Schedule and Sessions

Many nonprofits think prospecting for new major donors is too hard. They’ve worked too many prospects for too long with too few results. Does it have to be this hard? Learn how focusing on fewer, better prospects can improve response, save time, and build a more sustainable major gift pipeline.

In the world of nonprofit fundraising, professional fundraisers often navigate high expectations, emotional labor, and values-driven work without the organizational support afforded to other helping professions in social work, counseling, or nursing. This interactive session invites fundraisers to reframe their role through the lens of the helping professions, acknowledging their emotional intelligence, relational skills, and contributions to social change.

Elevate your leadership potential! Many superstar fundraisers are promoted to management for their fundraising success, visionary communication, or relationship-building prowess. Yet, great management requires a distinct skill set. This session dives deep into the transition from top performer to effective leader—helping professionals think about different management styles, how to solicit honest feedback, and cultivate the knowledge needed to be effective. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies to enhance workplace culture, strengthen leadership transitions, and build empowered, high-performing teams. Join us for an insightful conversation that will set you on the path to managerial success!

Short-form video is transforming how fundraisers connect with donors and tell their stories. In this fast-paced, practical session, learn how to create engaging, bite-sized videos that inspire giving, highlight impact, and grow your campaign reach. Whether you're showcasing donor testimonials, behind-the-scenes moments, or program success stories, you’ll discover tools and strategies that make video creation simple—even with limited time and resources. Perfect for fundraisers at any level, this session will leave you equipped and inspired to make short-form video a powerful part of your fundraising toolkit.

Do times of crisis change how people respond to your appeals? Does message framing matter more than you think? Does gender affect what resonates? This session presents new findings from a national experiment, funded by AFP’s Bill Levis Research Fund, on what drives donor response during and after crisis. Through an experimental survey of United States citizens, we will share the values that motivate giving in appeals and even how they differ by gender. We can be more prepared for crisis funding when it comes time, and tailor our asks for when times become more settled.

Are you making assumptions about your team members’ aspirations? What about keeping your rock stars - and keeping them happy? And are you finding exit strategies for toxic staff who hurt team culture? Join us for real-life examples and a frank, facilitated discussion with seasoned fundraisers who have a combined 50+ years of leadership and management experience. Learn what motivates and animates today’s teams, and how to lead and manage most effectively, regardless of your role or title. Bonus: we’ll also share our timely tips on combating burnout!

Discover Mattership – a powerful new approach that reimagines fundraising. Going beyond stewardship, Mattership is the philosophy that every donor is a changemaker capable of creating a ripple effect of lasting impact, giving them the power to change lives, influence communities, and leave an undeniable legacy.

Walk away with three pivotal truths and three fundamental decisions that place Mattership at the heart of your fundraising strategy – because donors don’t just give because they’re asked, they give because they want to feel an emotional connection. Giving is personal, and Mattership is at the heart of giving.

Most advancement leaders are not behind because they work too little. They are behind because they never stop. In this session, Crystal introduces the Executive Pause a leadership framework that helps fundraising leaders cut through the noise, recover lost revenue, and build programs that grow without burning out their teams.

DAF giving is growing exponentially - but is it impacting every nonprofit equally? This session will breakdown the key findings from the only research effort analyzing nonprofits' own fundraising data to determine the impact of DAF giving: The DAF Fundraising Report.

If you've wondered "how much revenue should we get from DAFs?", "what's the DAF usage like in different donor tiers?", "Are we tracking DAF gifts correctly?" or "How does DAF usage change someone's giving?," you'll get the only data-driven answers in the sector!

When fundraising meets cultural alignment, everything changes. This case study session features a fundraising and grant consultant joined by her client, a nonprofit leader serving a diaspora community. They share how a culturally responsive fundraising strategy reshaped board engagement, donor trust, and long-term sustainability.

Discover how nonprofit teams can streamline fundraising workflows with monday.com CRM. Learn to track stages, assignments, deadlines, and collaboration in one centralized platform, while exploring the monday.com nonprofit program to help nonprofits manage fundraising more efficiently.

Endowments may seem untouchable for small to mid-size nonprofits. But the landscape is shifting. In this session, SEC Registered Investment Advisor, Karen Houghton, will give an overview of the types of endowment funds, plus how to pitch both your donors and board members on creating a legacy of sustainable giving.

Stories are central to fundraising, but how do you handle sensitive topics, underrepresented communities, and complex issues? In this session, we’ll explore how animation can ethically and effectively address these challenges. Through ethical explorations and real-world case studies from Ronald McDonald House, ActionAid USA, and REDF, we’ll share insights on using animation to engage donors in impact stories, maximize video assets, and enhance collaboration between development and communications teams. Attendees will leave with a framework for ethical storytelling, data on animation’s impact, production tips, and strategies to repurpose animated video content for long-term engagement.

Is your CEO hesitant to make the big ask? In this session, learn how to coach your executive leader to become a confident, authentic, and courageous solicitor capable of closing transformational gifts. We’ll explore the psychology behind high-stakes fundraising, common fears executives face, and the mindset shifts needed for success. You’ll gain practical tools to help prepare your CEO for donor conversations, structure effective solicitation meetings, and stay donor-focused. Through real-life examples, coaching techniques, and role-play frameworks, you’ll leave empowered to elevate your CEO’s fundraising effectiveness—and boost your organization’s ability to secure larger, mission-moving gifts.

What if your fundraising systems could think with you, not just for you? This session explores how AI and a purpose-built intelligence layer—what we call “Generosity Intelligence”—are transforming how nonprofits understand and act on donor data. You’ll learn how fundraisers are using these tools right now to optimize campaigns, retain donors, and make smarter investment decisions. This isn’t the future—it’s already happening.