Session Descriptions

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9.00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Sessions

The Commercialization of Philanthropy

Yves Gadler, CFRE, Vice President, Major and Planned Gifts, St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation

Learning Outcomes:

• The history of philanthropy and the commercialization of philanthropy
• Latest trends in the non profit sector
• Implications for charities especially smaller non profits

Canada has witnessed an incredible growth in the charitable and non profit sector over the last 20 years. Accompanying this growth is the increase of competition for the donor dollar. Furthermore, so many charities have branched out into different revenue streams that the lines have become blurred between traditional philanthropic endeavours and the commercialization of philanthropy.

Target Audience: Less than 3 years experience.

Breaking Down the Silos Between Major & Planned Gifts

Sherri Freedman, Vice President Development, Greg Lichti, CFRE, Director, Major Gifts and Jill Nelson, CFRE, Director, Planned Giving, The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the differences between major giving work and planned giving work and learn how the two can compliment each other
• Be aware of various methods of integrating programs from Direct Mail on up
• Have at least three solid integration strategies for your organization

Using a mix of theory, case histories, and useful analogies, the presenters will share how they’re breaking down the “silos” between major, planned, and intermediate giving to maximize revenue and enhance the donor experience at The Princess Margaret Hospital. In this session, you will be inspired by the rewards of fully integrating various development functions.

Target Audience: 3 or more years of experience.

Special Events from A to Z

Kathie Gayda, Executive Director and Martina Whittick, Event Manager, Brazilian Carnival Ball

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand what it takes to plan and execute a successful event
• Discover strategies that will make any event a success regardless of size

This session will cover the basics from determining the feasibility and setting the budget, through to planning and execution of a successful and memorable event. You will walk away with tips and strategies to pull it all together regardless of the size of your organization.

Target Audience: Less than 3 years experience.

Technology & Media for the 1-Person Shop

Erik Rubadeau, Technology & Fundraising Innovation Consultant, HJC Consultants

Learning Outcomes:

• Solid understanding of best technology and media options for small non profits
• List of fundraising, technology and media resources best suited to small non profits
• Information to decide what technology is best for you
• Strategies and ideas for free or inexpensive media and marketing options
• Strategies to increase revenue and email lists

In the one person non profit organization your most valuable resources are money and time. This session will explore the existing technology and media options that can be most beneficial to small non profits to help maximize both time and budget. We will also discuss growth strategies that use technology and media to help increase fundraising and email list building.

Target Audience: Less than 3 years experience.

Building Your Organization’s Human Capacity (Volunteers, Boards & Staff)

Jean Crawford, FAHP, President, crawfordconnect, Roger Garland, Chair, Board of Directors, Soulpepper Theatre Company and Denny Young, MA, CFRE, Sherbourne Health Centre

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn how to instill leadership qualities in your staff and volunteers
• Discover how to build boards that work, not just meet
• Understand how to hire the right people for the right positions and make them stay

The issues of staff and volunteer retention, board involvement, succession planning and professional skill development will be explored by the three speakers representing three different viewpoints on the Human Resources issues affecting charities.

Target Audience: Senior fundraising professionals.

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Sessions

Planned Giving – Where Do We Start?

Deborah Bauder, CFRE, North York General Hospital Foundation and Sandra Scian, Planned Giving Officer, Sunnybrook Foundation

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the need to create best practices in a Planned Giving Program
• Determine the key steps and resources needed to administer an estate gift

Every charity has the ability to build a strong Planned Gift Program if the steps to build the program are well planned and executed. Deb and Sandra will take you through the early steps to effectively manage estate gifts from start to finish. Find out what you need to do, and what you don’t need to do – yet.

Target Audience: Less than 3 years experience.

How to Manage Your To-Do List

Suzanne Duncan, CFRE and Cathy Mann, CFRE, Principal, Cathy Mann & Associates

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn to set realistic priorities
• Learn how to create and implement a work plan
• Learn principles of time management
• Learn practical tips to maximize your efficiency

It’s Friday before you know it and you didn’t get half the things done you wanted to. This session will help you identify and execute your priorities, will discuss how to respond to new opportunities without dropping the ball on existing priorities and share practical tips to maximize your time management.

Target Audience: All levels

Business & Social Savoir-Faire - Do You Have It?

Ashley E. Walkley, Principal, AEW & Associates Inc.

Learning Outcomes:

• Enhance your professional communication and people skills
• Improve your personal interaction skills

Have you ever left a business meeting or social event saying to yourself - "I wish I hadn't said that" or "I could have handled that better"? We all find ourselves second-guessing our responses and communication skills in these situations because we operate in a very complex social environment and it is impossible to be perfect and spot-on every time. The trick is to develop our people skills to the point where they become second nature. This in turn allows us to focus on the important stuff because we know the proper etiquette and protocol is taking care of itself. In other words, savoir-faire or simple know-how! Come and have some fun as well as learn a few new personal interaction skills!

Target Audience: All levels

Major Corporate Sponsorships and Naming Rights

Nicholas Offord, President, The Offord Group and Carol Seidman, CFRE, Director, Capital Campaigns, United Jewish Appeal

Learning Outcomes:

• The current environment and market place for major naming rights
• The difference between philanthropic and corporate naming rights
• How campaigns are using naming rights to assist in securing leadership gifts
• How charities should assess the value of potential naming rights and how to prepare to market such opportunities to the community
• Key considerations in negotiating naming right agreements or corporate strategic partnerships

This session will review the environment for and strategic use of naming rights and corporate sponsorships in the charitable sector. Two senior practitioners will discuss their experience in the marketing and negotiation of multi-million dollar strategic investments and how they can leverage further fundraising.

Target Audience: Senior fundraising professionals.

Innovation and Social Enterprise: Building Financial Capacity

Malcolm D. Burrows, CFRE, Head, Philanthropic Advisory Services, Scotia Private Client Group, Sharon Avery, Senior Director, Innovation, SickKids Foundation and Tim Draimin, CEO, Tides Canada Foundation

Learning Outcomes:

• Understanding of social entrepreneurism
• Creating a culture of innovation
• Best national and international practices

Charities face some big challenges, but innovation remains one of the best solutions. Drawing upon the experiences of successful social entrepreneurs, the panel will share fresh ideas to foster innovation and achieve charitable goals.

Target Audience: Senior fundraising professionals.

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sessions

Stewardship: You Mean It’s More Than a Thank You?

Alyson Geary, Associate Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship, University of Toronto, Julia Summers, Advancement Officer, University of Toronto at Mississauga

Learning Outcomes:

• Understanding the importance of stewardship
• Learn how to steward your donors effectively
• Learn about different initiatives to help steward your donors

This session will explore the many facets of stewardship and how to successfully create and implement your own stewardship program. It will examine the fundamental elements that make up a good stewardship program and demonstrate how the organization can go above and beyond the basic programmatic stewardship. It will be highly interactive so come prepared willing to share your stewardship best practices and challenges with the group!

Target Audience: Less than 3 years experience

Master the Ask, Perfect the Close

Anthony Holl, CFRE, Director, Major Gifts and Planned Giving, Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario

Learning Outcomes:

• The importance of preparation and how to do it in major gifts fundraising
• Learn how to close during your major gift meeting
• Know when to close during the solicitation

Living in a small shop? Working at a big institution? Need to close major gifts at all levels? Then sign up for this session. From the cold call assignments, qualified prospects to established donors and senior volunteers, learn how to master your ask and perfect the closing of that major gift!

Target Audience: 3+ years of experience.

The Fundraising Questions of Your Future

Jon Duschinsky, Director, bethechange consulting

Learning Outcomes:

• Have a clear idea of some of the major trends in philanthropy today
• Have identified a number of key questions that will challenge existing thinking around organizational structures, fundraising models and donor behaviour
• Be equipped to take these questions away, integrate them into your strategic planning processes and put them to your boards

Einstein once said, "If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I'd spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask". Today, as donors change and traditional fundraising models are blown out of the water, what are the questions that we should be asking? The REAL questions, that will help us work out where we need to be tomorrow and how to cope with a world where now is already too late. Jon promises to take you on a truly unique fundraising experience, as we step WAY out of our comfort zones and confront the future of fundraising.

Target Audience: All levels

Keeping Your Case Fresh: How to Reinvent a Relationship with Your Charity and its Donors

Trish Krause, Principal, Oxygen Consulting

Learning Outcomes:

• Tips and examples from several organizations which scrutinized and evolved their brands and messages to refresh and reinvent the connection with their audiences
• An approach to minimizing and managing the communications gap between organizations and their supporters
• A hands-on opportunity to learn and work through a proven message development blueprint

As charitable brands, causes and donor’s needs evolve over time. As competition for attention increases, organizations must ensure that their case remains fresh and relevant to those whose support they are seeking. It’s not as simple as just revising or redesigning your case for support brochure. Closing the gap between what your brand stands for, and what your donors may think or understand about it is a key success factor. So, too, is having a clear, compelling and most importantly, distinctive message.

Target Audience: Senior fundraising professionals.

The Disclosure Debate: Communicating with Stakeholders in an Era of Heightened Donor Scrutiny

Maria Dyck, CFRE, Vice President, St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, Terry Smith, President, Philanthropic Partnerships Inc. and Georgina Steinsky-Schwartz, President & CEO, Imagine Canada

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn how to reveal you fundraising costs in an appropriate way
• Discover how to avoid misrepresentation in the marketplace

How do you present to donors your organization’s use of funds? What do you tell them about your fundraising practices and their cost? How do you avoid having your Charity’s name splashed on the pages of daily papers and associated with unethical or wasteful expenses? How do you convey the complexity of today’s fundraising environment without resorting to withholding information?

Target Audience: Senior fundraising professionals.