DEVELOPMENT & ADVANCEMENT

FEATURED SESSION
The Runway is as Important as the Flight
December 6 • 1:15pm
Mega gifts and transformational campaigns are not spontaneous. The most successful have key characteristics, the most important of which is preparation. Taking time to strengthen staffing, systems, and volunteer activity, verify your prospect pool with data and analytics, and develop a strong campaign rationale are all critical. Taking time to get these right will inspire your donors to invest in your vision rather than see this effort as merely “having another campaign.”
For editing purposes, these are the topics that will included:
▪ What are the crucial planning steps for a campaign?
▪ What’s the difference between strategic priorities, a “case for support” and your school’s vision?
▪ How do you ensure you don’t leave money on the table?
▪ What is the role of the Head of School and of the Board?
▪ What do you do if you don’t have a “fundraising board”?
▪ If you find that you are not campaign ready, what is next
Jim Zimmerman, Senior Consultant & Principal , Marts & Lundy

A-13 Leveraging a Campaign to Build a Sustainable Major Gifts Program
December 6 • 10:30am – 11:30am
Development & Advancement
This interactive panel discussion will explore how schools have used capital campaigns to help build – and sustain – robust major gifts programs. Panelists will share their experiences and insights on using tools such as wealth screening, enhanced donor research, and predictive modeling as well as analysis to identify prospects and to develop better qualification and cultivation strategies. Attendees will come away with actionable approaches to discovering, prioritizing, and engaging new and existing donors.
Sarah DeBenedictis, Director of Advancement, New Hampton School, NH
Karyn Vella, Assistant Head for Development, Peddie School, NJ
Brian Nevins, Prinicipal & Managing Director, CCS Fundraising, MA
Christina Holt, Assistant Head for Advancement, Episcopal High School, VA

D-17 Women in the Philanthropic Driver’s Seat: How to Steer Funds to Your School
December 7 • 8:30am – 9:30am
Development & Advancement
If we want to enable women to give to their full potential, let’s ask them to. 51% of total wealth in the United States is controlled by women, yet there’s still a glass ceiling on women’s giving. Women have capacity and inclination to give, but different motivators. By understanding this, we will be able to inspire increasingly ambitious giving. We will share our research and some bold ideas, along with steps to put into action.
Elizabeth Zeigler, President and CEO, Graham-Pelton Consulting, NJ

E-12 Engaging New Generations: Nine Keys to Reaching Millennials
December 7 • 9:45am – 10:45am
Development & Advancement
In recent years, millennials became the largest generation in the U.S. labor force and “Generation Z” began graduating from college. This generation’s “coming of age” has led to a widespread decline in alumni participation, giving rise to concerns about a “lost generation” of future major donors. However, according to numerous surveys and studies, 80-90% of millennials give charitable gifts each year. Illuminated with data drawn from the fundraising of 600+ schools, we will review nine characteristics that
drive much of this population’s behavior and highlight actionable tactics to increase their philanthropic engagement.
Kestrel Linder, Co-founder and CEO, GiveCampus, DC