education sessions

More than 100 total educational sessions* are waiting for you at AFP ICON Virtual 2021. Whether you want to master leadership, relationship building, securing the gift, trends and innovation, or all of the above, AFP has the latest and greatest information to unlock your fundraising potential.

All Sessions
Education Tracks
Current and Prospective Donor Research Ethics, Accountability and Professionalism Leadership and Management Relationship Building Securing the Gift Volunteer Involvement

Relationship Building

Active Listening, Moves Management and Making Assumptions - Oh My!

What does meaningful relationship building look like in real-time? Are you doing unto others as you would have them do unto you? And are you truly listening to your donors? Join us for a fast-paced, information-packed session on melding the art and science of relationship building for maximum fundraising success.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Mike Delzotti — Mike Delzotti, CFRE, FAHP is President & CEO of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Foundation. He serves on the AFP Global Board Executive Committee and is immediate past Chair of the National Association of Cancer Center Development Officers. Previously, Mike served as Senior Director of Philanthropic Resources at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Photo of Martha H Schumacher — Martha H. Schumacher, CFRE, ACFRE, MInstF is President of Hazen and the Hazen Institute for Leadership Training. AFP Global Immediate Past Chair, she's an author and educator, social sector champion, C-suite executive coach, and emerging leader mentor. Martha has taught myriad courses around the world including Active Listening, Ambassador Training and the popular Major Gifts Master Class.

Anatomy of a Nonprofit Website: Why Your Donors Aren’t Giving (More) Online

A growing number of donors are giving online, but there’s a chance your website is giving them reasons to reconsider. Why is your website confusing your current or potential donors? In this session, we'll explore what comprises successful nonprofit websites, from content to user flow to donation thank you pages.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Rachel Clemens — Rachel first built a career as a designer. Then, she built Creative Suitcase – her own strategic communications firm. For 11 years, Creative Suitcase helped organizations like United Way, Texas Restaurant Association, and others, increase revenue and awareness. In late 2016, Creative Suitcase merged with TradeMark Media, and became Mighty Citizen. As CMO, Rachel spends her days promoting Mighty Citizen's services and thought leadership. She is also a frequent speaker at local and national conferences.

Be Prepared for Millennial Major Donors

Is your organization ready for the 30-70 trillion that will be transferred to millennials by 2030? Learn from candid interviews with 11 high net worth millennials. The session will cover generational shifts in communication, engagement, and expectations as well as real world stories of successful and failed philanthropic relationships

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Sarah Landman — Sarah has served as a major gift officer and leader of two fundraising consulting firms. She currently serves as the senior vice president of NewsBank. Sarah holds an M.A. in Philanthropy and Development from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and writes and speaks on the topic of Millennial Philanthropy at regional and national meetings and conferences. She lives in Naples, Florida and serves on the Board of Catholic Charities of Collier County.

Cultivating Family Business Owners and Their Families to Secure Multigenerational Support for Your Organization

Many of our donors are owners of multigenerational family businesses. We tend to develop donor relationships one generation at a time while family business owners are working across generations to foster a culture of giving. Learn how you can develop family business donors for multiple lifetimes of support.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Sandra McNeely — Sandra McNeely is co-owner of Abbey Group providing a full range of development services to nonprofit clients. Her focus is on succession planning, family business philanthropic giving and board development. Sandra serves as AFP South Dakota President and Abbey Group has membership in AFP Southeastern Wisconsin and AFP FL, Suncoast. She serves as treasurer for Family Firm Institute, the international association for family business research and education.

Give to Get: Tapping into the Power of Financial Advisors

Financial advisors stand with their clients--your major donors--at the intersection of money and meaning, wealth and giving, planning and purpose, relationship and impact. Gain industry insights and come away with a win-win-win strategy for cultivating Major Donor Champions in service to your mission and major donor growth.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Kate Shannon — Kate Shannon is Assistant Vice President, Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch. She earned her M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from The Lilly School at IU, where she was a Jane Addams-Andrew Carnegie Fellow. Kate has served as wealth advisor to affluent clients for over fifteen years but got her start in nonprofit development with her CFRM from The Fundraising School. A servant-leader and values-based guide, Kate stands at the intersection of money and meaning.

Growing Your Legacy Society - Why Aren’t We Asking?

This session will discuss how to enhance your organization’s planned giving efforts. Discover techniques for identifying prospects, soliciting donors, and closing the gift. Most donors say “they were never asked” for a gift. Learn how your organization can avoid this pitfall and develop a thriving and profitable planned giving plan.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Anthony Alonso — Anthony is one of the nation’s leading fundraising consultants with over three decades of expertise in direct marketing and telefundraising. Anthony is co-founder of Catapult Fundraising, Inc. and has served on the boards of AFP New Jersey, The Giving Institute, Giving USA, the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy, and was a founding member of the AFP Industry Partners Council. He currently serves as president-elect of the AFP Las Vegas Chapter.

Hack the Mind: Using Psychology to Boost Your Fundraising

The mind is a trickster. But thanks to advances in psychology, fundraisers can make the brain’s habits work for them. We’ll explore our minds’ most surprising tendencies, biases, and shortcuts. Then we’ll dive into how to employ the brain’s habits to boost our donor base and fundraising numbers.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Jarrett Way — While attending journalism school at the University of North Texas, Jarrett found himself at the intersection of communications and advocacy. His post-graduation endeavors took him to Memphis, Tennessee, where he spent four years diving into the world of content marketing and digital strategy. Grind City could only keep a Texan away for so long before Jarrett moved to Austin to tell the story of Mighty Citizen.

How to Boost Your Digital Storytelling and Fundraising with LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network that most of us only use for job hunting and recruiting, but it’s also an excellent platform to engage your stakeholders, build your brand, raise funds and enhance strategic partnerships. This session is for nonprofits looking to enhance their digital engagement and fundraising.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Elizabeth Ngonzi — Liz Ngonzi is an international social entrepreneur and educator who helps purpose-driven leaders and organisations to develop their stories to increase their impact. She is the founder and CEO of The International Social Impact Institute, which -- through initiatives with various partner organisations around the world -- amplifies the voices of social impact leaders from historically marginalised communities. As an adjunct assistant professor of fundraising at NYU, she teaches Digital Storytelling, Innovation and Fundraising.

Photo of Pinky Vincent — Pinky Vincent has results-based experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, advocacy, finance, and communications. She is a well-regarded speaker and writer on donor engagement, digital marketing, and mentoring. Pinky is part of the Development and Marketing team at Change Machine. Pinky also serves on the Board of Directors of AFP-NYC Chapter and volunteers with AFP Global as a member of the investment sub-committee.

How to Evaluate Your Fundraising Strategies for People Who Hate Math

You don’t have to be a mathematician to quantify your fundraising efforts and decide which offers the best return on your investment. Learn simple tricks to assess individual development strategies and build evaluation into your development plan. Practice these tricks through a guided activity using info from your organization.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Ivy Buchan — Dr. Ivy R. Buchan fell in love with volunteerism and board governance in high school. She has 19 years of experience working with nonprofits and earned her Ph.D. in Administration and Leadership in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors with a research focus on multidisciplinary team collaboration. Ivy is a Licensed Consultant of legal and ethical nonprofit standards through PANO, Standards for Excellence. She also started two nonprofits and edited three nonprofit textbooks.

Navigating Difficult Conversations

Do you struggle to have difficult conversations with funders, board members, or staff? This workshop is designed to help participants: • use empathy to strengthen relationships and minimize negative responses, • apply leading practices to prepare, initiate, and deliver the conversation, and • discover how to generate solutions.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Shana Peete — Shana Peete, CEN Senior Leadership Development Specialist, offers training and consultation services for nonprofit leaders. After receiving a B.S. in International Business and a Doctor of Jurisprudence, Shana practiced law for eight years before moving to the Bay Area. Her professional experience includes serving as the first Executive Director of Partners for Change, managing a Child Development Center, serving as a program coordinator for Read Aloud America, and manager for a 30-person team at Amazon.

Opening Hearts and Wallets - The Art of Successful Engagement

This session gives an overview of the neuropsychology involved in building and maintaining of relationships. Whether working with donors, committees, or guests at a gala - this session brings eye-opening insights into ways to turn stale interactions into meaningful and engaging experiences.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of AJ Steinberg — Professional Event Planner and Engagement Strategist A.J. Steinberg, CFRE has produced over 100 events and raised millions of dollars for nonprofits. With her company Queen Bee Fundraising, she shares her 20+ years of experience, strategies, and insight with organizations through workshops, webinars and consulting.

Peer to Peer Fundraising: Empower your donors AND raise more money!

Peer to Peer fundraising is a powerful yet underutilized strategy for strengthening donor relationships, engaging Millennials, acquiring new donors, and raising more money. In this session, participants will learn tangible steps to create and run a successful P2P campaign while also debunking myths that will hinder success.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Emily Allison — Emily grew up in Bozeman, Montana and graduated from Middlebury College in 2010 with a degree in Geography and Environmental Studies. Over the next 5 years, she worked as a backpacking guide, cross country ski coach, and a Project Manager for local marketing and design company. Emily is the Development Director for Bridgercare, the local family planning and reproductive health clinic in Bozeman, and absolutely loves development work and the nonprofit community as a whole!

So You’re Thinking of Planning a Capital Campaign? Essentials for Success!

Many organizations consider a capital campaign, but don’t know where to begin. This session will explore how to begin planning for your campaign. Diane Carlson will discuss the importance of a feasibility study, gift chart, naming opportunities, milestones during the quiet phase, and how to launch the public phase.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Diane Carlson — Diane has decades of fundraising and nonprofit consulting experience which have allowed her to raise several billion dollars for her clients. Prior to co-founding Catapult Fundraising, Diane served as Chairman of IDC and Founder of 1-2-1 Philanthropic Solutions. She has received fundraising awards from AFP New Jersey and Las Vegas. Diane is past board member of the AFP Global Board and Foundation Board and the first female Chair of the American Association of Fundraising Counsel.

Storytelling Slam: Live Storytelling

Test your storytelling & story coaching skills! Adapted from NPR’s MOTH Story SLAMs. FORMAT: Bring a powerful (2-minute or less) story to share in groups. Receive or give storytelling coaching. One story per group moves to next round. Final round: Hear THE most emotionally connecting stories, chosen by YOU.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Lori Jacobwith — Lori L. Jacobwith, a fundraising culture change expert and master storyteller, has helped 5000 nonprofits raise more than $400 million from individual donors. Lori teaches staff and board members powerful communication practices to ignite action and raise more money. She is author of Fire Starters weekly blog, Nine Steps to a Successful Fundraising Campaign, and the Complete Storytelling System. Lori's vision is that asking for money can be done with ease and joy.

What Really Makes Donors Happy? Uncover the Mysteries Behind Donor Motivation and Decision-Making

Do you assume that donors are driven by passion for your organization's mission? Explore surprising behavior research about top factors that influence giving decisions and donor motivation. You will get a toolkit with tips and strategies to help you positively influence donor behavior and keep donors connected to your organization.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Polly Lagana — Polly is a behavioral scientist and experienced fundraiser who founded Community Spark Consulting to spark social impact through program development, research, and fundraising. She has two decades of experience creating successful fundraising campaigns and developing countless programs and partnerships for nonprofit organizations, universities and private companies in the USA and Europe. She has an MSc of Behavioral Science from The London School of Economics and has served on the boards of local and national organizations.

Who’s a Philanthropist? I am.

As communities of color grow in wealth and influence, and women from all racial backgrounds lead through philanthropy, common perceptions of who society sees as a “philanthropist” are being challenged as never before. Women Give 2019 explores the intersection of race, gender, and giving, dispelling myths about who is philanthropic.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Jeannie Sager — Jeannie Sager is director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. WPI believes that gender matters in philanthropy, and that solving the world’s complex problems requires perspective, leadership and generosity from women and men. WPI focuses on conducting, curating and disseminating rigorous research that grows women’s philanthropy. Jeannie is a seasoned nonprofit executive with over 25 years of experience in health care, higher education, and independent school leadership.

Why "Thank You" Isn’t Enough and How Better Thank Yous Get You Bigger Gifts

Donors are done with the shoddy and perfunctory thank yous they receive for giving. What if putting more effort into thanking would increase the likelihood and amount of the next gift and skyrocket donor retention? Bigger donations aren't just about how you ask – they're about how you thank, too.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Beth Ann Locke — Beth Ann has been a fundraiser at the nexus of donors, nonprofits, and change for 20+ years in the US and Canada. She's a donor champion and change-maker who has raised over $65 million in large and small shops. Collaboration, focus, and building donor relationships are her keys to success. She coaches ambitious fundraisers and nimble nonprofits to successfully raise more money by understanding the art of fundraising and developing creative plans using proven strategies.

Photo of Shanon Doolittle — Shanon Doolittle is a Seattle-based fundraising coach who helps fundraisers develop better donor stewardship habits. A fundraiser for over 15 years, Shanon has helped raise tens of millions of dollars for nonprofits of all sizes. She is also a founder and co-producer of the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, a guest lecturer on fundraising in the nonprofit management programs at the University of Washington and Seattle University, and a frequent speaker at conferences live and virtual worldwide.

10 Ways Your Fundraising Data Can Help Your Fundraising Communications

Do you feel knee-deep in data, research, trends, and statistics, but not sure how to apply it to your donor communications strategy? This session will distill data from 15+ industry reports (like Blackbaud Charitable Giving Report) and provide the takeaways that you can apply right away.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Julia McDowell — Julia is a dynamic marketing and communications strategist who uses creativity and a collaborative spirit to develop award-winning communications campaigns. She is one of those rare marketers who think strategically but also rolls up her sleeves to get the work done. Her clients (past and present) include the American Red Cross, USO, Special Olympics International, Boys & Girls Club of America, PBS Nerd, American Association of Poison Control Centers, International Sleep Products Association, among others.

Crafting donor personas to bring in the bucks

Do you want your donors to connect with your organization? What you say, how you say it, and where you show up, it's essential to root your communications in your supporters' needs, motivations, values, and interests. Learn the value of creating personas.

Education Track

Relationship Building

Speakers

Photo of Farra Trompeter — Farra Trompeter is the Chief Growth Officer and Partner at Big Duck, a firm that helps nonprofits use communications to achieve their mission. Farra has more than 25 years of experience in fundraising and communications and previously served on the board for NTEN and the NYC Anti-Violence Project. She is an adjunct professor at New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and holds an M.S. degree in nonprofit management from The New School.

Photo of Mica Bevington — At Humanity & Inclusion Mica reaches key American audiences through earned media, digital marketing, events, congressional advocacy, advertising, and VIP outreach. She was a member of the organization’s global brand working group, which resulted in a full rebrand in January 2018 ) She also manages internal communications for the U.S. team. A long-ago graduate of the George Washington University, she lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and three children.