Speakers

Ready, set, here we go! Join us for the morning Day 1 General Session as we kick off Raise 2023, live from Nashville! Get pumped up with a welcome from OneCause CEO, Steve Johns and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with our annual Raise Awards.

Then, the electric Siri Lindley will inspire us all with lessons on grit, resilience, the power of energy, and thriving with a growth mindset. As a world champion triathlete and winner of twelve ITU World Cup races, PLUS founder of two nonprofits, Siri will liftup and energize #FearlessFundraisers with how to bring the best out in ourselves and our teams.

Join us as we kick off Raise 2023 Day 2! Get ready for the day with OneCause CEO, Steve Johns, and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with part 2 of our annual Raise Awards.

Then, hope, resilience and optimism will come together to stir your soul in this Raise Fireside Chat. Join Raise Keynote Siri Lindley and Raise Emcee Shanna Adamic as they share their journeys, life lessons, and inspirational stories on nonprofit resilience, surviving cancer against all odds, and living life as your best self. This bold conversation on what it means to be fearless in the face of uncertainty will leave you inspired.

Ready, set, here we go! Join us for the morning Day 1 General Session, as we kick off Raise 2022 with a welcome from OneCause CEO Steve Johns and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with our annual Raise Awards.

The electric Shanna Adamic, Executive Director of the Cerner Charitable Foundation and Raise alumni speaker, will inspire all with lessons on life callings, leadership, and resilience. Come learn how Shanna’s optimism and determination help her adapt in changing corporate environments and propel her philanthropic mission forward.

Join us as we wrap #Raise2022. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. Our final panel explores what it truly means to be #Fearless as a fundraiser, leader, and organization. Hear dynamic Emcee Reggie Rivers, Keynote Shanna Adamic, and OneCause VP of Marketing (and former fundraiser) Kelly Velasquez-Hague, get real on life and fundraising. This dynamic roundtable will arm you with powerful insights to journey forth, taking lessons learned back to your teams and causes.

Ready, set, here we go! Join us for the morning Day 1 General Session as we kick off Raise 2023, live from Nashville! Get pumped up with a welcome from OneCause CEO, Steve Johns and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with our annual Raise Awards.

Then, the electric Siri Lindley will inspire us all with lessons on grit, resilience, the power of energy, and thriving with a growth mindset. As a world champion triathlete and winner of twelve ITU World Cup races, PLUS founder of two nonprofits, Siri will liftup and energize #FearlessFundraisers with how to bring the best out in ourselves and our teams.

Join us as we wrap #Raise2022. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. Our final panel explores what it truly means to be #Fearless as a fundraiser, leader, and organization. Hear dynamic Emcee Reggie Rivers, Keynote Shanna Adamic, and OneCause VP of Marketing (and former fundraiser) Kelly Velasquez-Hague, get real on life and fundraising. This dynamic roundtable will arm you with powerful insights to journey forth, taking lessons learned back to your teams and causes.

Ready, set, here we go! Join us for the morning Day 1 General Session as we kick off Raise 2023, live from Nashville! Get pumped up with a welcome from OneCause CEO, Steve Johns and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with our annual Raise Awards.

Then, the electric Siri Lindley will inspire us all with lessons on grit, resilience, the power of energy, and thriving with a growth mindset. As a world champion triathlete and winner of twelve ITU World Cup races, PLUS founder of two nonprofits, Siri will liftup and energize #FearlessFundraisers with how to bring the best out in ourselves and our teams.

Join us as we kick off Raise 2023 Day 2! Get ready for the day with OneCause CEO, Steve Johns, and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with part 2 of our annual Raise Awards.

Then, hope, resilience and optimism will come together to stir your soul in this Raise Fireside Chat. Join Raise Keynote Siri Lindley and Raise Emcee Shanna Adamic as they share their journeys, life lessons, and inspirational stories on nonprofit resilience, surviving cancer against all odds, and living life as your best self. This bold conversation on what it means to be fearless in the face of uncertainty will leave you inspired.

Email appeals. Text fundraising. Online giving. Facebook fundraising. And now AI. There are so many ways nonprofit organizations can use online communication tools to connect with their audience and donor base! But how do organizations effectively combine new fundraising platforms and approaches with an “old” way of relationship fundraising?

Join top industry experts as they share how organizations of all sizes can blend emerging technology and “analog” fundraising to create stronger stakeholder and audience connections and raise more money. It’s new school meets old school fundraising for success!

This panel will feature live Q&A from the audience. It’s your chance to ask what’s on your mind!

Trust is essential for growth. Unfortunately, in 2022, the Edelman Trust Barometer reported that nonprofits are perceived as less trustworthy than their corporate counterparts. And, GiveUSA estimates the number of US households that gave to nonprofits decreased from 66% to just under 50%. That’s a 16% decline in 22 years!

This challenge, combined with change as a constant, rising competition and costs to reach supporters, and competing priorities for time and budget, drive many nonprofits to opt in to one of three strategies:

1. They do nothing and hope the mission markets itself.
2. They try everything, which ends up looking a lot like nothing.
3. Or, they run one-off campaigns, which end up all over the place, and rarely offer productive insights.

Each relies more on magic, not marketing. During this session, Noah will share a framework that breaks down silos between marketing and fundraising, enabling nonprofits to use community-first principles to unlock supporter and funding growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn common pitfalls holding nonprofits back from growth.
• Explore the Good Marketing Framework and learn how to apply it.
• Examples of how other like-nonprofits are using the framework.

Email appeals. Text fundraising. Online giving. Facebook fundraising. And now AI. There are so many ways nonprofit organizations can use online communication tools to connect with their audience and donor base! But how do organizations effectively combine new fundraising platforms and approaches with an “old” way of relationship fundraising?

Join top industry experts as they share how organizations of all sizes can blend emerging technology and “analog” fundraising to create stronger stakeholder and audience connections and raise more money. It’s new school meets old school fundraising for success!

This panel will feature live Q&A from the audience. It’s your chance to ask what’s on your mind!

As most fundraisers know, event fundraising doesn’t just happen the day of the event. It takes intentional planning, thought, and hard work. As fundraisers, we also need to look beyond the event details and tasks – and challenge ourselves to incorporate antiracist and community-centric principles into every stage of our event planning.

In this panel, Rachel D’Souza-Siebert will facilitate a conversation between individuals from different convenings and nonprofit organizations. The conversation will explore how event planners and organizers can bring Community-Centric and Antiracist fundraising principles into the event space and community-oriented events to help their missions and fundraising truly blossom.

Key Takeaways:

• Moving from transactional to transformative events with systems change and antiracism.
• Creating events that connect diverse stakeholders and donors to organizations.
• Strategies to steward and cultivate relationships with donors after the event.

Join Christal Cherry to discover how boards can get fired up about raising funds for their organizations! She’ll also discuss how fundraising is evolving to center diverse communities, development officers, and high net worth donors.

After this session, you’ll understand the motivating factors behind the giving patterns of diverse donors, how to lean in to stewarding your donors, why trust-based relationships are so important, and how to ensure equity is at the core of your fundraising practices.

Key Takeaways:

• What motivates diverse donors to give.
• The value of trust-based relationships when stewarding donors.
• The ins and outs of centering equity in fundraising.

The integration of peer-to-peer into special events isn’t a new concept, but it is an emerging success trend many nonprofits are incorporating. This session is about integrating peer-to-peer into your special events through ambassador fundraising, OneCause Fundraising Pages, and Donate-to-Vote. Please note that this session contains OneCause specific product content. 

Key Takeaways:

• Explore how to incorporate peer-to-peer fundraising into your events.
• Walk away with easy-to-execute strategies from real-life nonprofits.
• Learn how to leverage tech to streamline and grow fundraising.

Seating in the Fearless Lounge is limited. Please arrive early – standing room only will also be an option.

Join us as we wrap #Raise2023. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. Our final panel explores what it truly means to be #Fearless as a fundraiser, leader, and organization.

Hear real-life Fearless Fundraisers share stories and wisdom on how to reimagine generosity and what it takes to thrive in the future of fundraising. You won’t want to miss what they have to share!

As most fundraisers know, event fundraising doesn’t just happen the day of the event. It takes intentional planning, thought, and hard work. As fundraisers, we also need to look beyond the event details and tasks – and challenge ourselves to incorporate antiracist and community-centric principles into every stage of our event planning.

In this panel, Rachel D’Souza-Siebert will facilitate a conversation between individuals from different convenings and nonprofit organizations. The conversation will explore how event planners and organizers can bring Community-Centric and Antiracist fundraising principles into the event space and community-oriented events to help their missions and fundraising truly blossom.

Key Takeaways:

• Moving from transactional to transformative events with systems change and antiracism.
• Creating events that connect diverse stakeholders and donors to organizations.
• Strategies to steward and cultivate relationships with donors after the event.

Uncover the mindset and behaviors of today’s donors. In 2018, OneCause launched a study of thousands of donors to examine the unique motivators and giving trends of what make them tick, stick, and stay. Five years later… the findings will still surprise you!

The newly released 2023 study uncovers how donor expectations continue to evolve and new, emerging trends that are influencing giving. In this session, you’ll hear practical strategies any nonprofit can leverage to attract, engage, and retain today’s supporters. These insights and ideas will help your nonprofit unlock generosity and grow impact for your mission.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand how the giving experience and donor expectations have evolved.
• Learn options for ease, choice, and personalization to reach today’s donors.
• Explore trust and engagement drivers by generation to drive retention.

As most fundraisers know, event fundraising doesn’t just happen the day of the event. It takes intentional planning, thought, and hard work. As fundraisers, we also need to look beyond the event details and tasks – and challenge ourselves to incorporate antiracist and community-centric principles into every stage of our event planning.

In this panel, Rachel D’Souza-Siebert will facilitate a conversation between individuals from different convenings and nonprofit organizations. The conversation will explore how event planners and organizers can bring Community-Centric and Antiracist fundraising principles into the event space and community-oriented events to help their missions and fundraising truly blossom.

Key Takeaways:

• Moving from transactional to transformative events with systems change and antiracism.
• Creating events that connect diverse stakeholders and donors to organizations.
• Strategies to steward and cultivate relationships with donors after the event.

Fundraising events are crucial for organizations to raise funds and support your cause. But in recent years, events have been challenged by cancellations, uncertainty, and shifting needs. As a result, many organizations have lost their event “mojo” or have not found a new event design that is right for them.

Using elements from their signature course, Mallory will guide you in understanding your funders and prospective funders, and how to build a multi-sensory experience that inspires giving and leaves a lasting impression. The session will also cover the important process of asset mapping, where you will learn how to identify and leverage the assets of your organization and event in outreach efforts.

During the session, you will have the opportunity to practice these skills and learn how to turn your assets into corresponding sponsorship benefits for your events. Mallory will also provide guidance on how to effectively use these assets in outreach emails to secure sponsors and ticket sales. By the end of the session, you will have a clear understanding of how to design or elevate your fundraising events to raise more than ever before, making a greater impact on your cause and finding your fundraising flow.

Key Takeaways:

• Uncover and challenge your limiting beliefs about fundraising events.
• Develop strategies for attracting and engaging the right funders, volunteers, and community members to maximize fundraising and achieve goals.
• Understand your funders and prospective funders, and how to build a multi-sensory experience that inspires giving and leaves a lasting impression.
• Identify and leverage the most effective assets of your events for sponsorship, ticket sales, auctions, paddle pledges, etc.

This session will walk you through the importance of tying every fundraising event detail back to the people. We all know that fundraising is about building relationships, but did you know that every detail of your event can help foster deeper connections with your supporters?

So, what about the details? From live and silent auctions to mobile bidding, raffles and fund-a-need, utilize the intricate strengths of each of your fundraising professionals and volunteers to plan and implement events that raise more money, build better awareness for your cause, and leave your attendees wanting to come back.

We will also dive into sponsor engagement and why it is vital to the success of your event. Learn how to make your sponsors feel valued from the time you ask for their support to the time you say ‘thank you’ post-event. And lastly, learn how to fundraise, and friend-raise, through the use of genuine speakers that ignite passion and stories that tug on the heart strings.

Key Takeaways:

• Explore new event ideas to build better engagement.
• Cultivate better sponsor and attendee relationships through attention to detail.
• Be intentional in thanking and stewarding your donors.
• Learn to think creatively when choosing speakers and stories of impact.

This session will walk you through the importance of tying every fundraising event detail back to the people. We all know that fundraising is about building relationships, but did you know that every detail of your event can help foster deeper connections with your supporters?

So, what about the details? From live and silent auctions to mobile bidding, raffles and fund-a-need, utilize the intricate strengths of each of your fundraising professionals and volunteers to plan and implement events that raise more money, build better awareness for your cause, and leave your attendees wanting to come back.

We will also dive into sponsor engagement and why it is vital to the success of your event. Learn how to make your sponsors feel valued from the time you ask for their support to the time you say ‘thank you’ post-event. And lastly, learn how to fundraise, and friend-raise, through the use of genuine speakers that ignite passion and stories that tug on the heart strings.

Key Takeaways:

• Explore new event ideas to build better engagement.
• Cultivate better sponsor and attendee relationships through attention to detail.
• Be intentional in thanking and stewarding your donors.
• Learn to think creatively when choosing speakers and stories of impact.

Join Kim & Jenna as they journey through the peer-to-peer and online fundraising cycle of attracting, engaging, and nurturing donors to keep them coming back year after year. This popular social fundraising duo will not only present key findings to grow your engagement and retention but will provide you with the coveted opportunity to connect with other fundraising professionals.

Through a series of stories from real-life fundraisers and backed by OneCause research, they will explore sure-fire strategies to deepen your peer-to-peer and online giving impact for fundraising success. Please note that this session contains OneCause specific product content.

Key Takeaways:

• P2P strategies from successful run/walk/ride, ambassador, and Giving Day campaigns to inspire your next fundraising efforts.
• Best practices to deepen supporter relationships with personalize and segmented messaging and coaching.
• Curate and freshen up your fundraising resources to promote your mission within your supporter’s network.

Seating in the Fearless Lounge is limited. Please arrive early – standing room only will also be an option.

Nonprofit organizations MUST use video to meet their goals. That’s a fact no one can deny. But, there are barriers to collecting, organizing, and sharing community-generated content (CGC). As a result, most nonprofits put video creation on their long-term to-do list instead of making it a priority! Join Chris and Lori as they look to educate and empower nonprofit professionals to use video to support ALL of their organization’s goals. Their “Collect, Organize, and Share” system is tried and true, and they’re ready to share it with you!

They have seen organizations use the power of video to: enhance fundraising, amplify special events, create a connected internal culture, build program strategy, harness program feedback, execute their mission, and more. Chris and Lori will share real-life case studies, then challenge you to think about how video can enhance your nonprofit goals.

This session is for every mission, every budget, and every department! BONUS CONTENT:  Lori will round out the session with 5 tips to driving contributions using video.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how to easily leverage authentic community-generated content (CGC).
• Think critically about integrating video into every aspect of your fundraising.
• Understand the value of using video storytelling to support fundraising goals.

Ready, set, here we go! Join us for the morning Day 1 General Session as we kick off Raise 2023, live from Nashville! Get pumped up with a welcome from OneCause CEO, Steve Johns and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with our annual Raise Awards.

Then, the electric Siri Lindley will inspire us all with lessons on grit, resilience, the power of energy, and thriving with a growth mindset. As a world champion triathlete and winner of twelve ITU World Cup races, PLUS founder of two nonprofits, Siri will liftup and energize #FearlessFundraisers with how to bring the best out in ourselves and our teams.

Join us as we kick off Raise 2023 Day 2! Get ready for the day with OneCause CEO, Steve Johns, and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with part 2 of our annual Raise Awards.

Then, hope, resilience and optimism will come together to stir your soul in this Raise Fireside Chat. Join Raise Keynote Siri Lindley and Raise Emcee Shanna Adamic as they share their journeys, life lessons, and inspirational stories on nonprofit resilience, surviving cancer against all odds, and living life as your best self. This bold conversation on what it means to be fearless in the face of uncertainty will leave you inspired.

Join Emcees Reggie Rivers & Shanna Adamic and OneCause CEO, Steve Johns, for a fun, heartwarming, and one-of-a-kind Raise 2023 conference close out.

We’ll also announce the live Raise Raffle, where lucky winners take home fabulous prizes. Winners must be present!

As a nonprofit fundraiser, you know firsthand the importance of every dollar that helps achieve your organization’s mission. That’s why it’s essential to find creative, effective ways to raise funds and engage donors.

But… what if the robots have already found the solution and are using skills to develop incredible ways to create, repurpose, and utilize artificial intelligence (AI)?

At first glance, AI might seem like a threat to job security, with analysts predicting that as much as 50% of current jobs may be lost or replaced by AI by 2030. But don’t despair! While AI is capable of handling certain tasks, it is not able to possess the “soft skills” or “human skills” that are necessary to building truly deep relationships with your donors. These skills, like communication, leadership, empathetic listening, and connection, are what set us apart from the machines.

So, how can you use AI as a fundraising tool and integrate soft skills to remain relevant in the nonprofit industry?

Key Takeaways:

• Benefits of Chat GPT, Open AI, and other AI resources as fundraising tools.
• How AI can help with personalization and convenience in the donor experience.
• The role of and how to develop soft skills to remain relevant and valuable.

Events are like businesses competing for consumers’ attention. To attract and engage diverse audiences that can level up your fundraising results, you need a unique event concept that stands out.

This session will present the strategies and tactics utilized in four unique events that will help you identify the right event and develop creative promotional strategies, unique on-site guest experiences, and post-event engagement opportunities that will generate year-over-year revenue increases. You’ll learn from Connecticut Children’s Gala, Geno for the Kids Series, Concorso Ferrari & Friends, and Superhero Sunday.

Key Takeaways:

• The framework to develop a unique event concept that is tailored to achieve your goals.
• Tips to identify, attract, and engage diverse volunteers from different social circles to support all aspects of your event’s success.
• Practical skills you can apply from case studies of successful and unique events.

The most common complaint from fundraisers is that they don’t have enough time to get the job done. Join Katie Koglman as she shares how the United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties, Inc. has put the EOS system to work in order to work smarter and continue to hit fundraising goals.

EOS, also known as Traction, is a powerful business model for creating a unified vision, get the right talent in the right roles, and unlock organizational potential to reach beyond your goals. Nonprofits of any shape and size can use EOS for transformative results. In this session, Katie will show you how you and your team can do your best work ever!

Key Takeaways:

• Determine which tasks to delegate and which are for you.
• Understand how you can implement the Delegate and Elevate Framework, regardless of your position in your organization.
• Learn what it means to do your best work to advance your organization and yourself.

Email appeals. Text fundraising. Online giving. Facebook fundraising. And now AI. There are so many ways nonprofit organizations can use online communication tools to connect with their audience and donor base! But how do organizations effectively combine new fundraising platforms and approaches with an “old” way of relationship fundraising?

Join top industry experts as they share how organizations of all sizes can blend emerging technology and “analog” fundraising to create stronger stakeholder and audience connections and raise more money. It’s new school meets old school fundraising for success!

This panel will feature live Q&A from the audience. It’s your chance to ask what’s on your mind!

As a nonprofit fundraiser, you know firsthand the importance of every dollar that helps achieve your organization’s mission. That’s why it’s essential to find creative, effective ways to raise funds and engage donors.

But… what if the robots have already found the solution and are using skills to develop incredible ways to create, repurpose, and utilize artificial intelligence (AI)?

At first glance, AI might seem like a threat to job security, with analysts predicting that as much as 50% of current jobs may be lost or replaced by AI by 2030. But don’t despair! While AI is capable of handling certain tasks, it is not able to possess the “soft skills” or “human skills” that are necessary to building truly deep relationships with your donors. These skills, like communication, leadership, empathetic listening, and connection, are what set us apart from the machines.

So, how can you use AI as a fundraising tool and integrate soft skills to remain relevant in the nonprofit industry?

Key Takeaways:

• Benefits of Chat GPT, Open AI, and other AI resources as fundraising tools.
• How AI can help with personalization and convenience in the donor experience.
• The role of and how to develop soft skills to remain relevant and valuable.

Awkward… a donor didn’t give you another gift this year. Should you try to win back your lapsed donors, and is there a right and wrong way to woo them? How many dollars do you leave on the table by NOT running win-back campaigns with your lapsed donors? How many learning lessons are you missing out on by NOT engaging with this category of donors?

In this session, you’ll learn common reasons donors lapse, how to glean insights from these donors, and how to execute a best-in-class strategy to win back donors at a higher rate.

Key Takeaways:

• Common reasons why donors lapse.
• Insights from lapsed donors.
• Strategies to win back donors and squeeze lost dollars through running a proper win-back campaign.

The fundraising event has ended, so now the work can begin! Wait, what? You’ve just spent months planning and hosting your fundraiser. Shouldn’t it be time to rest, relax, and reap the rewards? Absolutely, BUT the event isn’t the end of the journey… it’s the path to unlocking fundraising potential!

Donor Acquisition Cost (DAC) is a critical metric to any development team. It can cost 50% – 100% more to acquire a new donor than the dollars collected. Learning how to retain donors and turn them into recurring supporters is a must-have strategy for every #FearlessFundraiser. In this session, you’ll learn how to utilize your event data to make informed, intentional moves to turn one-time event donors into repeat supporters of your mission.

Steph and Ryan will share why investing time in managing donor data is important, how to deepen your understanding of current donors, reach new markets, and tap into underutilized resources. They’ll also cover what kind of data is important (and where to find it!). Lastly, you’ll put your knowledge to the test by breaking down real-life examples and discussing what the data is saying about you how to turn donors into mission advocates by curating their donor journey! Please note that this session contains OneCause specific product content. 

Key Takeaways:

• Why you should care about event data.
• Which event data is important and why.
• Using data to create recurring donations.

Seating in the Fearless Lounge is limited. Please arrive early – standing room only will also be an option.

Is your board asleep? Or are you having problems mobilizing volunteers for your special events?

Kacie and Melissa will lay out their strategic process for nonprofits of all sizes (especially small shops!) to maximize board fundraising outreach. From inviting guests, to pre-party gatherings, and onsite engagement tactics we will share practical strategies to grow your event revenue and reach like never before. They will also cover strategies to leverage volunteers to increase your event potential and performance!

As former fundraisers (and Raise speaking alum), this dynamic duo will share easy to implement tips for meeting your board and volunteers where they are in their engagement and simple ways to increase involvement. Whether you are a development team of one or a larger organization, Kacie and Melissa can help you create a special events village to maximize fundraising success

Key Takeaways:

• Event fundraising coaching for board members.
• Creative and budget friendly cultivation ideas.
• Tips on reaching and engaging volunteers for events.
• Best practices for board & volunteer engagement.

In this session, you’ll get a deep dive into donor retention stats, current giving trends, and the fundraising climate from the fundraiser’s perspective.

We’ll then take what we can learn from this data to help you develop a smart fundraising strategy, including real-world examples and actionable tips you can use to ensure that your donors keep giving – even during uncertain times.

Key Takeaways:

• Explore the state of donor retention and why donors keep or stop giving.
• Hear how nonprofits are feeling about the current fundraising climate.
• Learn smart fundraising strategies that you can implement immediately, plus practical fundraising tips and real-world personal touch examples.

Nonprofit organizations MUST use video to meet their goals. That’s a fact no one can deny. But, there are barriers to collecting, organizing, and sharing community-generated content (CGC). As a result, most nonprofits put video creation on their long-term to-do list instead of making it a priority! Join Chris and Lori as they look to educate and empower nonprofit professionals to use video to support ALL of their organization’s goals. Their “Collect, Organize, and Share” system is tried and true, and they’re ready to share it with you!

They have seen organizations use the power of video to: enhance fundraising, amplify special events, create a connected internal culture, build program strategy, harness program feedback, execute their mission, and more. Chris and Lori will share real-life case studies, then challenge you to think about how video can enhance your nonprofit goals.

This session is for every mission, every budget, and every department! BONUS CONTENT:  Lori will round out the session with 5 tips to driving contributions using video.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how to easily leverage authentic community-generated content (CGC).
• Think critically about integrating video into every aspect of your fundraising.
• Understand the value of using video storytelling to support fundraising goals.

Join Kim & Jenna as they journey through the peer-to-peer and online fundraising cycle of attracting, engaging, and nurturing donors to keep them coming back year after year. This popular social fundraising duo will not only present key findings to grow your engagement and retention but will provide you with the coveted opportunity to connect with other fundraising professionals.

Through a series of stories from real-life fundraisers and backed by OneCause research, they will explore sure-fire strategies to deepen your peer-to-peer and online giving impact for fundraising success. Please note that this session contains OneCause specific product content.

Key Takeaways:

• P2P strategies from successful run/walk/ride, ambassador, and Giving Day campaigns to inspire your next fundraising efforts.
• Best practices to deepen supporter relationships with personalize and segmented messaging and coaching.
• Curate and freshen up your fundraising resources to promote your mission within your supporter’s network.

Seating in the Fearless Lounge is limited. Please arrive early – standing room only will also be an option.

Join us as we wrap #Raise2023. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. Our final panel explores what it truly means to be #Fearless as a fundraiser, leader, and organization.

Hear real-life Fearless Fundraisers share stories and wisdom on how to reimagine generosity and what it takes to thrive in the future of fundraising. You won’t want to miss what they have to share!

2022 was one the most successful years of fundraising for many nonprofits. The re-emergence of event fundraising post-pandemic and how nonprofits charted record fundraising is a powerful story worth examining. What was the key to success? What were the emerging trends? How do fundraising events make the most profits?

Come find out the secrets, using lessons and insights gleaned from hundreds of events around the country!

This session will break down real-world fundraising strategies from small one-person charities to nationwide nonprofits. Attendees will learn new timeline strategies, fund-a-need techniques, interactive games, and the innovative live auction ideas. The best part: it will all be actionable, so you can take home to-dos for your next event.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand clearly defined strategies you can apply to any size event.
• Learn how to empower volunteers and committee members to take ownership.
• Discover how to incorporate new ideas with energy, excitement, and enthusiasm.

Email appeals. Text fundraising. Online giving. Facebook fundraising. And now AI. There are so many ways nonprofit organizations can use online communication tools to connect with their audience and donor base! But how do organizations effectively combine new fundraising platforms and approaches with an “old” way of relationship fundraising?

Join top industry experts as they share how organizations of all sizes can blend emerging technology and “analog” fundraising to create stronger stakeholder and audience connections and raise more money. It’s new school meets old school fundraising for success!

This panel will feature live Q&A from the audience. It’s your chance to ask what’s on your mind!

Email appeals. Text fundraising. Online giving. Facebook fundraising. And now AI. There are so many ways nonprofit organizations can use online communication tools to connect with their audience and donor base! But how do organizations effectively combine new fundraising platforms and approaches with an “old” way of relationship fundraising?

Join top industry experts as they share how organizations of all sizes can blend emerging technology and “analog” fundraising to create stronger stakeholder and audience connections and raise more money. It’s new school meets old school fundraising for success!

This panel will feature live Q&A from the audience. It’s your chance to ask what’s on your mind!

Many of us work with volunteers, and while we value their time and their talent, we often wonder what it takes for them to give their treasures too. Most volunteers are not at the executive level and can’t just write a check or underwrite an event. They get involved because they want to give back. As fundraisers, our job is to provide meaningful opportunities and create connections. So what can we do to engage them?

Christina will share tips to help engage corporate and individual volunteers and teach you how to engage them in your mission. She’ll discuss how volunteering is a great equalizer for how people can interact with your nonprofit. Regardless of racial, ethnic, socio-economic, or professional backgrounds, everyone has something to bring to the table, and Christina believes our job is to utilize that lived experience to make a connection with those served by our mission.

Working with volunteers is a long game, but the yield can be incredibly meaningful for all.

Key Takeaways:

• Complete a volunteer action plan.
• Understand the infrastructure needed to engage volunteers.
• Build a portfolio of volunteer engagement opportunities.

Events are like businesses competing for consumers’ attention. To attract and engage diverse audiences that can level up your fundraising results, you need a unique event concept that stands out.

This session will present the strategies and tactics utilized in four unique events that will help you identify the right event and develop creative promotional strategies, unique on-site guest experiences, and post-event engagement opportunities that will generate year-over-year revenue increases. You’ll learn from Connecticut Children’s Gala, Geno for the Kids Series, Concorso Ferrari & Friends, and Superhero Sunday.

Key Takeaways:

• The framework to develop a unique event concept that is tailored to achieve your goals.
• Tips to identify, attract, and engage diverse volunteers from different social circles to support all aspects of your event’s success.
• Practical skills you can apply from case studies of successful and unique events.

Join us as we wrap #Raise2023. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. Our final panel explores what it truly means to be #Fearless as a fundraiser, leader, and organization.

Hear real-life Fearless Fundraisers share stories and wisdom on how to reimagine generosity and what it takes to thrive in the future of fundraising. You won’t want to miss what they have to share!

Don’t miss this session! You’ll hear the top 10 ways that nonprofit leaders can achieve exponential growth by leveraging the power of existing content!

In today’s rat race, we’re all busy. Learn how to maximize your organization’s content to exponentially impact your storytelling via multi-channel marketing. You’ll walk away with strategies to rinse, repeat, and recycle your content in a way that reaches your audience and saves you time! Come learn a proven framework to help you achieve flawless content execution.

You’d be silly not to take advantage of this session and the 10 ways to grow your fundraising shared by the Nonprofit Nerd herself, Jarrett Ransom.

Key Takeaways:

• Walk away with tactical techniques to implement a 12-month content calendar.
• Learn how to leverage your storytelling in multi-channel marketing platforms.
• Learn how to save time and preserve your sanity!

The fundraising event has ended, so now the work can begin! Wait, what? You’ve just spent months planning and hosting your fundraiser. Shouldn’t it be time to rest, relax, and reap the rewards? Absolutely, BUT the event isn’t the end of the journey… it’s the path to unlocking fundraising potential!

Donor Acquisition Cost (DAC) is a critical metric to any development team. It can cost 50% – 100% more to acquire a new donor than the dollars collected. Learning how to retain donors and turn them into recurring supporters is a must-have strategy for every #FearlessFundraiser. In this session, you’ll learn how to utilize your event data to make informed, intentional moves to turn one-time event donors into repeat supporters of your mission.

Steph and Ryan will share why investing time in managing donor data is important, how to deepen your understanding of current donors, reach new markets, and tap into underutilized resources. They’ll also cover what kind of data is important (and where to find it!). Lastly, you’ll put your knowledge to the test by breaking down real-life examples and discussing what the data is saying about you how to turn donors into mission advocates by curating their donor journey! Please note that this session contains OneCause specific product content. 

Key Takeaways:

• Why you should care about event data.
• Which event data is important and why.
• Using data to create recurring donations.

Seating in the Fearless Lounge is limited. Please arrive early – standing room only will also be an option.

As fundraisers, we tend to have an idealistic picture of what it looks like for a donor to give to our organizations. We often assume that because they’re already on the donation page, they trust us, are motivated to give, and all it takes to get a donation is a streamlined way for them to enter their donation information.

But what all the data tells us is that, in the best scenario, your donation page is FAILING donors 78% of the time.

In this session, we’ll uncover how to optimize your forms for the busy year-end giving season. You’ll discover 5 common ways that your donation page could be failing your donors. And you’ll be equipped with tested and proven tactics to improve your donors’ experience and increase donations.

Key Takeaways:

• Find out where most donation forms fail their donors.
• Learn small changes that lead to big increases in conversion rates.
• See what’s worked for other nonprofits, given tech stack limitations.

Is your board asleep? Or are you having problems mobilizing volunteers for your special events?

Kacie and Melissa will lay out their strategic process for nonprofits of all sizes (especially small shops!) to maximize board fundraising outreach. From inviting guests, to pre-party gatherings, and onsite engagement tactics we will share practical strategies to grow your event revenue and reach like never before. They will also cover strategies to leverage volunteers to increase your event potential and performance!

As former fundraisers (and Raise speaking alum), this dynamic duo will share easy to implement tips for meeting your board and volunteers where they are in their engagement and simple ways to increase involvement. Whether you are a development team of one or a larger organization, Kacie and Melissa can help you create a special events village to maximize fundraising success

Key Takeaways:

• Event fundraising coaching for board members.
• Creative and budget friendly cultivation ideas.
• Tips on reaching and engaging volunteers for events.
• Best practices for board & volunteer engagement.

Get the publicity and attention that your mission deserves through earned media. With a step-by-step pitching process, your nonprofit can be featured in news outlets for free while maintaining meaningful partnerships with local journalists. This framework will come in handy for advertising fundraisers, events, and outreach initiatives.

Former news anchor turned author and nonprofit marketing expert Maria Satira will share her technique to help your nonprofit effectively promote your mission, programs, campaigns, and events. Attendees will walk away with a story pitch template that works, as well as an outline of Maria’s STRONG Method to enhance outreach to local media outlets.

Key Takeaways:

• Use your nonprofit’s expertise and mission to achieve free, earned media.
• Pitch an enterprise story idea to a news outlet using the STRONG Method.
• Establish professional and resourceful relationships with local journalists.

This session will walk you through the importance of tying every fundraising event detail back to the people. We all know that fundraising is about building relationships, but did you know that every detail of your event can help foster deeper connections with your supporters?

So, what about the details? From live and silent auctions to mobile bidding, raffles and fund-a-need, utilize the intricate strengths of each of your fundraising professionals and volunteers to plan and implement events that raise more money, build better awareness for your cause, and leave your attendees wanting to come back.

We will also dive into sponsor engagement and why it is vital to the success of your event. Learn how to make your sponsors feel valued from the time you ask for their support to the time you say ‘thank you’ post-event. And lastly, learn how to fundraise, and friend-raise, through the use of genuine speakers that ignite passion and stories that tug on the heart strings.

Key Takeaways:

• Explore new event ideas to build better engagement.
• Cultivate better sponsor and attendee relationships through attention to detail.
• Be intentional in thanking and stewarding your donors.
• Learn to think creatively when choosing speakers and stories of impact.

Does social media feel like a big-ticket item on your to-do list? Do you dream of how to engage the modern donor, but you’re not sure how? Social media is a great way to build new opportunities for engagement in your annual marketing plans and campaigns. And it doesn’t have to be overwhelming!

In this session, Taylor Shanklin will bring her tips for how to get the most out of your social media, even when you’re busy and wearing A LOT of hats. Learn the ins and out of leveraging social to grow your fundraising.

Key Takeaways:

• Tips to create social media posts that engage your audience.
• Strategies to keep your social media presence active and relevant.
• Tools and tech to make social media management easier and more effective.
• Understand how to measure the effectiveness of your social media.

Events are like businesses competing for consumers’ attention. To attract and engage diverse audiences that can level up your fundraising results, you need a unique event concept that stands out.

This session will present the strategies and tactics utilized in four unique events that will help you identify the right event and develop creative promotional strategies, unique on-site guest experiences, and post-event engagement opportunities that will generate year-over-year revenue increases. You’ll learn from Connecticut Children’s Gala, Geno for the Kids Series, Concorso Ferrari & Friends, and Superhero Sunday.

Key Takeaways:

• The framework to develop a unique event concept that is tailored to achieve your goals.
• Tips to identify, attract, and engage diverse volunteers from different social circles to support all aspects of your event’s success.
• Practical skills you can apply from case studies of successful and unique events.

Today, the demand for your donors’ attention is fierce. She lives in a world full of distractions continuously competing for micro-moments of attention. This influx of messages is overwhelming. It forces her to pick a few that are most relevant and ignore the rest. She may even opt out completely and retreat to personal feeds or friend recommendations when determining which brands or causes to connect with.

Most nonprofits’ responses are to do more, send more, buy more. Each an attempt to steal bits of her attention in hopes she’ll respond. This is timely, org-centered, and wasteful. Additionally, it tosses your hat into a ring crowded with big brands, cat videos, 24/7 news, Netflix series, Apple releases, and hundreds of other worthwhile causes running the same playbook. As well, we as fundraisers are asked to do more with less, specifically around the tactics and technology that surround our ecosystem to grow generosity.

Is there a better way? Can any nonprofit stand above the noise? Amidst uncertainty and shifting donor expectations, how should you design and lead your fundraising teams? How does this impact your ability to collaborate to deliver a responsive supporter experience?

We’ll address these challenges head-on, share how supporter preferences have evolved, and what that requires now of you and your team.

Key Takeaways:

• Two (2) macro shifts shaping supporter preferences, and the resulting pivots your team must consider for growth
• Eight (8) mindsets you and your team can adopt to increase the pace of learning, combat burnout, and unlock growth

Join us as we wrap #Raise2023. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. Our final panel explores what it truly means to be #Fearless as a fundraiser, leader, and organization.

Hear real-life Fearless Fundraisers share stories and wisdom on how to reimagine generosity and what it takes to thrive in the future of fundraising. You won’t want to miss what they have to share!

In challenging times, monthly donors are true lifesavers. They keep the lights on. They keep your mission going, no matter what happens in the world.

But it takes a combination of focus, commitment, systems, and storytelling to grow your program to the next level.

Erica Waasdorp (who wrote two books and is an expert on monthly giving) will show you how to do exactly that. After this session, you’ll walk away with the magic formula: how use the tiniest stories and apply the right tools to your fundraising to bring in new monthly donors… and how to steward the ones you already have. This session is full of great practical examples and case studies you can apply in your organization right away. You don’t want to miss this!

Key Takeaways:

• Write the tiny story you need on your website and buttons.
• Write the tiny story you can add in your messaging, email, and social media.
• Know the long-term value of recurring donors and their tremendous power.

Join us as we wrap #Raise2023. Experience the energy and excitement of our closing session. Our final panel explores what it truly means to be #Fearless as a fundraiser, leader, and organization.

Hear real-life Fearless Fundraisers share stories and wisdom on how to reimagine generosity and what it takes to thrive in the future of fundraising. You won’t want to miss what they have to share!

Email appeals. Text fundraising. Online giving. Facebook fundraising. And now AI. There are so many ways nonprofit organizations can use online communication tools to connect with their audience and donor base! But how do organizations effectively combine new fundraising platforms and approaches with an “old” way of relationship fundraising?

Join top industry experts as they share how organizations of all sizes can blend emerging technology and “analog” fundraising to create stronger stakeholder and audience connections and raise more money. It’s new school meets old school fundraising for success!

This panel will feature live Q&A from the audience. It’s your chance to ask what’s on your mind!

The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate positive culture change in a real-life nonprofit and how we transformed our fundraising using Organizational Development (OD) theories of Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

At Brevard Zoo, we launched a $100 million campaign to build a second campus, a world-class Aquarium, and a Conservation Center in Florida. Historically, we raised an average of $1.5 million per year primarily through events, but with this massive new capital undertaking, our philanthropy department’s expectations needed to drastically change. We had to find a way to power explosive growth, navigate radical change at a breakneck pace, sustain high-functioning performance, AND hit record-breaking revenue goals!

Join us as we break down this real-life nonprofit case study and apply EQ/OD principles to show you how to drive change and cultivate visionary leadership. We’ll also explore how the Brevard team deepened mutual trust among members, built a strong sense of group identity, and rallied together to transform their fundraising practices for long-term success.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how to create culture change from an event fundraising model to a philanthropic fundraising model.
• Lead a team facing growth and change at an unfamiliar pace; high-functioning, consistent, and effective performance facing larger-than-ever revenue goals.
• Implement change and growth in a sustaining model built for long-term success.

Ready, set, here we go! Join us for the morning Day 1 General Session as we kick off Raise 2023, live from Nashville! Get pumped up with a welcome from OneCause CEO, Steve Johns and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with our annual Raise Awards.

Then, the electric Siri Lindley will inspire us all with lessons on grit, resilience, the power of energy, and thriving with a growth mindset. As a world champion triathlete and winner of twelve ITU World Cup races, PLUS founder of two nonprofits, Siri will liftup and energize #FearlessFundraisers with how to bring the best out in ourselves and our teams.

Uncover the mindset and behaviors of today’s donors. In 2018, OneCause launched a study of thousands of donors to examine the unique motivators and giving trends of what make them tick, stick, and stay. Five years later… the findings will still surprise you!

The newly released 2023 study uncovers how donor expectations continue to evolve and new, emerging trends that are influencing giving. In this session, you’ll hear practical strategies any nonprofit can leverage to attract, engage, and retain today’s supporters. These insights and ideas will help your nonprofit unlock generosity and grow impact for your mission.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand how the giving experience and donor expectations have evolved.
• Learn options for ease, choice, and personalization to reach today’s donors.
• Explore trust and engagement drivers by generation to drive retention.

Join us as we kick off Raise 2023 Day 2! Get ready for the day with OneCause CEO, Steve Johns, and special recognition of #FearlessFundraisers with part 2 of our annual Raise Awards.

Then, hope, resilience and optimism will come together to stir your soul in this Raise Fireside Chat. Join Raise Keynote Siri Lindley and Raise Emcee Shanna Adamic as they share their journeys, life lessons, and inspirational stories on nonprofit resilience, surviving cancer against all odds, and living life as your best self. This bold conversation on what it means to be fearless in the face of uncertainty will leave you inspired.

Cows and buffalo have different approaches to surviving storms. Cows run from storms, inevitably never out-running them and experiencing longer periods of pain and suffering. Buffalo charge into the storm head-on, essentially running through the storm in the shortest amount of time. It’s a great metaphor for fundraising professionals. It’s how we respond to the storm that makes all the difference with our donors, board members, and your team.

This session explores ways to break out of herd mentality and new ways of reimagining approaches to some of the biggest challenges facing our sector, like: attracting and retaining fundraising professionals, reduction in the number of U.S. households giving, economic uncertainty globally, and fundraising models that aren’t achieving sustainability.

Key Takeaways:

• Tips to reimagine your approach to major challenges in the nonprofit sector.
• New ways of thinking about donor engagement, portfolio management, performance measurement, and leadership.
• A healthy dose of inspiration!