Sessions
Amplify Your Impact: Advocating for Yourself and Your Prospect Development Team in Small Shops and Evolving Workplaces
Prisca Zaccaria, Executive Director, Prospect Development, University of South Carolina
In small shops and evolving work environments, advocating for yourself and your team is essential, but how do you ensure your contributions are seen and valued when resources are tight, teams are lean and traditional career paths aren't always clear? Whether you're a one-person prospect development shop, part of a small team or working in a hybrid or remote setting, securing a seat at the table requires strategy, persistence and adaptability.
Join Prisca Zaccaria, executive director of prospect development at the University of South Carolina, as she shares insights on how to:
- Make your work visible and valued: Position yourself and your team as indispensable assets to leadership and fundraising partners.
- Advocate for resources and growth: Build a compelling case for additional staffing, professional development or technology in small or resource-limited environments.
- Break through barriers to career advancement: Navigate professional growth in non-traditional career structures, whether you're in a small shop, remote setting or shifting between roles.
- Leverage the Apra advocacy toolkit: Use data and storytelling to champion your role and elevate the impact of prospect development.
In a field where career paths aren't always linear and recognition isn't always automatic, effective advocacy can open doors, drive professional growth and strengthen your team's influence. This session will equip you with practical tools to elevate your presence, secure support and advance both your individual career and your team's success.
Building Your Prospect Management System
Don Irwin, Senior Manager of Prospect Research and Strategy, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
In this session, we will explore the essential steps for constructing an efficient prospect management system tailored for small fundraising departments. Participants will learn how to set up the data infrastructure needed to quickly identify and qualify donors in any CRM. We will discuss how to establish a simple but effective process for maximizing portfolio work and collaborating with gift officers. Whether you are starting from scratch or refining what’s already in place, you will be able to implement the key elements of prospect management that will drive results and save you time.
Characteristics of Success in Small Shops
Susan Quinn, Executive Director of Advancement Services and Campaign Manager, Lenoir-Rhyne University
Rachael Walker, Donor Strategy Manager, St. Luke's Health Foundation
Brittani Williams, Director, Development Operations and Prospect Development, Houston Zoo
Dive into the unique dynamics and characteristics that define small shops! Explore how these teams foster agility, innovation and close-knit collaboration while also navigating challenges like resource constraints and balancing multiple roles. We’ll discuss the importance of clear communication, strong team culture and adaptable leadership styles that are essential for small shop teams to thrive.
Data-Driven Insights for Donor Identification
Jennifer Schlager, Manager, Prospect Research and Data Analytics, Trinity Health
As prospect researchers, we're always tasked with finding creative ways to utilize data to identify new prospects. This presentation will cover a two-year (and counting!) effort to innovate our approach to donor identification through a data-driven lens, aiming to craft a finely tuned strategy for various fundraising initiatives. We'll talk about collaboration between various departments, data sources, accessibility, updates and future plans to fine-tune and refresh the project.
Demystifying Affinity Scores
Chris Copsey, Assistant Vice President, Prospect Development, UNC Health Foundation
For small shops, measuring the relationship between a donor and the institution is crucial for being able to sift through a ton of prospects. Developing an affinity score can help with this!
An affinity score is a great tool that can augment many of the scores you already use. A wealth screening score by itself is fairly one-dimensional — it says that "X person can give Y amount." However, it does not indicate whether the person is likely to give or how involved the person already is.
This is where an affinity score can be a useful tool, if usedm in conjunction with wealth and other indicators.
In this session, attendees will learn the basics of measuring affinity and then some tips on how to create your own affinity score.
From Chaos to Clarity: Crafting Your Organizational Playbook
Rachel Hammond, Donor Research Coordinator, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago
Lauren Woodring, Associate Director High Net Worth, Yale University
Explore essential strategies for creating effective Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that ensure consistency, clarity and compliance. Learn how to structure your SOPs, identify key components and tailor them to your organization's needs. We’ll discuss common pitfalls to avoid, tips for improving accessibility and how to ensure your SOPs are easy to follow, update and implement across teams. Whether you're building SOPs from scratch or refining existing ones, this session will provide the tools to streamline operations and promote best practices within your organization.
How Small Shops Can Accomplish BIG Tasks
Marianne Pelletier, Managing Director, Staupell Analytics Group
Jessica Roberts, Vice President, Data Analytics, CCS Fundraising
Stephanie Willis, Senior Manager of Prospect Development, Creative Fundraising Advisors
This session will explore proven strategies and practical insights on how small shops can achieve big results by leveraging agility, collaboration and strategic focus. We will dive into effective communication techniques for establishing relationships for future growth, time management tips, when consultant support might be needed and methods for streamlining processes to maximize efficiency. Participants will walk away with a clear understanding of how to harness the strengths of small shops, break down monumental tasks into manageable goals and maintain momentum throughout the project lifecycle.
Time Management and SCRUM
LaKeida Adams, PMP, CSM, MHR, CEO and Founder, Unbiased Solutions LLC
This session will explore best practices for tie and project management with SCRUM.