This pre-conference workshop equips fundraisers to unlock maximum organizational capacity by mastering the strategic use of non-cash assets, covering everything from the technical structuring of current and deferred gifts to professional portfolio assessment. 8:30 - 9:00 Learning to Work Smart: Broadening Your Financial View (I)
9:00 - 9:45 Structuring Current Gifts (II)
9:45 - 10:00 Refreshment Break
10:00 - 10:45 Structuring Deferred Gifts (III)
10:45 - 11:00 Stretch Break
11:00 -11:30 Pro Tips for Assessing Your Portfolios (IV)

Join conference leadership to meet the faculty, review conference highlights and learn how to make the most out of our time together. Then we’ll dive right into a session gleaning insight on the education landscape, trends in philanthropy, and topics of interest to all attendees via an interactive faculty panel. Topics will be sourced from the faculty and from your answers in the preconference survey. Come ready to share what you are experiencing at your institution.

When you hear "discovery and qualification," you might think of simply identifying prospects and gauging their potential—but there's a whole world of opportunity beyond that! In this dynamic session, we'll dive into the art of discovery, exploring the untapped insights hidden within your donor profile, aligning your organization's needs with donor passion, and sharpening the tools in your Gift Officer Toolkit. You'll learn new strategies to spark meaningful first conversations, master the skills to qualify (or disqualify) new prospects, and confidently guide them toward more strategic, high-impact discussions. Get ready to elevate your approach and unlock new pathways to success!

Building a Major Gifts Program from Scratch explores the essential organizational and advancement team factors required to launch and sustain an effective major gifts program. Participants will examine how culture, leadership alignment, planning, and investment create the foundation for success, alongside practical guidance on prospect strategy, team structure, goals, systems, volunteer partnership, and stewardship. Designed for staff from organizations at an early or transitional stage, this session emphasizes building a sustainable program for lasting philanthropic impact.

You've organized your portfolio and now you are facing the task of crafting next steps for each stage - from qualification through stewardship. How do you move from one stage to the next - and then the next? And on top of that, devise a custom-tailored strategy for each prospect? Let's talk about best practices and tried and true tips for smoothly transitioning for success.