Conference Agenda & Speakers

8:00 am -8:45 am  |  Continental Breakfast and Networking

8:45 am - 10:00 am  |  Morning Keynote

Jon Colby, Speaker & CEO

“Yes, and . . . " Improving Communication and Leadership Through Improv

Jon Colby has been empowering people around the world for over 20 years. From presenting to performing, his engaging and interactive approach has successfully helped audiences to be better communicators, listeners, co-workers, teammates, fundraisers, volunteers, and even family members. As a graduate of the world-famous Second City Conservatory comedy program and an educator with 15 years of classroom experience, he is able to keep an audience laughing while sharing practical knowledge that can be put to use immediately. He has motivated and entertained thousands, including team members from some of the nation’s top companies and organizations. 
Learn more about Jon's session here.

10:00 am - 10:45 am  |  Hot Topic Roundtables

Planned Giving  |  Board Development  |  Young Professionals  |  Mid-Level Donors  |  Non-Fundraising Professionals

10:45 am - 11:15 am  |  Morning Break with Resource Partners & Sponsors

11:15 am - 12:15 pm  |  Breakout Session

Danielle Bechta, Associate Director, Advancement and Veronique Enos Kaefer, VP of Philanthropy

The Michael J. Fox Foundation

Foxy Ideas for Donor Retention

11:15 am - 12:15 pm  |  Breakout Session

Rhea  Wong, Founder

Rhea Wong Consulting

Playing the Mental Game: Money Mindset and Fundraising Success

Did you know that 80% of your success in fundraising is your mindset? While many fundraising trainings focus on tactics and strategy, they often ignore the underlying issue of one's own personal relationship with money. This session focuses on the internal paradigm shifts necessary to be a high-performing and sustaining fundraiser over time. 
Learn more about Rhea's session here.   

11:15 am - 12:15 pm  |  Breakout Session

Kim Hirsh, Executive Director
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ 
    and
Rebecca Pollack, Vice President of Development
Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ

Holistic Success: Annual and Endowment Integration

In this session, Kim and Rebecca will share insights on best practices for integrating fundraising strategies (annual, designated, and planned gifts) in a donor-centric way that achieves holistic success for your organization. This is a common challenge in many organizations. What happens to the Annual Campaign when an organization is launching a transformative, multi-year campaign, whether supplemental, endowment, capital, or some combination? 

They will recount the challenges and opportunities they experienced through the launch of the Jewish Federation/Jewish Community Foundation’s historic Centennial Campaign, which is poised to raise $250 million to secure the future and enhance and uplift the community today. They will show that by working collaboratively and with a donor-centric perspective, you can elevate the organization overall. Learn more about Kim and Rebecca and their session here.

11:15 am - 12:15 pm  |  Breakout Session

Faisal Al-Juburi, Vice President, Development

RAICES

Rage Giving: Leveraging Public Impulse for Organizational Sustainability

Four years ago, RAICES found itself in a unique and unprecedented position for a small local not-for-profit organization. Thousands of people across the country began searching for ways to support immigrants affected by the federal government's family separation policy, and RAICES became the fortunate recipient of an enormous influx of cash – over $20 million in five days. Over the past few years, this viral, rapid response approach to giving has become more and more common and has taken on a name in philanthropy: Rage Giving. This model of crowdsourcing for a cause in a moment of crisis can easily buckle a grassroots organization. But, it also has immense potential to lift up and sustain critical frontline work. Learn more about Faisal's session here.

12:15 pm - 1:45 pm  |  Excellence in Philanthropy Awards Celebration & Luncheon

1:45 pm - 2:15 pm  |  Afternoon Plenary Speaker

Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, President and Chief Executive Officer 

Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)

Leadership in Trying Times

Learn more about Mike here

2:15 pm - 2:30 pm  |  Afternoon Break with Resource Partners & Sponsors

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm  |  Breakout Session

Juliet Gore, Vice President & Tyler Mark, Vice President

CCS Fundraising

Sustaining Fundraising in a Changing Environment

In this session, Juliet Gore and Tyler Mark will offer guidance on how nonprofit organizations can prepare for the fundraising challenges the next year might bring.

Drawing on CCS’s extensive experience with navigating times of uncertainty in the nonprofit sector, participants will gain an understanding of CCS’s timeless principles of fundraising during uncertainty that can be implemented and learn strategies to help equip nonprofits to better manage a potential economic downturn.

Learn more about Juliet & Tyler's session here.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm  |  Breakout Session

Terry Pearl & Melissa Sosa-Longo, Principals and Founders

360 Philanthropy Group

3 Steps to Fund the Big Ideas in Your Strategic Plan Without Adding More Events, Grant Applications, or Appeals

Want to reach your ambitious fundraising goals in today’s challenging world? Transform your mindset about philanthropy by ditching your transactional fundraising and adopting fresh insights about how to raise money.

Leave plans for more events, grant proposals, or online appeals behind as you learn to turn on the flow of money and revitalize your organization’s philanthropy. With three steps, you will bust the “well has run dry” myth to create a sustainable fundraising structure that helps you exceed your revenue goal year after year and fuel the growing needs of your nonprofit.

Learn more about Terry & Melissa's session here.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm  |  Breakout Session

Amy Fiore, Director of Development, Story Pirates Changemakers and Managing Director
Sobel Bixel: Consulting for Nonprofits

Jamie Salka, General Manager, Story Pirates Changemakers

You Won't Get Corporate Dollars the Way You Think You Will

Thousands of creative and skilled individuals are eager to help serve your mission. Their employers are seeking compelling, interactive volunteer programs to make it happen. During this session, learn how a few small arts education organizations fulfill a central need for their organization by partnering with large corporations to serve their equally central needs and raise significant funds at the same time.

This session is intended for any non-profit that could be well-served by new streams of income and additional human resources, including Executive Directors, Board Members, Development Officers, and Program Managers.

Learn more about Amy & Jamie's session here.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm  |  Breakout Session

Nadia R. Jones, Esq., CEO

Culture Cipher Consulting

DE&I in a Nutshell

This session will make an often uncomfortable topic accessible to everyone who is curious and wants to learn more about the foundational concepts and practices of diversity, equity and inclusion. The goal of the session is to equip the organization with foundational tools to begin to assess and build out DE&I initiatives.

Learn more about Nadia's session here.

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm  |  Hot Topic Roundtables

Stewardship and Retention  |  Major Gifts  |  Monthly Giving  |  Cryptocurrency  |  Prospect Research |  Events

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm  |  Cocktail Reception