who bring fresh perspectives and a passion for social impact.
Each generation has its own set of values, priorities, and communication styles. For example, Baby Boomers may be more responsive to traditional approaches and direct asks, while Millennials and Gen Z might be drawn to innovative giving models and digital engagement strategies. Understanding these nuances is crucial for tailoring your approach and building trust across generations.
We will discuss:
● Values and Motivations: Exploring the philanthropic drivers of different generations, from legacy building to social impact.
● Communication Styles: Adapting your communication strategies to resonate with each generation, from in-person meetings to digital engagement.
● Engagement Preferences: Identifying the preferred channels and activities for each generation, from traditional galas to impact investing opportunities.

Strategies for Multi-Generational Engagement
Building lasting relationships with multi-generational philanthropic families requires a multifaceted approach. We will discuss strategies for:
● Building Trust and Rapport: Cultivating authentic connections with each generation, recognizing their individual interests and values.
● Creating Inclusive Experiences: Designing engagement opportunities that appeal to diverse age groups and interests.
● Communicating Impact: Tailoring impact reporting to resonate with different generational priorities and communication preferences.
● Facilitating Family Dialogue: Encouraging open communication and shared decision-making within the family.

In the push to “do more with less,” AI agents—autonomous digital teammates—are opening new possibilities for advancement teams. Participate in hands-on practice as AI agents analyze data, draft communications, and perform real advancement tasks—right before your eyes—in a risk-free, judgment-free environment. Then we will consider how these agents can sit along your team members and upskill an increasing number of your daily workflows.