2016 AFP Greater New Orleans Annual Fundraising Conference
CLICK HERE FOR CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND SESSION INFORMATION
Don't roll the dice-attend this year's conference!
Reenergize with a day of professional development and team building.
Hear from fundraising experts including Kim Klein and Jen Love!
Making Movement Building a Key Component of Fundraising Professionalism - Kim Klein
Brightspots - Kim Klein
Three years ago the Underdeveloped report revealed that many nonprofits are stuck in a vicious cycle that threatens their ability to raise resources. Bright Spots for Fundraising, a follow-up study, identifies potential solutions to the sector's challenges. Co-author Kim Klein will discuss the report's findings, which will be released in late April.
Donor Engagement: Pyramid or Vortex? -
Marc Barnes
When we think about donor engagement, the pyramid always comes to mind, but is there another way? In this session, we will explore the vortex as a new model of donor acquisition and engagement and compare/contrast it to the well-known pyramid. Attendees should leave with a new understanding of ways to capture donors and move them through the continuum of donor engagement.
Write with Love - Jen Love
Join me and share (well, I’ll share and you can steal) everything you need to know about writing stories that shine. You’ll learn simple, effective ways to improve your stories right now, and ways to build on your knowledge over time and hone your storytelling craft. I’ll give you my well-curated and (until now) top secret list of interview questions that I promise will get you to the emotions you need in your next story. And, with full hearts, we’ll dive into crafting unforgettable thank you letters.
Give NOLA Day: Fundraising Lessons Learned -
Blathrae Gillin and Allie Betts
Blathrae Gillin and Allie Betts Giving days are growing in popularity across the country with both nonprofits and do nors, providing a single day where millions are raised in and for the community. In 2016, more than 700 nonprofits participated in the third annual GiveNOLA Day, a 24-hour, online giving event. In this session, we will delve into the fundraising tactics nonprofits have used to find successon GiveNOLA Day and beyond.
Be the Best You Can Be: Strategies for Continuous Improvement - Jenny Bigelow, Alan Brickman and David Schlakman (for professionals with 8 or more years of fundraising experience)
Do you really know how effective your staff, board, and programs are? Do you have honest conversations about what's working and not working? Do you have the data and the internal systems to assess effectiveness and implement the necessary changes? This interactive workshop will provide key concepts and practical tools to help you create a culture of continuous improvement in your organization that will increase your effectiveness and ensure your sustainability.
Capital Campaigns: Are We Ready? - Holly Lang and Michelle Buchanan
Your executive director is saying “We need to increase fundraising!” Your board is saying “Let’s do a campaign!” And you’re saying “Let’s make a plan for success!” If this sounds familiar, rest assured that you’re in good company. Whether you’re considering your first campaign or the first in a long time, you will benefit from this information-packed session on the essential preparations for successful campaigns. Topics will include evaluating your organization’s campaign readiness, understanding the factors that influence campaign success, generating buy-in from executive staff and board, and steps you can take to ensure you’re on the right track.
Donor Retention: Current Rates are Startling! What Can Every Fundraiser Do to Improve It - Chris Painchaud
This session explores the Fundraising Effectiveness Project report commissioned by AFP and the Urban Institute. The dismal news in this report can and should be an eye opener for every nonprofit engaged in fundraising. We will focus on the root causes of poor retention rates, and offer tips for improvement based on the principles of Dr. Adrian Sargeant and Tom Ahern: two worldrenowned authorities on building donor loyalty. Sargeant and Ahern’s principles are based upon years of research conducted in the sector and can be used by any organization, whether you are a oneperson shop or a large department. We will show examples of their principles in action. The results can be astounding when put into daily use!
Diversity - Tony Enterante and DeShanna Brown, MPA
This session will take a brief look at diversity trends employers are facing in regards to hiring and staffing employees for an organization. We will also discuss some of the external diversity trends facing fundraisers in the local, regional, and national markets in the United States. Diversity trends are no longer just racial backgrounds. These trends now include racial, ethnic, age, sex, sexual orientation, and cultural backgrounds – just to include a few.
Design with Love - John Lepp 
The look and design of your communications can have a huge impact on your donors - and their giving. It can make them feel excluded - or - charm them with surprise and delight. Design and creative are important, critical parts of loving your donors. And failing to understand some of the basics of design can seriously hurt response rates and the effectiveness your fundraising! Join John Lepp, of the Canadian firm Agents of Good, to learn how to use design to enhance and actually nail a fundraising campaign. He'll show you how design can catapult a regular appeal into something so special your donors will never forget it. With a primary focus on print design and creative, we will take a look at a few case studies through Jane Donor’s eyes and learn a TON of things you can do right now to make your fundraising raise more money tomorrow.
Setting yourself up for Corporate Donations & Sponsorships - Amy Collins
In this session, we will take a look at what makes powerful partnerships work – both for corporate sponsors and for nonprofits. She will offer tips and examples on how to set your nonprofit organization up for success. Collins is passionate about putting people and ideas together. At the end of this session, you will understand what corporate sponsors look for and be better able to build powerful partnerships that are mutually beneficial and sustainable.
Strategic Planning for the organization, staff and YOU! - Charles Heim, FAHP
(for professionals with 3 or more years of fundraising experience)
An in-depth look at your relationships with the CEO, Board, and Staff along with the work ethic. Taking a closer look at managing the fund raising program, developing work plans, accountability, research, and making sure the “team” is dedicated to the mission together.
Savvy Fundraising Techniques for Primary/Secondary Education - Emily Farris and Josh Fertita
An examination of aligning development best practices with political savvy and grit to overcome the challenges of fundraising in primary and secondary education.
PR & Marketing on a Budget - Jennifer Bond
Need to market your organization, but have a limited budget? This session will showcase the fundamentals of public relations, specifically focusing on marketing initiatives on a dime. From media relations to community outreach to social media, gain valuable insight and understanding of PR campaigns that get the most bang for your buck.
SOS: You Can't Do It All! - Lucinda Flowers, Susan Mancuso, CFRE, and Lynn Spearman
The good news: Your fundraising efforts are going gangbusters with a variety of programs and events to help you meet your goals. The bad news: You and your staff feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, and headed toward a burnout. The question: Are you using your resources effectively to get the most bang for your buck? This interactive session will explore when to consider bringing in an outsider (from volunteers to temps to experts) to help expand your capacity and grow your success.
Capital Campaigns: Push the Envelope to Get Creative! - Holly Lang and Michelle Buchanan(for professionals with 3 or more years of fundraising experience)
The silent phase comes before the public phase. The campaign committee should meet every month. Eighty percent of the money comes from twenty percent of the donors. It’s true that following these tried-and-true “rules” of campaigning often produce a campaign victory. But in today’s modern world, many of the most successful initiatives are pushing the boundaries of the expected. In this discussion-oriented session, Michelle and Holly will share case studies of campaigns that required outside the box thinking to realize success. Discuss what your organization is doing that’s creative campaign – or join us to spark new ideas for your shop!
Why People Give-The Motivating Factors and Psychology of Giving - Brian Kish
Philanthropy etymologically means the "love of humanity." It is an emotional act that can be found in all of us—some more than others. Learn about the psychology of giving and discuss the motivating factors that drive this behavior.