When COVID hit, like all organizations, we had to pivot from an in-person event to a virtual event. With that being said, we knew that the one thing we had on our side was that our Climb for a Cure event was an event that takes place outside. We went to the drawing board to brainstorm ideas on what would not only engage our community but excite them to participate and donate. The session will cover how we had to pivot to a virtual event during COVID, the success of the event and how that has shaped the event for the future. In the end we engaged over 800 participants, over 10-million steps were collectively taken, and we raised close to $300k without a heavy fundraising push. We’ll share how our pivot during the pandemic has opened our eyes to other opportunities to expand Climb for a Cure.

Key Takeaways:

• How to remain flexible when barrier’s arise.
• How to use barrier’s as opportunities for growth.
• How utilizing platforms can bring you community together, virtually.

Hearing from those in the trenches about how they’ve approached this new fundraising world, is invaluable. Join us as top fundraisers share how they’ve navigated the challenges of the pandemic and redefined their event strategies to adjust to a changed fundraising landscape. This panel will be a live Q&A from the audience – your chance to ask everything you’ve wanted to know about, pivots, lessons learned and what the future of events looks like.

We can dream big and set an array of goals, but during the road to victory we find ourselves taking the wrong turn or hitting a bump. We must keep our eye on the road and continue through the trenches to meet our final destination. This session will help you to put your vision together to help stay centered on where you’re headed even when it gets tough. During this session, we will walk through goal setting and learning more about ourselves to help us get to where we are the best versions of ourselves. Facilitated exercises will encourage reflection, critical thinking, and growth. You’ll walk away feeling renewed and confident to set goals that will bring their teams and organization to a fuller potential.

Key Takeaways:

• Set goals that are attainable.
• Reach new heights in your career with perseverance.
• Utilize a new tool in planning of events and fundraising.

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.

Virtual peer-to-peer formats over the last year helped expand access to philanthropy through the reach of online channels and technology. Future fundraising should incorporate both a mix of virtual and in-person fundraising to continue reaching a broader, more diverse group of donors post-pandemic. Join this session to hear about emerging virtual peer-to-peer event strategies and how you can incorporate them in your annual fundraising strategy.

Leveraging peer networks and incorporated socially connected campaigns has been a booming trend for nonprofits over the last year. Especially for those new to peer-to-peer fundraising. Let’s keep the growth going! Join this session as we cover the “must have keys” to social fundraising. From peer-to-peer basics, to campaign essentials, motivational strategies and tips to set your fundraising team up for success – this session is for you! This presentation is a must for any organization looking to harness the power of peer-to-peer fundraising.

Our session will break down Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its simplest parts with humor. We will debunk the sci-fi myths, explain how all the pieces fit together, share real life examples in action, and outline the must haves for a competitive fundraising future. As the power of AI sweeps our society, we plan to better equip nonprofits with a foundational working knowledge of AI and the potential applications that could be implemented immediately to streamline organizational operations, provide keep mission-critical efficiencies, and segment and prioritize crucial fundraising efforts.

Key Takeaways:

• Intelligently articulate the components of AI vs science fiction myths.
• Share applicable examples of AI in action across multiple types of nonprofit organizations.
• Understand key “must haves” for the future of fundraising.

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.

Pam Sherman, writer, actor, and recovering attorney, kick off Raise 2021! She will share her personal story, helping the Raise fearless fundraising community ignite their passion, find their EDGE, and grow their impact.

Shanna Adamic, Executive Director of the Cerner Charitable Foundation and rare brain tumor survivor, shares her personal story of perseverance and embracing change.

Join us as we close #2021Raise. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. We’ll explore lesson learned at Raise, and how we can journey forth with new insights, taking them back into our day-to-day fundraising and arming our nonprofits with #FearlessFundraising strategies.

We will also announce the live Raise Raffle – where lucky winners take home fabulous prizes. Winners must be present!

Hearing from those in the trenches about how they’ve approached this new fundraising world, is invaluable. Join us as top fundraisers share how they’ve navigated the challenges of the pandemic and redefined their event strategies to adjust to a changed fundraising landscape. This panel will be a live Q&A from the audience – your chance to ask everything you’ve wanted to know about, pivots, lessons learned and what the future of events looks like.

Differentiating oneself is more important than ever before. In a noisy and vast sea of email campaigns, direct mail appeals and social media overload, getting the attention of donors can feel quite challenging and exhausting. It might just be time for an intervention, a good look at your brand and a plan to cut through the noise. Branding is a critical component to fundraising sustainability, and it is a practice that is either often overlooked or confused with marketing. A strong brand is leads to financial health, building meaningful and long-lasting donor relationships, and successful events at your organization.

In this make-you-stop-and-think workshop, Taylor Shanklin, CEO of Barlele and brand strategist, will guide you through a branding journey.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the distinction between branding and marketing.
• Build a stellar brand story for your organization.
• Differentiate yourself and standout.
• Create a brand guideline for your nonprofit.

E-Appeals. Texting to Give. Online Giving. Facebook fundraising. There are so many ways nonprofit organizations can use online communication tools to connect with their audience and donor base. In today’s 21st century world, our nonprofit’s communications must be digital, analog, and, most importantly, personal. There is a way to use content marketing as a feeder to your donor funnel. But you may be wondering how? What criteria do you use to qualify donors who may be more likely to make a large gift? How do organizations effectively combine new fundraising platforms and approaches with an “old” way of relationship fundraising? This session will give you actionable tips and ideas about how to blend your “old school” and “new school” nonprofit marketing and fundraising experiences to create stronger stakeholder and audience connections and raise more money.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the right components to craft a strong content marketing plan that informs and inspires your donors and potential donors.
• Identify criteria to use to pinpoint donors and potential donors who are open and ready to upgrade their giving.
• Learn tips for upgrading and retention strategies that work best for your organization’s resources and audience.

The impact that COVID-19 had on the nonprofit industry has left many organizations wondering where their donors and corporate partners have gone. And with some events taking place in a virtual setting for up to two years, it has been challenging more now than ever to find creative ways to engage with new constituents since we have lost that face-to-face interaction that we relied so heavily on. Now that we are slowly entering into a sense of normalcy, many fundraisers are looking at a blank slate and trying figure out how to meet goals without the same supporters that they had in the past. While this can be scary, this is a huge opportunity for your organization – if you are proactive and plan accordingly.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify new prospects and find a strategic plan to ask for support.
• Direction for future outreach and engagement with lapse donors.
• Renewed optimism and empowerment after the shock of COVID-19.