If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that “Donors are gonna donor.” Whether you were asking or not, pivoting or standing still, donors across the board told us a lot about how they feel about the sector, causes that are important to them, and the importance of good in the world. Were you listening? During this interactive session, we’ll look at the major trends in giving during the pandemic, particularly through the lens of philanthropic psychology and interpreting the data. We’ll use all of that information to help you create a fundraising and communications plan that can weather any storm by applying the lessons from what donors have told us through their giving and who they are as individuals with big, caring hearts.

Key Takeaways:

• Articulate the lessons learned and impact of COVID on fundraising and the nonprofit sector
• Create a data-informed fundraising/communications plan that integrates principles of crisis communications.
• Understand principles of Philanthropic Psychology and how they inter-relate with data & metrics.

In this session, Shelby Davies-Sekle and Nicole Kinard will discuss fundraising good that came out of the pandemic – pushing them out of their typical, nonprofit fundraising dinner box and stretching their strategies to adapt to the times and provide a fresh experience for our donors.

Join this dynamic duo as they share new insights and learned strategies from 2+ years in the pandemic trenches. They will share how they converted a 700 person gala (2019) that struggled for fundraising engagement into widely successful virtual and hybrid formats (2020, 2021), and how they are embracing the future of fundraising with new event ideas learned (and tossed out) during the pandemic.

What’s next? What’s new? How can you grow your events? Learn their secret roadmap for fundraising event strategy including: innovative sponsorships, marketing and communications, to programming and production.

Key Takeaways:

• Analyze current fundraising event strategies for opportunities to expand to a virtual/hybrid format.
• Determine components needed to successfully activate and engage both an in-person and virtual audience.
• Reimagine the typical annual fundraising dinner format and think creatively about introducing new elements to provide variety to guests.

Fundraising is Hard. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

But for the nonprofit leader who wears 10,000 different hats every day, how on earth are you supposed to find time to work on donor relationships and manage the unreasonable expectations of board members and executive directors who have little to no fundraising experience yet seem to be full of awesome ideas like “Just call Oprah” or “host a bake sale!”?

A fundraising framework that helps you move the needle forward a little bit every day, that’s how.

In this session, you’ll learn a tangible, achievable, and dare I say simple way to ensure that you spend invaluable time working on building better relationships with your supporters with better planning, execution, and documentation – all while carving out random acts of celebrating and appreciating.

Key Takeaways:

• Create your own working fundraising framework to use the very next day.
• Understand the importance of asking better questions to donors, documenting those answers, and dramatically differentiating yourself from other nonprofits.
• Remembering that fundraising is supposed to be a joy, rather than a drag.

Hit the ground running and enjoy some fast and furious fun. See what’s on tap for Raise Day 1 with the one and only Patrick Kirby. The Go Getters Show – part Raise overview and part variety show – will include fun activities and showcase the hottest sessions + speakers. A must see to get you pumped for the Raise 2022!

For all our virtual #FearlessFundraisers! Gather to recap and celebrate the end of Day 1 with the ever-enthusiastic Patrick Kirby. We’ve got a fantastic party planned for you!

For those go getters who want to hit the day running, join us for some fast and furious fun. See what’s on tap for Raise Day 2, with the one and only Patrick Kirby. The Go Getters Show – part Raise overview and part variety show – will include fun activities and showcase the hottest sessions. A must see to help you get the most from your last day of Raise 2022!

It’s easy to get caught in a rhythm of telling the same kind of video stories for fundraisers (patient stories, client stories, voiceover videos with graphics and stats, etc.). In the past, they have worked well for many organizations. But what we’ve done in the past no longer works! In this session Lauren Ready will walk fundraisers through how to find and tell untold stories inside their organization, specifically designed to help raise funds and awareness. We’ll also talk about how the capture (not recreate) impactful moments on camera. Lauren will be using 3-5 real life examples of impactful moments she’s captured on camera and explain how each story was planned, executed and edited – intentionality behind us every step of the way but with an openness to letting things happen.

Given her years of experience in TV News, Lauren challenges participants to be their own investigative journalists and find stories that people aren’t expecting. Participants will walk away with 5 ways to guarantee they capture an impactful moment on camera, 2-3 new story ideas that go beyond “the usual headlines,” and techniques for when and how to share that story at an event.

Key Takeaways: 

• Identify untold stories that take supporters “beyond the headline.
• 5 ways to guarantee you’ll capture a real moment on camera, every time.
• Identify unexpected characters to feature in unexpected ways.

This session explores community-centric fundraising and its current applications in Highlander’s development strategy. Through the lens of a case study, attendees will learn to identify and differentiate common giving motivations (scarcity and abundance) and understand how they impact donor base, and short-term and long-term fund-raising goals.

Fundraisers Mia and Isaac will review the 10 core principles of community centric fundraising and the programmatic fixtures (2021 year-end campaigning and 2022 donor education offerings) that are in place to convert one-time givers into recurring supporters. They will also cover how Highlander’s use of a common curriculum and lexicon unify it’s network of peer-to-peer fundraisers, as well as other strategies to activate donors.

Using real-life examples, this session will give any fundraiser practical insights and the chance to learn strategies and ideas to help you design and implement a community-centric fundraising initiative at your nonprofit.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify and differentiate two common giving motivations (scarcity and abundance) and discuss how said motivations can impact an organization’s donor base as well as its short-term and long-term fund-raising goals.
• Understand the ten core principles of community centric fundraising and the philosophy’s thought leaders.
• Learn how to for apply community centric fundraising principles in your own position/organization.

Latinos are projected to maintain the highest labor force participation rates among racial or ethnic groups, and by 2021, the Latino gross domestic product (GDP) will reach $1.7 trillion (a quarter of the U.S. GDP). Who are Latino donors and what makes them tick?

Many in the philanthropic sector have acknowledged that the Latinx community is a driving economic, political, and cultural force in America. Join Leticia Martinez Hermosillo to explore Latinos living in the U.S., their giving rates, and how do they give.

Leticia will use anecdotes, videos, and personal fundraising experiences in an interactive format. Participants will learn how fun and generous Latinos could be if we speak to them directly, and learn how to engage them in our missions.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how to better engage with Latinx communities in the U.S.
• Find a “common ground” between both cultures to work towards Binational Philanthropy and collaboration.
• Create binational and bicultural fundraising campaigns.

If you felt like there was a ramped-up flurry of news about cryptocurrency and crypto donations at the end of 2021, you’re not alone. Somehow, in the blink of an eye, this seemingly intangible, ever so out of reach, asset of sorts was suddenly mainstream.

At the end of 2021, contributions from cryptocurrency were in the estimated billions up from $200 million in 2019. Today, there are 200 million crypto holders in the world. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 21 million people own cryptocurrency. The number of crypto holders and the increase in contributions using this type of currency all point to a new trend in philanthropy that’s worth noting.

Join Tina Roh, co-founder and COO of Every.org, and Barbara O’Reilly, CFRE, principal of Windmill Hill Consulting, as they break down the 101 on cryptocurrency, how it may be creating a new type of philanthropist, and pros and cons to consider when integrating it into your nonprofit’s fundraising and in making the case to your board, CEO, and CFO to accept this form of currency.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify what cryptocurrency is and the way of giving we’re seeing.
• Understand how nonprofits are using cryptophilanthropy in their fundraising strategies.
• Articulate factors to consider when making the case to your board, CEO, and CFO to accept cryptodonations.