|
Breakout 1F: Streamlining Forms and Processes Through Automation and Organization | Salon C-3, LL
In today's world, there are many technologies at our disposal. However, any tool is only as good as the processes that support it. Listen to a brief case study on how The Nature Conservancy's Development and Finance departments expanded and organized their submission and review framework to include automation, digital forms, and approvals using Microsoft's Power Platform and the M365 suite. Then, follow along with a step-by-step walkthrough of creating a SharePoint list form, task tracker, and approval automation that enables status and workflow transparency while collecting behind-the-scenes data for reporting.
 Jianell Present is a Senior Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Content Developer at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), where she works with staff worldwide to use technology for business process improvement. She started her TNC career in Development Operations before joining Advancement Services as a Fundraising Systems Specialist and later as a Revenue Compliance and Quality Assurance Specialist. Jianell is an inaugural recipient of both TNC’s Development Achievement Award and AASP’s Sapphire Aspire Award in the Technology & Innovation category for her work on a Submission and Review Framework. Built using the Microsoft Power Platform, SharePoint, and Office 365, this framework has been integral in reducing bottlenecks, increasing efficiency, ensuring data security, and improving transparency for revenue processing at TNC. Additionally, this framework allowed for the behind-the-scenes collection of previously unavailable data, providing the ability to report on and analyze the revenue process lifecycle.
Breakout 2F: Learn About Johns Hopkins University's Business Transformation Project to Deliver a CRM System That Meets Both University and Grateful Patient Fundraising Business Requirements | Salon C-6, LL
Learn about Johns Hopkins University's business transformation project to deliver a CRM system that meets both University and Grateful Patient fundraising business requirements. The project objective was to replace five databases (4 of which were Hospital Systems) and ancillary applications migrating them to a single CRM system. Johns Hopkins took the opportunity to apply forward thinking about their business processes in a new way to leverage new functionality and technology to optimize the way they work.
 Michelle Watkins is the Senior Data Analyst for the Medical Development Services and Analytics team at the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine (FJHM). With nine years at FJHM and nearly nine years at various nonprofits, Michelle’s range of experience and responsibilities have ranged from database management to stewardship, reporting, and analytics. Michelle’s current focus is leveraging data for insight, planning, and strategy of grateful patient fundraising. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Political Science from Rutgers University.
 Nancy Benavente has over 25 years of experience in leading Advancement Services for both Higher Education and Healthcare advancement teams. She has managed the system implementations for multiple fundraising/CRM systems, data warehouses, and online giving platforms. Nancy served as a Board Member for the Association of Advancement Services Professionals organization for five years. Her expertise includes fundraising/advancement, project management, business analysis, business process improvement, and organizational design.
Breakout 3F: Streamlining the Development and Reporting of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Funds | Salon C-1, LL
When it comes to crafting gift agreement language focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), many institutions and organizations are limited by Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. We will discuss the relevant laws and regulations that impact the development of DEI funds and our successful methods to comply with these laws and regulations while also meeting donor intent. These methods resulted in a more robust operation for developing and maintaining DEI Funds supported by a pre-approved list of DEI fund purposes, a system for coding and tracking DEI funds, and a widely attended training and panel discussion on talking to donors about legal and administrative considerations for DEI funds.
 Christopher Resh is an Interim Associate Director of Donor Services at NC State University, where he coordinates standard gift agreements, legacy pages, and donor namings of programs and spaces, as well as two staff who work in those areas. Before joining NC State in 2019, Christopher worked for several years at the UNC System Office in roles supporting the Office of the President and the Board of Governors, and in particular the board’s then-newly-convened Committee on Historically Minority-Serving Institutions. In his free time, when he isn’t drawing, Christopher can often be found on and around the Blue Ridge Parkway.
 Tommy King is a Business and Technology Applications Analyst on the Analytics and Data Services team at North Carolina State University. Tommy has really enjoyed the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects and technology initiatives during his time in his current position and his previous role as a Donor Services Specialist and has learned a great deal about the field of Advancement Services since coming to NC State in 2019. Tommy has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and a master’s degree in computer science from NC State.
Breakout 4F: Workflow Automation for Increased Accuracy and Efficiency | Salon C-5, LL
Gift processing is hard and humans make mistakes. Most software is designed to handle specific functions very well but because it has to be accessible to a wide variety of users and situations, it does not leverage the full potential of modern computers to take away the drudgery of daily, repetitive tasks. In this session we will explore some examples of do-it-yourself automation solutions that decrease errors and increase efficiency, as well as some of the best resources for learning how to implement similar bespoke solutions in your own organizations. Examples:- Automate the assignment of constituent IDs to gifts made through 3rd-party services.- Manipulate 3rd-party data into a format that can be imported directly into a database.- Read every file in a folder, opening only those with content matching a search term.- Control the keyboard and mouse, clicking images and entering text.- Manipulate Excel files, creating reports automatically.
 T.J. King has been the Assistant Director of Gifts and Records at Denison University since early 2022. He is responsible for gift processing and data integrity, ensuring that gift information and donor wishes are reflected accurately in their records and liaising with the finance department in gift reconciliation. During his time at Denison, he has brought his hobby of computer programming into the workplace, creating automation scripts that drastically reduce the time and increase the accuracy of gift entry and related tasks.T.J. believes in the power of technology to improve our lives, and is passionate about democratizing the full potential of modern computing. Coding is a super power, and it is one we can all access!
Breakout 5F: The Change Enablement Playbook: A Framework for Supporting Your Teams When the Goal Posts Move | Salon C-4, LL
The secret to effective and supported change is... there is no secret! It's a plan. It's a set of steps to unfold what used to be the way, and fold into what will be next. Believe it or not, regardless of the kind of change your team is undertaking, the path to get there is similar. In this session, we will walk through the playbook together, how it started, anecdotes about where it was tested with bumps and applied with success, and how you can use it as a framework the next time your team undergoes a change. From re-orgs to system change, fast growth to leadership change, this playbook will lay out strategies for messaging, communication, engagement, enablement, and support. It will outline different reactions and how to deal with them, different scenarios and how to approach them, and ways to keep leadership involved. Join Kate Nimety, President of Management Consulting at Zuri Group, for a workshop that will provide you with a toolkit for the next change that's around your corner!
 Kate Nimety serves as President, Management Consulting for Zuri Group. Kate's deep focus on the people and processes within a fundraising landscape positions her as a leader in organizational management, functional system design, and change enablement. She brings more than 15 years of experience in fundraising systems consulting. Kate has an extensive background in system selections, process design, information delivery and reporting, and conversion mapping. Partnering with organizations in various roles from strategic advisor to end-user trainer, Kate fuses with project teams to design creative solutions that fit organizationally.
|
In today's dynamic fundraising environment, organizations of all sizes are exploring how technology can be leveraged to reach new heights. This panel session is designed with mid to small-size advancement organizations in mind. It will guide participants through practical, scalable strategies in implementing CRM systems and integrating AI, with a focus on affordability, effectiveness, and collaboration.