Below is the tentative 2013 schedule for Fundraising and Development for Nonprofits. Details are subject to change as planning continues for the final program.
Pre-Conference Workshop
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
8:30 a.m. - 12 noon
Pre-Conference Workshop on Writing Successful Grants
Many nonprofit organizations rely on grants for a significant portion of their revenue. Writing successful grant proposals requires special skills. This workshop, presented by a professional who has worked with grants for his entire career, will give you invaluable tools and information (the first part of the workshop) and practice (the second part of the workshop) designed to catch the eyes of the grantor and make your grants "sing." This workshop will be invaluable to newcomers and will help experienced professionals become even more successful in their grant writing.
Note: This workshop asks that you register and pay an additional $50.00 workshop fee.
Tom Linfield is Vice President of Grantmaking and Community Initiatives at the Madison Community Foundation in Madison, WI. In this capacity he helps administer over $1.5 million in annual grantmaking. Linfield was previously the Training and Grants Director for the National Center for Outreach (NCO), working with public television stations around the country. Prior to becoming a program officer, Linfield spent many years as a grantwriter, first at the Massachusetts College of Art, and then as Grants Manager at Wisconsin Public Television and Director of Foundation and Government Relations at Edgewood College. He has spent his career planning projects and raising funds in the public television, education and arts arenas, raising over $15 million from local, national and federal sources.
A graduate of Brandeis University, Linfield is a practicing fine artist, exhibiting regularly in the Madison area. Born in Europe, he is fluent in French and German. A film and arts enthusiast, he strongly feels that “Bridesmaids” should have won an Oscar.
Fundraising and Development for Nonprofits Conference
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
(Please note there are 15-minute breaks between sessions).
11:30 Registrations
12:00 noon Lunch
1:00 p.m. Welcome and Introductions
1:30 p.m. General Session
The Art and Soul of Fundraising and Development: What We Do and Why We Do It
What do we mean by "generosity," and how does it relate to "philanthropy"? What is a gift, and how is it distinguished from a donation? And how does development differ from fundraising? Is there a process, and, if so, how does that process relate to our lives? This introductory session is designed to challenge, excite, and make you begin thinking about what you do in your job.
Donald Gray, your program director, is retired Vice President for Principal Gifts at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. He has also been Director of Development for UW-Madison School of Business, Dean of UW College in Richland Center, Senior Professor and Dean of the Faculty at the National University of Lesotho in southern Africa, a research chemist and Peace Corps volunteer. Given Don’s diverse background, he can share tested skills that are applicable to small agencies and large organizations alike. He has been a program director or featured speaker at numerous seminars and conferences, including those sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), and American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In 1997 he received the national Major Gift Laureate Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Institute for Charitable Giving.
2:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Developing Joyful Givers (repeated at 4:15)
Attracting major gifts requires that you develop close personal and professional relationships that will result in your prospective givers sharing your passion for the programs that benefit people and society. This discussion will focus on how you can design a plan to make these relationships happen. Share your own stories and learn from those who have been successful.
Jennifer Karlson is the Director of Development – Colleges of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. For the past 3 years she has worked with UW-Madison alumni offering a reconnection and an opportunity to meet the growing needs of the University through generous philanthropic support. Jennifer has a strong focus on developing long-term relationships and offering excellent stewardship to the alumni and supporters. Particular areas of focus: Major gifts for the College of Letters and Science and campus collaborator with the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Department of Sociology, School of Social Work and School of Library and Information Studies. Jennifer previously worked in the area of Financial Development for the YMCA of Dane County, Inc. and American Red Cross Badger Chapter. She received her BA from UW – Madison and an MSc in Health Promotion from Nebraska Methodist College.
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Doing Good Research on a Shoestring Budget
All organizations dream of having a research team but few have the resources. Fortunately, there are many ways to do sophisticated research with either a quick trip to the library or by knowing where to go on the Internet. This session is loaded with valuable information and resources available at no or little cost.
Marianne Seiss is the Managing Director of Research and Prospect Management at the UW Foundation, where she manages a team of researchers and analysts, and oversees the Database Services and Records Management teams. She has nine years of experience in prospect research. Marianne is a member of the Wisconsin chapter of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) and serves on its board of directors.
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Open Discussion for Small Shops
This session is structured by the concerns of attendees. Attendees will identify issues they are dealing with, mostly caused by small staffs and working with volunteers, then the group will discuss possible ways to handle these concerns. This session could be invaluable for attendees who are forced to “wear many hats.” The discussion leader has started her own successful nonprofit and is the sole employee.
Katie Hensel is the Executive Director and Founder of Tri 4 Schools. Founded in 2011, Tri 4 Schools encourages kids to live an active lifestyle by participating in youth triathlons and other athletic events. Every dollar of these events supports school health and fitness programs, and in just two years, Tri 4 Schools has helped over 1,100 kids complete a triathlon while donating $28,000 in resources to local schools.
4:15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Developing Joyful Givers
Attracting major gifts requires that you develop close personal and professional relationships that will result in your prospective givers sharing your passion for the programs that benefit people and society. This discussion will focus on how you can design a plan to make these relationships happen. Share your own stories and learn from those who have been successful.
Jennifer Karlson is the Director of Development – Colleges of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. For the past 4 years she has worked with UW-Madison alumni offering a reconnection and an opportunity to meet the growing needs of the University through generous philanthropic support. Jennifer has a strong focus on developing long-term relationships and offering excellent stewardship to the alumni and supporters. Particular areas of focus: Major gifts for the College of Letters and Science and campus collaborator with the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Department of Sociology, School of Social Work and School of Library and Information Studies. Jennifer previously worked in the area of Financial Development for the YMCA of Dane County, Inc. and American Red Cross Badger Chapter. She received her BA from UW – Madison and an MSc in Health Promotion from Nebraska Methodist College.
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Special Events With a Purpose
Whether you find special events time consuming with low returns or energizing and effective, they can serve a purpose for your organization. How can you align your special event to help meet organizational goals? What can you do to guarantee success, and just what qualifies as success when planning with a purpose? Explore these and other issues with experienced fundraisers and through sharing your stories.
Teri Wilczek, CFRE, is in her 12th year at Marshfield Clinic, where she currently serves as the Chief Development Officer. Previously, Teri held the positions of Annual Giving & Special Events Coordinator and Operations Manager. Teri's professional experience includes special event and volunteer fundraising coordination; volunteer management; development operations; strategic planning; and major giving. Teri has helped Marshfield Clinic to develop many special events (large and small) and a wide range of volunteer fundraisers, together which generate nearly $1 million annually to support the Clinic's mission.
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Philanthropy and Shifting Demographics (Boomers, Xers and Other Strangers)
It’s a mistake to assume all people respond the same way to your fundraising appeals and your long-term strategies. Learn about the three different generations that you are currently working with, how they differ and how you can use these differences to your advantage.
Donald Gray, your program director, is retired Vice President for Principal Gifts at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. He has also been Director of Development for UW-Madison School of Business, Dean of UW College in Richland Center, Senior Professor and Dean of the Faculty at the National University of Lesotho in southern Africa, a research chemist and Peace Corps volunteer. Given Don’s diverse background, he can share tested skills that are applicable to small agencies and large organizations alike. He has been a program director or featured speaker at numerous seminars and conferences, including those sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), and American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In 1997 he received the national Major Gift Laureate Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Institute for Charitable Giving.
5:45 p.m. Open Social in Study Pub (optional)
Thursday, May 30, 2013
(Please note there are 15-minute breaks between sessions).
7:15 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m. General Session
Teaming Up for Productivity
Good fundraising and development is never a single-person job. It takes the whole organizational team. This dynamic, energetic, fun session helps you see what teams really need to produce high performance and great cohesion. Walk away with practical tools that you can use immediately with your team.
Buck Joseph is Emeritus Professor of Management for Executive Education at the UW-Madison School of Business. Since 1973, he has taught at the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education levels. He currently teaches executive education seminars on communications, leadership, teamwork, influence, and persuasion. In addition, he regularly works with companies throughout Wisconsin, the Midwest, and the nation, tailoring training programs at the executive, mid-management, and first-line leader levels. An internationally recognized researcher and writer, he co-authored the text Leadership and Vision, published by New York Times in 1999. Speaking to over 150 conferences on leadership, teamwork, motivation, and communications throughout the United States and the world (Australia, Canada, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Poland) since 1982, he has established a reputation as an engaging, high-energy, thought-provoking presenter.
9:15 a.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Making the Artful Ask: Fundamentals (repeated at 10:45)
Sharpen your skills, lose (some of) your inhibitions and become an artful asker. You’ll gain an ability to ask that is both firm enough to generate results yet sensitive enough to cultivate development relationships. Learn techniques that work!
Marcy Heim, Principal/Owner, the Artful Asker LLC, is a consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker. For 23 years, and through three capital campaigns, she directed the development program for the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She earned the prestigious CASE Crystal Apple award with high marks as Chair for 10 sessions of the "Newcomers to Development" and "Personal Solicitation" conferences and is one of 125 AFP Academy of Teaching graduates worldwide.
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Corporate/Foundation Development
Corporations and foundations can be a significant element of your overall development program. You need to understand the underlying motivations and methods of giving by companies and the ways that these methods differ from giving by individuals. Discover how you can maximize your chances of getting corporate and foundation support.
Speaker TBD
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Leadership and Management in the Nonprofit World
The success of nonprofits is often determined by the quality of leadership and efficiency of management. This session will give you some ideas and some inspiration to improve your capacity in both areas and will help you understand the differences in style and philosophy between leading and managing.
Michael Johnson is the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. Prior to moving to Madison, Michael spent 15 years in executive level positions in several cities leading large, complex government and nonprofit agencies. In 2012, he was named by Boys & Girls Clubs of America as their Midwest Executive of the Year. He also holds Certifications in Fund Raising Management from the Center of Philanthropy at Indiana University and Certifications in Human Resource Management from Cornell University.
10:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Making the Artful Ask: Fundamentals
Sharpen your skills, lose (some of) your inhibitions and become an artful asker. You’ll gain an ability to ask that is both firm enough to generate results yet sensitive enough to cultivate development relationships. Learn techniques that work!
Marcy Heim, Principal/Owner, the Artful Asker LLC, is a consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker. For 23 years, and through three capital campaigns, she directed the development program for the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She earned the prestigious CASE Crystal Apple award with high marks as Chair for 10 sessions of the "Newcomers to Development" and "Personal Solicitation" conferences and is one of 125 AFP Academy of Teaching graduates worldwide.
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Working With Your Board
Whether your board is a policy board, a working board or an advisory board, you must keep them interested, informed and sensitive to your organization’s issues. Hear from a person who has worked with and consulted with hundreds of boards, and learn from his experience how you can best utilize, energize and motivate your board to assist in fundraising.
Michael Johnson is the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. Prior to moving to Madison, Michael spent 15 years in executive level positions in several cities leading large, complex government and nonprofit agencies. In 2012, he was named by Boys & Girls Clubs of America as their Midwest Executive of the Year. He also holds Certifications in Fund Raising Management from the Center of Philanthropy at Indiana University and Certifications in Human Resource Management from Cornell University.
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Ethical Considerations in Development
You will likely face ethical dilemmas in your development career, both personally and professionally. This session discusses real cases to learn solutions that allow you to avoid compromising yourself and your agency.
Chris Richards is Vice President for Advancement at the UW-Stevens Point. Before taking this position he was a vice president at the UW Foundation, where he successfully managed the UW Foundation's $1.8 billion Create the Future campaign and served as a member of UW Foundation's Principal Gifts Team. He has been involved in a number of local fundraising activities, including service on the Board of Trustees of the Bethel Lutheran Church Endowment Foundation, and he has consulted for the Illinois Bar Association, Wyoming (Ohio) High School Foundation, St. Benedict’s Center, and Portland State University. Chris is a graduate of the Leadership Greater Madison program.
12:00 p.m. Lunch (featuring presentation of Gray Scholarships and comments by Deborah Fugenschuh, President of the Donors Forum of Wisconsin)
2:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Making the Artful Ask: Role Play (repeated at 3:30)
Practice makes perfect, and this session is designed to let you plan and make an ask. Sound intimidating? No! Most people find this fun, exciting and extremely useful as the perfect follow-up on the earlier session, Making the Artful Ask: Fundamentals. You will leave with new skills and confidence.
Marcy Heim, Principal/Owner, the Artful Asker LLC, is a consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker. For 23 years, and through three capital campaigns, she directed the development program for the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She earned the prestigious CASE Crystal Apple award with high marks as Chair for 10 sessions of the "Newcomers to Development" and "Personal Solicitation" conferences and is one of 125 AFP Academy of Teaching graduates worldwide.
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Sharpening Your Presentation Skills (repeated at 3:30)
Public speaking is something we all must occasionally do, but it can be daunting and fearsome. Nothing completely calms the butterflies, but there are hints and useful tips on preparing, delivering and following up your presentations so that you get your message across and leave the audience with a positive impression of you and of your organization.
Sarah Gibson is President of Accent Learning and Consulting. Sarah and her team have worked with organizations across North America, bringing professional guidance in all forms of communication. Prior to owning her own business, Sarah worked as a training specialist for American Family Insurance. She has also taught in the academic world at UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater and Madison College.
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Leveraging Social Networking and Media
Social networking is fast becoming a primary marketing approach for many successful nonprofit organizations. This session will provide benchmarking data on the use of social networking platforms by nonprofits, as well as insight on how to effectively use free and low cost tools to get your organization started and to track and measure your efforts! New this year, Katie Hensel, Executive Director and Founder of Tri 4 Schools, will speak to her hands-on experience using social networking tools to extend her nonprofit’s brand reach and results.
Katie Hensel is the Executive Director and Founder of Tri 4 Schools. Founded in 2011, Tri 4 Schools encourages kids to live an active lifestyle by participating in youth triathlons and other athletic events. Every dollar of these events supports school health and fitness programs, and in just two years, Tri 4 Schools has helped over 1,100 kids complete a triathlon while donating $28,000 in resources to local schools.
Jason Messer is currently the Director of Outreach and Community Relations for Wisconsin School of Business Custom Executive Education. Prior to his current role, Jason served as the Director of Learning Communities for UW-Extension's Division of Continuing Education, Outreach & E-Learning. In both positions he focused on innovative technology and social networking methods of marketing to individuals and groups. Prior to joining the academic ranks, Jason served as a training and development analyst for a major Fortune 500 company.
3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Making the Artful Ask: Role Play
Practice makes perfect, and this session is designed to let you plan and make an ask. Sound intimidating? No! Most people find this fun, exciting and extremely useful as the perfect follow-up on the earlier session, Making the Artful Ask: Fundamentals. You will leave with new skills and confidence.
Marcy Heim, Principal/Owner, the Artful Asker LLC, is a consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker. For 23 years, and through three capital campaigns, she directed the development program for the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She earned the prestigious CASE Crystal Apple award with high marks as Chair for 10 sessions of the "Newcomers to Development" and "Personal Solicitation" conferences and is one of 125 AFP Academy of Teaching graduates worldwide.
____________________________________________________________________________
Sharpening Your Presentation Skills
Public speaking is something we all must occasionally do, but it can be daunting and fearsome. Nothing completely calms the butterflies, but there are hints and useful tips on preparing, delivering and following up your presentations so that you get your message across and leave the audience with a positive impression of you and of your organization.
Sarah Gibson is President of Accent Learning and Consulting. Sarah and her team have worked with organizations across North America, bringing professional guidance in all forms of communication. Prior to owning her own business, Sarah worked as a training specialist for American Family Insurance. She has also taught in the academic world at UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater and Madison College.
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Potpourri for Newcomers
A final session that gives you an open opportunity to ask specific questions about any topic or any situation you are dealing with. Experienced faculty will be available to lead discussions and/or answer questions.
Chris Richards is Vice President for Advancement at the UW-Stevens Point. Before taking this position he was a vice president at the UW Foundation, where he successfully managed the UW Foundation's $1.8 billion Create the Future campaign and served as a member of UW Foundation's Principal Gifts Team. He has been involved in a number of local fundraising activities, including service on the Board of Trustees of the Bethel Lutheran Church Endowment Foundation, and he has consulted for the Illinois Bar Association, Wyoming (Ohio) High School Foundation, St. Benedict’s Center, and Portland State University. Chris is a graduate of the Leadership Greater Madison program.
Mark E. Lefebvre did his undergraduate and graduate work in English at the University of Wisconsin where he met Robert E. Gard and August Derleth. The influence of these two men led to a career in publishing. Mark was the president and chief executive officer of Stanton & Lee Publishers for twenty years, editing and publishing more than 100 books. With the diagnosis of his wife’s cancer in 1985, Lefebvre became actively involved as a volunteer at the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center. He was the president of the Center’s Advisory Board and chaired its building campaign. In 1993, Mark accepted an invitation to work on behalf of the Medical School at the UW Foundation. During Mark’s tenure, the Medical School’s endowment has grown from $35 million to more than $600 million. Annual giving has increased from an average of $4 million to more than $50 million. Lefebvre was named vice president for the health and life sciences at the UW Foundation, a position that enables him to integrate the work of all the health and life science schools to benefit the people of Wisconsin and beyond.
5:00 p.m. Individual Consultations with Faculty (optional)
Friday, May 31, 2013
(Please note there are 15-minute breaks between sessions).
7:15 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Showing Gratitude: The Importance of Good Stewardship (repeated at 9:30)
How well you show gratitude to a person who gives to your organization might be the major key for the next gift. Understand the importance of gift acknowledgement, meaningful donor recognition and responsible stewardship to the overall development
Nancy Francisco-Welke is the Senior Director of Development for the UW Hospital and Clinics and the American Family Children’s Hospital. Nancy has 18 years of professional experience in nonprofit organizations in California, the New York Tri-State area and Madison, Wisconsin, where she was Director of Development and Marketing for the Madison Children’s Museum.
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Essentials of Planned Giving
More and more major gifts are received through careful gift planning. Learn the details of stock gifts, cash gifts and bequests. Find out how your organization can handle these gifts with limited personnel.
Russell Howes is currently vice president for legal affairs at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. His presentations attempt to combine humor and substantive information. Prior to coming to Wisconsin over twenty-four years ago Russ was director of planned giving at Western Michigan University. He is past Chair of the National Committee on Planned Giving, now known as the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning.
Russ has an undergraduate degree in theater (1971) and an MFA in theatrical directing (1973) from Michigan State University. He was a professional actor, theatre manager, and typist, until he suddenly realized that people expected you to pay for room and board, so he returned to school and got a degree in law (JD) from Wayne State University in 1980. For a time he had a private practice in Manistee, Michigan until he realized that some of his clients might be guilty, and in a fit of depression, he took up development. Russ now spends a good deal of his time working on the legal aspects of philanthropy and on gift planning for prospects and donors to the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He sees his current challenge as one of making an inherently dull topic more enjoyable and perhaps a bit easier to digest.
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Capital Campaigns for the Small Shop
So you want to engage in a capital campaign! Be certain your program is mature enough, that you have the appropriate feasibility assessed, that you have enough resources and that you know how to design a campaign plan.
Boris Frank is currently Executive Director of Madison Youth Choirs, and recently completed a 2-year term as Executive Director of the Henry Vilas Zoological Society…The Friends of the Zoo. Boris has been a consultant for over 30 years, since l982 as President of his own firm, primarily in the areas of fundraising and development, not-for-profit management and strategic planning. He has served as planning, fundraising and management consultant for more than 500 nonprofit organizations, including over 80 library capital campaigns. Boris lectures for The University of Wisconsin, teaching workshops and seminars on Fundraising, Board and Organizational Development, Grantsmanship, Volunteer Management and Proposal Writing. Over 35,000 have attended his courses. He is on the faculties of a number of institutions and recently joined the faculty of Madison College/MATC where he has introduced a new 3-credit course on Nonprofit Management. From 1964 to 1982 he was on the faculty of The University of Wisconsin, serving as Manager of Administration and producer/director for public TV station WHA. Prior to that, he worked in commercial TV as a producer/director, and as Manager of the International Broadcast Division of Screen Gems, Manager of Caribbean Operations for Bartell Broadcasting and Executive Assistant to TV and Broadway producer David Susskind.
9:30 a.m. Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
Showing Gratitude: The Importance of Good Stewardship
How well you show gratitude to a person who gives to your organization might be the major key for the next gift. Understand the importance of gift acknowledgement, meaningful donor recognition and responsible stewardship to the overall development cycle. Think creatively — be original — in becoming the “grateful recipient.” Get some good new ideas on how to do this effectively and efficiently.
Nancy Francisco-Welke is the Senior Director of Development for the UW Hospital and Clinics and the American Family Children’s Hospital. Nancy has 18 years of professional experience in nonprofit organizations in California, the New York Tri-State area and Madison, Wisconsin, where she was Director of Development and Marketing for the Madison Children’s Museum.
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Deferred Giving: Lifetime Income Gifts
(Content is geared toward advanced professionals.) Some deferred gifts provide significant tax advantages and lifetime income to the giver. Learn the details of these kinds of gifts and how they can be administered.
Russell Howes is currently vice president for legal affairs at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. His presentations attempt to combine humor and substantive information. Prior to coming to Wisconsin over twenty-four years ago Russ was director of planned giving at Western Michigan University. He is past Chair of the National Committee on Planned Giving, now known as the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning. Russ has an undergraduate degree in theater (1971) and an MFA in theatrical directing (1973) from Michigan State University. He was a professional actor, theatre manager, and typist, until he suddenly realized that people expected you to pay for room and board, so he returned to school and got a degree in law (JD) from Wayne State University in 1980. For a time he had a private practice in Manistee, Michigan until he realized that some of his clients might be guilty, and in a fit of depression, he took up development. Russ now spends a good deal of his time working on the legal aspects of philanthropy and on gift planning for prospects and donors to the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He sees his current challenge as one of making an inherently dull topic more enjoyable and perhaps a bit easier to digest.
____________________________________________________________________________
Potpourri for Advanced Professionals
A final session that gives you an open opportunity to ask specific questions about any topic or any situation you are dealing with. Experienced faculty will be available to lead discussions and/or answer questions.
Donald Gray, your program director, is retired Vice President for Principal Gifts at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. He has also been Director of Development for UW-Madison School of Business, Dean of UW College in Richland Center, Senior Professor and Dean of the Faculty at the National University of Lesotho in southern Africa, a research chemist and Peace Corps volunteer. Given Don’s diverse background, he can share tested skills that are applicable to small agencies and large organizations alike. He has been a program director or featured speaker at numerous seminars and conferences, including those sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), and American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In 1997 he received the national Major Gift Laureate Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Institute for Charitable Giving.
Chris Richards is Vice President for Principal Gifts at the UW Foundation and serves on the Foundation’s Operations Committee. Prior to that, he supervised the Foundation’s research, annual giving and corporate/foundation relations units, and was manager the university’s successful $1.8 billion Create the Future campaign. Chris was director of development for the UW Law School for ten years, managing a capital campaign to expand and renovate the School’s building. Before joining the UW Foundation, Chris secured corporate underwriting support for Wisconsin Public Radio in Madison. During his tenure, WPR won a national award for its underwriting program. Chris is an alumnus of UW-Stevens Point and worked as a radio news reporter and anchor prior to entering the development profession. He has been involved in a number of local fundraising activities, including service on the Board of Trustees of the Bethel Lutheran Church Endowment Foundation, and he has consulted for the Illinois Bar Association, Wyoming (Ohio) High School Foundation, St. Benedict’s Center, and Portland State University. Chris is a graduate of the Leadership Greater Madison program.
11:00 a.m. General Session/Conference Wrap-Up
The Characteristics and Traits of Great Development Professionals and Teams
How does one prepare for a life in gift development? Are there some career paths that are better than others? What kind of personality traits seem to be shared by the most successful professionals? Find out how you, and others in your organization, can use your skills to develop an ideal development team. This final session should have you leaving the conference fired up to get to work on Monday morning.
Donald Gray, your program director, is retired Vice President for Principal Gifts at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. He has also been Director of Development for UW-Madison School of Business, Dean of UW College in Richland Center, Senior Professor and Dean of the Faculty at the National University of Lesotho in southern Africa, a research chemist and Peace Corps volunteer. Given Don’s diverse background, he can share tested skills that are applicable to small agencies and large organizations alike. He has been a program director or featured speaker at numerous seminars and conferences, including those sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), and American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In 1997 he received the national Major Gift Laureate Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Institute for Charitable Giving.
12:00 noon Adjourn