Sessions
Leading Philanthropy 2024 Schedule
7:30am - 8:30am
Registration, Exhibitors, and Breakfast Opens
8:45am - 9:00am
Opening Remarks: Co-Chairs Liz Marafino Fiola, AFP GPC President-Elect & Julie Fink, President AFP SNJ & Jane Bridwell, AFP GPC Board Member
9:00am - 10:00am
Keynote: Marcy Heim presents Inspire! Connect! Shine ON!
10:00am - 10:15am
Break with Exhibitors
10:15am - 10:45am
Donor Recognition as a Fundraising Tool
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Presented by:
Karen Singer
Karen Singer Tileworks
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Room:
Center Ballroom
Flash Session
10:15am - 11:15am
The Psychology of Fundraisers
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Presented by:
Victoria Wheeler
Momentum
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Room:
Franklin Room 1
Donors, donors, donors. Everyone wants to think about donors. But the other half of the fundraising relationship is just as important, and almost totally overlooked: the fundraiser. Join us as we dive deep into the psychology of fundraisers based on scholarly research from leading psychologists in the field.
Seeing and Being Seen: The Heart of Philanthropic Culture in Small Shops
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Presented by:
Stephen Eberle
Ignatian Volunteer Corps
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Room:
Franklin Room 2
"Seeing and Being Seen: The Heart of Philanthropic Culture in Small Shops" is a dynamic workshop designed to revolutionize small shops' approach to philanthropy. Dive deep into the essence of meaningful relationships and mutual respect as the foundation for fundraising success. Learn to see and be seen through genuine interactions, moving beyond transactional engagements to cultivate a thriving culture of giving.
This session offers insightful strategies, from leveraging the power of specific compliments to recruiting volunteer leadership to shine a light on staff contributions and make every team member feel valued and empowered. Participants will emerge equipped to break down barriers to philanthropy in their environments, armed with actionable plans to engage all staff in a united philanthropic effort. Join us to foster a respectful, inclusive philanthropic environment where every conversation and connection contributes to lasting impact.
Get the Meeting and Make it Count:
A Guide to (Re-)Qualifying Individual Major Gift Prospects
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Presented by:
Lisa Vaccarelli
Delta Plus Partners
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Room:
Franklin Room 3
Whether building from scratch or growing an existing individual major gift program, prioritization is key. How can you ensure you’re spending the right time with the right people? How can you be both efficient and effective in securing prospect and donor meetings? This session will explore the key components of compelling outreach and specific questions that add rigor to your qualification and thoughtful reflection for your prospects. Participants will leave this session knowing how to secure and manage the most productive qualification meetings that result in clarity on how to move forward and, where necessary, move on from lingering prospects.
Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence for the Not-for-profit Community
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Presented by:
Robert Lane
Lane Services, LLC
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
Are you ready to revolutionize your fundraising game?
Discover how AI can supercharge your efforts, helping you identify donor trends, personalize campaigns, and boost results. In this workshop, you'll dive into practical exercises and gain valuable insights from a technology expert who is also a fundraiser. Don't miss this chance to level up your fundraising strategy with AI.
Beyond Philanthropy Live:
Building Impact Together
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Sponsored by: WSFS Bank
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Presented by:
Valerie Johnson & Monique Curry-Mims
Founders of Beyond Philanthropy
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
Join Beyond Philanthropy for a LIVE episode at this year's Leading Philanthropy Conference!
11:15am - 11:30am
Speed Networking & Refreshment Break with Exhibitors
11:30am - 12:00pm
Tax Benefits of Giving During Life and Death
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Presented by:
Sophia Duffy, JD, CPA, AEP®, AVP
James Karthaus, CFP®, CLU®, CHFC®, MA
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Room:
Center Ballroom
Flash Session
11:30am - 12:30pm
Be the Change:
Motivating Board Members to Fundraise
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Presented by:
Mojdeh Keykhah
Women's Resource Center
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Room:
Franklin Room 1
Board members can become one of your nonprofit's greatest assets, once you know how to reach their motivational core for serving. In a world of busy Board members and nonprofit staff, cut through the time spent in fundraising trainings and learn the driver of Board member commitment to your cause. Empower Board members to know themselves and their purpose driven role as part of your nonprofit's fundraising. Get to know the techniques to elicit Board members' personal why in serving and learn the reason this approach to motivating Board members to fundraise can be at the same time revelatory and lasting.
Generative AI in Grant Writing and Fundraising: Practical Uses and Ethical Concerns
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Presented by:
Jax Gitzes
Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence
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Room:
Franklin Room 2
Join us as we take a look at the Generative AI products out there at the moment, learn about how to best use the tools safely, and discuss ethical concerns about its usage, during this session at Leading Philanthropy 2024!
Understanding Endowments:
Foundations for Nonprofit Sustainability​
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Presented by:
Monika Collins
The Foundation for Delaware County
Jason Arbacheski
Chester County Community Foundation
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Room:
Franklin Room 3
Endowments can play a critical role in the financial stability of nonprofit organizations, providing a secure source of income for mission-driven activities. In this session, Monika Collins, VP of Philanthropic Services at the Foundation for Delaware County, and Jason Arbacheski, Gift Planning and Stewardship Director from the Chester County Community Foundation, will delve into the fundamentals of endowments and how they’re not just for big institutions, but can be assets for small to mid-sized organizations, helping them serve as an opportunity to be a part of a donor’s legacy.
The session will cover the definition and types of endowments, the advantages and potential pitfalls of establishing an endowment, how non-profits can use endowments to jumpstart their planned giving program, and how to determine if their organization is ready for one.
5 Ways That Donors Are Changing:
And We Must Change With Them
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Presented by:
Brian Gawor, JGA
Lisa Greer, Author
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
Donors are changing, and it's time for fundraisers to change with them, or they will leave us behind. We'll review key ways that giving is different today, and how we can move beyond "business as usual" to enhance the donor experience and save giving.
Development and Marketing Un-siloed:
How Cross-Departmental Collaboration Advances Overall Organizational Goals
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Presented by:
Jessica Abel & Orelí Uzdavinis Arden Theatre Company
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
In this presentation, Jessica Abel, Director of Development and Orelí Uzdavinis, Manager of Individual Giving at the Arden Theatre Company will present on the power of collaboration with our marketing colleagues to increase engagement and support from individuals. We'll review the essentials of effective communication and share examples of how these elements are translated for fundraising vs. sales.  We'll share real examples from our 2023/24 season that demonstrate how we use data analysis, segmentation, and teamwork to maximize impact - both in terms of acquisition and retention as well as revenue.
Participants will leave with practical tips for strengthening the relationship between their fundraising and marketing teams and strategies that can be adapted for their own organizations.
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Lunch - South Ballroom
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Data-Driven Programs: Using Your Own Data to Build More Efficient and Effective Campaigns
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Presented by:
Jesse Park
amplifi
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Liz Trout
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
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Room:
Franklin Room 1
Organizations possess a lot of data, but don't always tap into it effectively to improve their fundraising performance. A data-driven approach combines deep data analysis with your existing understanding of the audience; making your fundraising initiatives more targeted, and converting at a higher rate.
Creating Your Unique Legacy Proposition
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Presented by:
Tracy Malloy-Curtis, JD
​Mal Warwick Donordigital
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Room:
Franklin Room 2
The competition for legacy gifts has never been greater. While we may be at the cusp of the “great wealth transfer”, there’s no guarantee that your charity will benefit. Your legacy proposition must be urgent, compelling, actionable, achievable, and inspiring, and must differentiate your organization from others your donor may be considering. We will explore the “why” and the “how” of a good proposition; how to align your creative and your messaging; testing and iterating your case over time; and steps you can take to create a cohesive legacy brand narrative and visual identity that flexes across campaigns, channels and collateral. We will also discuss how changes in giving behavior – particularly the use of donor-advised funds – may impact your legacy case and program.
From Policy to Philanthropy:
Understanding Evolving Legal Frameworks for Charitable Giving
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Presented by:
Emily Wells
CCS Fundraising
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Room:
Franklin Room 3
In this session, we'll review key policies that lawmakers are considering that may impact our sector, such as changes to donor-advised funds and IRAs. We'll do so through the lens of two major external factors: the greatest transfer of wealth in American history and the upcoming general election. Join us to learn how to navigate these complex topics with your Board members, donors, and other key stakeholders.
Epic Solicitation Fails: What We Learned From Them and How To Avoid Them
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Presented by:
Barbara O'Reilly Katherine Sprissler-Klein Windmill Hill Consulting
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
Unlocking Fundraising Success: Lessons from Epic Solicitation Fails & Strategies for Growth! Join former practitioners-turned-consultants as we dissect real-life mishaps, from botched major gift asks to flat annual appeals. Discover the why behind the failures and gain practical tips to avoid them in your nonprofit. With humor and insight, learn to navigate tricky donor conversations and craft compelling appeals that resonate. From understanding donor psychology to leading with authenticity, enhance your fundraising prowess. Leave empowered to tackle challenges with confidence, intuition, and strategy. Don't miss this opportunity to turn setbacks into stepping stones for success! You'll come away understanding pitfalls identification, donor psychology comprehension, persuasive appeal crafting, listening importance realization, authenticity leadership development. Let's laugh, learn, and grow together!
Revving up your Revenue: Tactics for Small to Mid-Sized Teams
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Presented by:
Liz Hefner & Renee Archawski Schultz & Williams
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
Small to mid-sized organizations often face big challenges: How do we grow with such limited staff capacity? Even with a small team, there are steps you can take to grow your revenue without necessarily increasing the size of your team. Through careful examination of your revenue, you can start to zero in on what’s working, what’s not, and take a more focused approach. This interactive session will offer the opportunity for participants to examine their organizational revenue streams to understand how to grow a particular revenue stream. The session will provide tactics that are doable for small to mid-sized organizations, with a focus on hands on activities to help you start the process of building your revenue immediately.
2:30pm - 2:45pm
Speed Networking & Refreshment Break with Exhibitors
2:45pm - 3:45pm
Gratitude - Your Planned Giving Program's Superpower
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Presented by:
Kelly Grattan & Greg Wilson Schultz & Williams
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Room:
Franklin Room 1
Drawing on the research of the experts in our field, like Dr. Russell James and Penelope Burk, combined with years of experience, we’ll share why gratitude is critical for cultivating and stewarding planned giving donors and a practical plan to start tomorrow.
AI for Development Writing
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Presented by:
Sarah Pita
Hudson Ferris
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Room:
Franklin Room 2
In this session, we will explore the use of generative AI for fundraising communications: outreach emails, case statements, acknowledgement letters, social media, LOIs, and more. This is the part of fundraising communications where an authentic voice really matters. After all, your donors deserve to feel personally connected to your mission, and that starts with people! So how do you use tools like ChatGPT ethically and effectively, while preserving that crucial human element?
You will learn how to use AI to amplify, rather than replace, your existing fundraising communications:
AI as thought partner
AI as research assistant
AI as editor
AI as campaign planner
AI as generator of subject lines (or whatever task you dislike)
Join us to discover how you can harness AI to save time and elevate your communications—without losing your organization’s unique voice in the process.
Making the Whole Place Shimmer: Turning Fundraising Events into Gold
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Presented by:
Leslie Bluestone & Louisa Kopp Community College of Philadelphia
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Room:
Franklin Room 3
Discover how Community College of Philadelphia transformed their annual alumni awards event into a gala that raised an astounding $3 million since 2018. Join us as we unveil the secrets behind this remarkable feat, delving into the strategic selection of honorees, the management of stakeholder expectations throughout the planning of the event, and invaluable insights garnered along the way.
Through real-life examples and engaging discussions, you'll learn how to identify events with untapped potential at your own organization and leverage our proven tactics to take your fundraising endeavors to new heights. Don't miss this opportunity to unlock the power of events to maximize your philanthropic success!
A Swift Shift Accelerated: Millennial and Gen-Z Impact on Giving and Philanthropy 2.0
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Presented by:
Travis Coley, Whitepenny Amy Henry, Flashlight Insights
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
A Swift Shift Accelerated: Millennial and Gen-Z Impact on giving and philanthropy 2.0:
Amy Henry, renowned intergenerational researcher and consumer insights expert, will deliver updated insights, data and strategies for connecting with Millennials today and building your donor base of tomorrow.
Ask for Anything Artfully
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Presented by:
Marcy Heim
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
Major gifts are critical to building your resilience, fueling your big vision, and partnering with your donors so they can be significant and part of lifting-up the community. What if you had a specific 3-sentence recipe to ask for anything – from the appointment to a million dollars? What EXACTLY do you say? Get crystal CLEAR on how to write and speak an ask. AND apply this formula to ask for anything! You may rock at creating a great relationship, but the results come from clear asks confidently delivered. Sing, have fun and learn how to do it with Marcy.
4:00pm - 5:00pm