A case for support is the backbone of all our fundraising communications. So how do you make a case that sings? In this interactive session, we will take a deep dive into the fundamentals of case development and explore to bring your institution’s work to life for your donor. Bring your pens—you’ll be working too!

This session will explore how institutions and organisations can successfully foster a culture of ‘Principal Giving’ through an interactive presentation and delegate round table discussion. Faculty members will draw on their extensive experience in a range of settings and will explore what Principal Giving could mean for you and your team. We’ll look at how your organisation might define, identify and develop principal donors and partner with them to realise shared ambitions and transformational impact. We’ll also highlight key issues and operational tensions that may need to be navigated and discuss how you can develop your own professional competencies to play your role to the full.

This is a chance to dig deeper into principal giving and build on the plenary session on Thursday.

This is a chance to dig deeper into principal giving and build on the plenary session on Thursday.

Lisa and Dee will share a comprehensive overview of the things you need to know about the mechanics of how donors can give and the benefits for donors in giving in different ways. The session seeks to highlight how the joys, highs, lows and complexities of gift management are made so much better through positive relationships between Operations and Philanthropy teams. The session will cover Gift Aid, Share and Asset Giving, giving internationally and giving mechanisms used in European institutions, and Donor Advised Funds to name a few. We’ll also look at how organisations manage philanthropic donations, the difference between expendable and permanent endowments and other accounting terminology. We aim to support you to understand the trends in how donors give, the implications on your fundraising activity and give you the confidence to discuss these practicalities with major donors. 

In this candid, interactive session, Kurstin and Joanna will explore the ways that advancement professionals can make the most of LinkedIn. Together we’ll think through what our LinkedIn presence can and should do for our personal brand and that of our institutions, exploring different strategies for building a LinkedIn profile, making connections that count, and posting authentic content with reach and impact. We’ll also look at how to ensure advancement and philanthropy content is prioritised in your institution’s LinkedIn channel strategy. Drawing on our own personal adventures in LinkedIn, our reflections on current channel trends, and the experiences of the SIEF 2025 panel, this session will equip delegates with a toolkit for creating a LinkedIn presence that reflects and celebrates their real-world impact.

An interactive, open, and frank panel discussion about shaped the careers of CASE SIEF faculty. The panel will share their stories, personal insights, and views on how you can take control of your career and the value of planning, advice, and being open to circumstance and serendipity. Together we hope to debunk a few myths and reflect on several years of brave choices, terrible decisions, some well-placed advice, and luck – and the importance of your professional network (which starts hopefully, here at SIEF!). Bring your questions, an open mind as we offer a genuine willingness to answer any question you choose to ask.