ICON Insights: Session Spotlights
Get a quick dose of fundraising insight and inspiration with AFP ICON Session Spotlights—short video interviews featuring ICON speakers sharing practical tips, fresh ideas, and key takeaways from their sessions. Each series highlights some of the most relevant and future-focused themes shaping today’s fundraising landscape, offering you a glimpse of the professional growth you’ll experience by attending AFP ICON. Think of these spotlights as a starting point for your own learning path—explore the topics that matter most to you and your organization, and see how AFP ICON can help you deepen your knowledge and drive meaningful impact.
- Resilient Fundraising Amidst Uncertainty
- The Fundraiser’s Guide to AI
- Diversifying Revenue for a Sustainable Future
- The Power of Storytelling and Communication in Fundraising
In this micro-learning video, Jethro Miller, Maria Griffin, and Deborah Garcia, CFRE share practical insights from their experience guiding organizations through CEO changes, including when and how to communicate with donors, how to sustain momentum during periods of uncertainty, and where unexpected opportunities for growth can emerge.
In this micro-learning video, Gayle Pottle, CFRE and Beth Hatcher explore how fundraisers can flip the script by strengthening mid-level donor retention. They share practical strategies for reengaging key donor personas, balancing principal gifts with pipeline growth, and taking immediate steps to improve retention without disrupting what’s already working.
In this micro-learning video, Mindy Morgan Avitia, associate director of brand marketing at Mighty Citizen, shares practical guidance for building communications plans that are both structured and adaptable. She explores how to approach core elements like goal setting, flexibility, and level of detail, and highlights underutilized strategies that can help nonprofit teams stay focused and responsive, even when everything keeps changing.
In this micro-learning video, Nicola Lawrence, MSc, MSFP, Pgc, CFRE, CAP explores how shifting economic conditions influence donor behavior and what fundraisers can do to respond strategically. She shares practical guidance on diversifying revenue streams, thoughtfully testing new approaches, and leveraging emerging financial technologies to strengthen sustainability, even when traditional strategies fall short.
In this micro-learning video, Susan Madon, MBA, CFRE invites fundraisers to think like detectives, spotting early warning signs, uncovering hidden clues behind donor attrition, and taking practical steps to strengthen long-term relationships.
AI can accelerate impact—but only when it’s used responsibly. In this ICON Insights Session Spotlight, Meena Das, M.S., MCA, founder and CEO of Namaste Data, shares how nonprofit leaders can recognize and mitigate bias in AI tools and data. Get a preview of her AFP ICON 2026 session and learn about a nonprofit-specific AI Equity Framework designed to help you implement AI ethically and equitably, ensuring technology serves your mission and community with integrity.
In this ICON Insights Session Spotlight, Allison Strekal, CFRE, MBA, and Duane Rohrbacher, JD, PhD, share how AI tools can help you recognize high-potential new donors and craft personalized cultivation journeys that turn first-time gifts into lasting relationships. Get a preview of their AFP ICON 2026 session and walk away with practical ideas you can test now—no tech background or big budget required.
AI isn’t replacing traditional fundraising—it’s making it smarter. In this ICON Insights Session Spotlight, Ken Miller, CFRE, and Christopher Beck, CAP, share how nonprofits can use AI to personalize appeals, predict donor behavior, and optimize direct mail campaigns for greater engagement and ROI. Get a preview of their AFP ICON 2026 session and walk away with actionable ways to blend proven direct mail strategies with cutting-edge AI tools to drive stronger fundraising results.
AI can be a powerful ally for fundraisers—if you know how to use it strategically. In this ICON Insights Session Spotlight, nonprofit consultant Jamie Foltz shares how to integrate AI into your daily development work to save time, strengthen relationships, and boost team efficiency. Get a preview of her AFP ICON 2026 session and discover practical tools, prompts, and approaches to help you work smarter and lead with confidence in an AI-driven world.
In this ICON Insights Session Spotlight, Greg Hagin, MBA, and Ashutosh Nandeshwar, Ph.D. of CCS Fundraising, share research-backed strategies to help nonprofits leverage technology for deeper donor engagement, smarter planning, and long-term growth. Get a preview of their AFP ICON 2026 session and discover how to use AI as a strategic tool—no matter your organization’s size or technical capacity—to drive meaningful, sustainable impact.
In this micro-learning video, Jeremy Wells, CFRE, M.A., shares what policies and processes nonprofits need to accept non-cash gifts, how to identify non-cash donors, the impact of tax changes on non-cash assets, and how non-cash assets can help your nonprofit diversify revenue.
In this micro-learning video, Mitch Stein and Karin Kirchoff, M.A. share data on the growth of DAFs, the common problems nonprofits have with tracking DAF gifts, and what your organization can do to capitalize on this growing method of giving.
In this micro-learning video, Anthony Petchel, CFRE, MBA, CTP and Deborah Steinkopf, M.A., share common misalignments between finance and development teams, advice for building trust with your finance team, and how to stay aligned when the fundraising environment is constantly changing.
In this micro-learning video, Sharyn Goodson, CFRE and Jack Alotto, M.A., CFRE share how to know whether your organization is ready to start an endowment, how to create a case for support for endowments, and how having a robust planned giving program can help your endowment be successful.
In this micro-learning video, Richenda Vermeulen shares results from a survey of Australian donors, which offers surprising findings about the true perception of nonprofit overhead. She encourages nonprofits to reframe the conversation and convey to donors the value of investing in systems that will exponentially increase their impact, and the impact of the organization.
In this micro-learning video, Lyn Wineman and Ryan Strawhecker, CFRE, M.A., explain the importance of taking the time to think through the entire strategy before launching a campaign. They discuss the value of AI as a creative partner, but caution against using it as a substitute for human-driven messaging.
In this micro-learning video, Tammy Zonker, CFRM, shares what an immersive donor experience is, and how it can be used to engage donors in new and more meaningful ways. She provides several examples of organizations that are using these experiences, and stresses the importance of context, ethics, and respectful storytelling in crafting these immersions.
In this micro-learning video, Sarah K. Nathan, Ph.D., Jeri Pat Gabbert, CFRE, and Genevieve Shaker, Ph.D. share research behind effective communication and empathetic listening. They discuss the tools and templates they will provide attendees at their AFP ICON session, The Art of Conversation and Relationship Building, taking place in San Diego, April 26-28.