Newcomers Panel Discussion Session

This session is aimed at symposium attendees who are relatively new to advancement work, or who may have advancement experience, but are new to the UNC System. What does "new" mean? Our panelists will be about two years into their roles--long enough to get established, but recent enough to remember what it was like to be brand new. Some of our panelists will be experienced in advancement, but new to the System; other will be new to advancement entirely. So, if you have been in your role less than two years, or if you still feel "new," please join us for this informal Q&A session. Bring your questions and concerns and be prepared to participate in a lively discussion that will transform your new-job jitters into fuel for success.

Panelists:

• Chris Barns, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Ben Underwood, University of North Carolina at Asheville

• Jalisha Pone, Fayetteville State University

• Rachael Walker, University of North Carolina General Administration

Moderator:

• Kinna Clark, University of North Carolina General Administration

Successful Endowment Fundraising and Management in Today’s Environment

UNC development professionals are invited to join TIAA experts for a conversation about building a strong foundation for success in endowment fundraising and effective endowment management to support their institutions’ missions. Demographic shifts, donors’ changing views of charitable giving, and the economy all have an impact on endowment fundraising and management. This session will examine:

• Donor and giving trends
• Gift planning opportunities
• Emerging practices in endowment fundraising
• Management of endowment assets and spending policy

Presenters:

• C. Alan Korthals, Kaspick & Company (A TIAA Company)

• Christopher S. Carabell, Covariance Capital Management, Inc. (A TIAA Company)

 

Please register for this new special presentation via feliciaL@northcarolina.edu. Thank you in advance!

 

Thinking and Doing the Extraordinary: Launching NC State’s $1.6 Billion Campaign

NC State launched a five-year, $1.6 Billion campaign in October. Campaign communication co-chairs Brad Bohlander and Amy Feriozzi will detail how communications and development staff partnered to strategically plan and successfully launch the university’s $1.6 billion fundraising campaign utilizing an approach that created internal buy-in, external support and is advancing the NC State brand. Their case study will provide specifics about NC State’s research-focused, consensus building effort that created a campaign identity that inspires employees, alumni, donors and even students to participate in the university’s largest-ever fundraising effort. Amy and Brad will review how the process resulted in an ongoing content strategy and toolkit that enhance campus-wide teamwork, visual and message consistency, and communications impact. Finally, they will discuss how NC State's integrated approach to development and communication efforts has worked to elevate the NC State brand and achieve extraordinary results.

Presenters:

• Brad Bohlander, North Carolina State University

• Amy Feriozzi, North Carolina State University

 

Communicating without Words: Donor Stories, Interactivity, and Broad Appeal

Story-telling can take many different forms today. It doesn’t have to be a traditional feature story with a photograph or two. By branching beyond words, you can create additional types of content that will engage and satisfy reader more quickly. This presentation will discuss how to tell digital-first stories and leverage them within your communication efforts.

Presenter:

• Scott Thompson, North Carolina State University

 

“Switching On” Social Media: New Strategies for Storytelling Using Digital Platforms

Social media is becoming an increasingly more important tool for effective communications and marketing strategy. From Facebook to Snapchat, each channel can be used to engaged different audiences, helping to creatively share news and updates from the university, and highlight stories of student success and alumni impact. We will highlight successful examples of leveraging the university’s social media tools and how to best measure their effectiveness.

Presenters:

• Ayana Hernandez, North Carolina Central University

• Quiana Shepard, North Carolina Central University

 

Only Your Stylist Will Know: How to Let an Editor Make You Look Fabulous

Advancement professionals often write copy for a variety of purposes, such as Web content, campaign appeals, donor stewardship and internal constituent relations. However, many in advancement don't have an extensive writing background, resulting in copy that's less effective than it could be and causing undue stress for the writer. A skilled editor can work behind the scenes with you to help you produce copy that meets your needs and achieves your goals. We'll discuss specific ways in which an editor can add value to any communications effort, and we'll walk through the steps of an optimal editorial workflow.

Presenter:

• Brent Winter, North Carolina State University

Days of Giving – Best Practices

The annual “Day of Giving” may have various names at different institutions, but they are rapidly becoming popular and in many cases, highly successful. Panelists from both public and private institutions in North Carolina will share what’s worked and what hasn’t on their campuses.

Panelists:

• Jonathan Miller, Elon University

• Lisa Howe Combs, Davidson College

• Regina Craven, Winston-Salem State University

• Darlene Gooch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Tanner Greaves, Appalachian State University

Moderator:

• David Hibbard, University of North Carolina at Pembroke

 

Partnership between Alumni Relations & Development

At some schools, these offices are housed together, while they are completely separate at others. This session will examine the different reporting structures, the pros and cons of each, and ways Alumni Relations and Development can work together more effectively, regardless of the organization chart.

Presenters:

• Melissa Shampine, North Carolina State University

• Liz McFarlane, North Carolina State University

• David Hibbard, University of North Carolina at Pembroke

 

Alumni Success Stories – How to Find Them, How to Tell Them

All of us have alumni who make our institutions proud. But finding their stories can sometimes be difficult and time‐consuming! Learn how to unearth the alumni stories worth telling at your school, and the most effective ways to share them with your various constituencies.

Presenters:

• Chris Saunders, North Carolina State University

• Kim Elenez, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 

Celebrating Success through Measuring Success: Two Stories of Building a Culture of Metrics

Both NC State and UNC Charlotte have recently developed new systems for tracking, measuring, and reporting activity. Join us for a lively discussion of our adventures in art of measuring progress. We'll take attendees through the process we followed at each institution, how partnerships made all the difference, and what lessons we learned. Bring your thoughts, questions, concerns, and joys.

Presenters:

• Wes Ardoin, North Carolina State University

• Ben Pendry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

 

Prospect Development as Mission Control: Guiding Your Astronauts through the Prospect Universe

Have you ever found yourself having to explain where prospects come from, or how a particular name ended up in a development officer’s portfolio? What is it about some prospects that make them convert into donors compared to others? In prospect development, we are uniquely situated to observe patterns and provide input throughout the identified prospect to major donor journey. In this session, Bond will walk through strategies for providing more variety in research deliverables, partnering with development officers to provide insightful and timely information on prospects and portfolios, and how to communicate key findings and observations to senior leadership.

Presenter:

• Bond Lammey, Bentz Whaley Flessner

 

Prospect Coordination: How to Play in the Sandbox and Love It

Few scenarios are as frustrating as a gift officer showing up to meet with a donor and bumping into a colleague from the same organization on the way out. For every anecdotal donor who “likes to be fought over” (really?), most donors want to engage with our organizations as a whole - and it’s our responsibility to do the oftentimes hard work of coordinating our relationships. This means having a single set of "rules of engagement" to which all fundraisers - from the junior gift officer to the VP - adhere and honor. The end results is often that an institution can, over time, ultimately be the beneficiary of a much larger proportion of a donor’s philanthropic giving, and everyone wins!

Presenter:

• Karen Isble, University of Michigan

 

The Power of Your Database: A Case Study in Building a Culture of Data Maintenance

Our databases are living, breathing creatures (some scarier than others). UNC Charlotte's prospect database has been through fits and starts over the years and our proposal tracking system has been through multiple revisions. Recently, UNC Charlotte engaged with ADVIZOR Solutions to build a data visualization tool which would help us develop a stronger proposal and activity tracking system. We discovered that the software also allowed us to identify data integrity issues and fill in many of the gaps that existed in our prospect system. Ben Pendry from UNC Charlotte and Doug Cogswell from ADVIZOR Solutions will talk through a case study on data maintenance. Session outlines include and overview of UNC Charlotte database and where we were late in 2014 to 2015; prospect/portfolio management issues; record Maintenance; culture of Metrics; changes in front Line & back office; tools for visualizing our reality; what is and isn’t about ADVIZOR; what is working across the Country; things that we can all do to better in managing our data; how do we identify red flags early; demo of UNC Charlotte’s Systems; and more.

Presenters:

• Doug Cogswell, ADVIZOR

• Ben Pendry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

 

Anonymous Donors: What Does that Really Mean and Can We Keep Our “Promise”?

As a gift officer, are you and the donor on the exact same page when it comes to anonymous giving? As a gift processor, are you and the gift officer on the same page when it comes to anonymous giving? Actually, is everyone reading the same book? This session will provide some guidelines about understanding what the donor wants and what the donor can expect if they want anonymity.

Presenter:

• Rob Saunders, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

 

It Takes a Village: Team-Building across Campus in Support of University Fundraising

Deans, faculty, Office of Sponsored Research professionals, Corporate and Foundation Relations officers, and campus events officers work in entirely different worlds. Yet, they all are linked by a common goal to advance the strategic priorities of their universities. Join us for a spirited discussion of the dynamics of these relationships and practical suggestions for bridging the divide. Examples of effective systems and communication techniques for successful collaboration will be discussed.

Panelists:

• Megan Gorham, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

• Sharon Hamilton, East Carolina University

• Dr. Keith Krumpe, University of North Carolina at Asheville

• Ben Minter, Fayetteville State University

• Dr. Ron Vetter, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

 

Why Didn’t I Think of That? Best Practices for Corporate and Foundation Relations

This panel of corporate and foundation relations professionals throughout the UNC System will discuss their most effective and successful techniques and strategies for maximizing corporate and foundation support. Each member of the panel will bring examples of their work to discuss and share with workshop attendees.

Panelists:

• Dr. Tamara Holmes Brothers, Fayetteville State University

• Megan Gorham, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

• Sharon Hamilton, East Carolina University

• Sophia Ungert, University of North Carolina at Asheville

 

Stewardship with Legacy Events: How Do We Leave a Lasting Impression on Donors?

Stewardship is critical in all areas of fundraising, perhaps more with planned gifts. What are some of the best stewardship practices a planned giving office can implement? This session offers a panel discussion led by Kinna Clark that will present the benefits of an annual event for your planned gift donors, and best practices to help maximize effectiveness.

Panelists:

• Andrea Jenkins, Winston-Salem State University

• Geoff Graham, Appalachian State University

• Randal V. Childs, North Carolina Central University

• Brandon Wright, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Moderator: Kinna Clark, University of North Carolina General Administration

 

Back to Basics with Gift Planning

Many times development efforts related to planned giving can get bogged down in a sea of complicated vehicles such charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities and lead trusts. The real key to a successful gift planning program lies in taking advantage of the simpler methods of planned gifts (bequests, IRA designations, etc.). Join us for a discussion with Andrea Jenkins and planned giving veterans Greg Abeyounis, Lee Knight and Geoff Graham that will touch on the importance of “keeping it simple” when it comes to cultivating and documenting deferred commitments

Panelists:

• Greg Abeyounis, East Carolina University

• Geoff Graham, Appalachian State University

• Lee Knight, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Moderator: Andrea Jenkins, Winston-Salem State University

 

Planned Giving with Life Income Gifts

Development officers, regardless of their responsibilities, will most likely be faced at some point with a situation in which knowledge of life income gift vehicles is important. Even if you’re not the “planned giving” person in your development office, familiarity with the ways charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities and other giving methods can provide benefits to donors. Join this session as long-time gift planning professional Stephen Watt navigates the “ins and outs” of life income gifts.

Presenters:

• Stephen Watt, University of North Carolina General Administration

• Kinna Clark, University of North Carolina General Administration

 

The Ultimate Team Sport: A Holistic Approach to Major Gift Fundraising (Part One Session and Part Two Session)

Sometimes overlooked around the moment a major gift closes is the incredible group effort that goes into identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gift donors. Many hands touch a major gift through its life cycle as our panelists will discuss.

Part One Session: Pre-Game – The Work That Provides Important Clues, Contacts and Context

Major gift prospects often self-identify by making faithful annual gifts, attending or hosting events or volunteering in other ways. The experiences our donors have as a result of these activities can have a direct impact on how they feel about giving in general and supporting our institutions’ priorities specifically.

Colleagues in other areas also have unique opportunities to glean helpful information about prospects that can be shared with gift officers and captured in donor records, whether it’s news of a promotion, sale of a business, child or grandchild applying for admission, and so on.

Panelists:

• Brandon Wright, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• AmyLynn Bliem, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Lennon Brooks, North Carolina State University

• Tom Cawley, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan Flagler Business School

Moderators:

• Adam Gerdts, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School

• Ethan Dodson, Appalachian State University

 

Part Two Session: Post-Game – You’ve Made the Ask and Closed the Gift….Now What?

The last thing donors want to experience is the sense that their gifts aren’t important or that the gift officer happily moves on to the next prospect, never to be heard from again. The weeks, months and years after gifts are made require perhaps even more effort to effectively steward our donors and demonstrate the impact of their philanthropy. Now is the time to get creative with colleagues across campus to emphasize the importance of giving and inspire repeat behavior!

Panelists:

• Tom Cawley, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan Flagler Business School

• Nicholas Langhorne, North Carolina State University

• Margaret McCoy, Appalachian State University

• Kristy Wasilewski, North Carolina State University

Moderators:

• Adam Gerdts, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School

• Ethan Dodson, Appalachian State University

• Liz McFarlane, North Carolina State University

 

Strategies and Tools in Succession Planning in Advancement

Find your advancement leadership succession plan strategy in a small group. Help each other and adapt business tools that will help prepare your rising leaders for new roles. Prepare your organization for change by identifying target recruitment areas and setting talent targets and training objectives.

Presenter:

• Chelsey Megli, Director of Talent Management, University of Oregon Advancement

 

Diversity and Inclusion: A Measure of Success

Most institutions want to have a culture that is diverse and inclusive. One might argue, it is a hallmark of excellence! A successful diversity effort with our students will ultimately bring a diverse donor base for the future, requiring advancement leaders and teams to engage all populations represented in an increasingly diverse alumni base and requiring a workforce and culture that is diverse and inclusive. The need for organizations to develop a customized plan is necessary to launch or continue a successful advancement and talent management effort. Whether you’re developing, rethinking or affirming your diversity and inclusion strategy, this session will provide clarity, tips and insights to help ensure your diversity and inclusion efforts are a success.

Presenter:

• Anita B. Walton, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)

 

Why a Global Context Matters to Your Work

Thomas Friedman was right: The world is increasingly flat. What does that mean for those working to advance education in North Carolina? CASE President and CEO Sue Cunningham has worked on nearly every continent on behalf of institutions in Australia, North America and the United Kingdom. She will frame your work in a global context, and offer her perspectives on advancing education worldwide.

Presenter:

• Sue Cunningham, President, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)

 

Maximizing Donor Potential – An Overview of High-Level Trends in Higher Education and Advancement

With an increasing reliance on the top of the giving pyramid to meet the ever-increasing expectations of presidents and boards coupled with a decline in annual fund effectiveness, advancement leaders find themselves looking for new and renewed ways to strengthen their fundraising and alumni engagement efforts. This session will take a look at the high level trends discussed across this year’s CAO Roundtables and engage UNC System member schools with current Forum content, as well as help provide a preview of forthcoming research with a discussion around current topics under consideration for 2017-2018.

Presenter:

• John Tannous, Associate Director of Research Delivery, Education Advisory Board (EAB) Strategic Research

 

Training and Empowering Faculty Members and Deans

Learn what makes faculty leaders pay attention in development training. Find ways in which you and your development officers can better facilitate and work with deans in fundraising. Hear strategies and data behind faculty involvement in fundraising, and take away tips on finding the visionary faculty on campus.

Presenter:

• Chelsey Megli, Director of Talent Management, University of Oregon Advancement