How Advancement Services can Help Improve Your Annual Giving Program
According to the Association of Advancement Services Professionals, “Advancement
Services provide the backbone of an organization’s Advancement operation.” We will
discuss ways that your partners in Advancement Services can help you run your annual
giving program at peak efficiency. Review current trends and best practices in
Advancement Services and explore how they can improve your program. Plenty of time will
be reserved for Q&A and discussion. Please bring your questions about gift processing, gift
and biographical records management, donor relations, and prospect research.
Presenter: Joshua E. Liss has served as Philadelphia University’s assistant vice president
for Development Operations since 2008. He is responsible for managing the University’s
advancement services, prospect research, and stewardship programs. Previously he
worked at the University of Pennsylvania, where he held leadership roles in the areas of
annual giving and alumni programming for its Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Dental
Medicine. He earned a B.A. in History and Political Science from Indiana University of
Pennsylvania.
Microphilanthropy and Crowdfunding: The Future of Donor Acquisition?
Explore the strengths and weaknesses of microphilanthropy and crowdfunding by
analyzing two years of results from the Scranton [Micro]Grants program. This session will
cover implantation, successes and failures, retention rates and a discussion about the role
of crowdfunding in an alum’s lifelong giving to your institution.
Presenter: Anthony Cernera is the Director of Annual Giving Programs at The University of
Scranton and the Chief Development Officer of Cernera & Cernera L.L.C.; a non-profit
consultancy. Anthony has spent 7 years in leadership roles in higher-education fundraising
in both annual giving and major gift programs.
Leadership Giving Within the Annual Fund
Participation is crucial to annual giving but it is important to cultivate leadership gift within
the annual fund, too. Formulating a strong leadership giving program can help your
institution bring in more dollars annually and identify your next generation of major
donors. Explore how you can utilize giving societies and adopt major gift-style cultivation
to further your annual fund and overall advancement effort.
Presenter: Lisa Shafer is the Director of Annual & Parent Giving at Swarthmore College.
She has been in development for the last decade, working in areas from phonathons to
major gifts. Previously, she led the Slade Society at Bryn Mawr College taking the
leadership giving society to new heights as the College geared up for a comprehensive
campaign.
Tips & Techniques for Direct Marketing Success
Improve your bottom-line results by focusing on the key elements required for direct mail
success. Lacie and Paul will provide you with countless tips and techniques that you can
easily implement to improve program performance. From enhancing relationships with
printers and mail-shops to integrating direct mail with e-communications, you will learn
best practices from an annual giving practitioner viewpoint and that of a seasoned direct
marketing vendor.
Presenters: Lacie LaRue serves as the senior director of annual giving programs at Oregon
State University Foundation. She oversees all strategies related to raising gifts under
$25,000, manages a team of pipeline fundraisers and participates in face-to-face
fundraising. Prior to joining the OSU Foundation, she worked for the annual giving
programs at Iowa State University, University of Maryland, and Portland State University
Paul Barry is a nationally recognized authority on successful direct marketing strategies for
annual giving programs. As President of Perrone Group, he and his team work with a
national roster of colleges and universities to enhance retention rates, increase
participation and improve targeted constituent involvement.
Innovations in Annual Giving - Round Tables Talks on Social Media, Technology, and
Borrowing from the For-Profit World
Technology can help maximize limited budgets and human resources. It can help annual
giving practitioners connect with the growing millennial alumni population. Have you
dipped your toe in the pool of new and innovative technology? If so, bring your great ideas,
successful programs, and best practices. If not, bring your questions and join these helpful
round table discussions!
Presenter/Moderator: Chelsea Sproul creates compelling content and coordinates direct
marketing initiatives and online giving for The Saint Joseph's Fund. She also manages their
successful student phonathon, Hawks on Call.
Young Alumni & Student Philanthropy: Start Small; Think Big
Over the past three years, Villanova has grown its Undergraduate Philanthropy and Young Alumni
efforts from small beginnings to a rejuvenated and innovative program that educates and engages
Villanova students, seniors and Young Alumni in supporting Villanova. We will share strategies that
have helped increase Senior Class Giving to 50%, Young Alumni Giving by 26% and the
implementation of creative and impactful student philanthropy programming.
Presenters: Marci Paton joined the Villanova Annual Fund in July 2010 as the Associate Director of
Annual Giving and works primarily with Young Alumni constituents, the Young Alumni Circle giving
society and the University’s comprehensive direct mail and email solicitation and marketing
campaigns.
JC Lamb joined the Villanova Annual Fund in September 2011 as Assistant Director of
Undergraduate Philanthropy & Young Alumni Giving and works primarily with the Senior Class Gift
program, the Young Alumni Circle giving society, and student philanthropy programming.