Spotlight: Fundraising Rewind 2023

In 2023, MCN brought its Nonprofit Fundraising Conference back, and in-person, for the first time since 2019. Almost 500 nonprofit fundraisers and sector colleagues convened in St. Paul for this day of learning and professional development. Now we’d like to share some of this great content as a virtual Spotlight. We’re offering four of the highest-rated sessions of the conference to our virtual audience in Minnesota, and members of our partner nonprofit state associations around the country.

Sessions include:

• Telling Your Story with Data
• Values Based Donor Qualification
• Demystifying Donor Advised Funds
• Audit Your Online Donor Experience

Spotlights are day-long virtual trainings, offering four to five 60-minute sessions, each exploring a different aspect of a specific topic. Each session will be led by experienced nonprofit leaders and subject-matter experts. Spotlights are designed to offer practical information that can be applied immediately along with larger-picture questions and possibilities to consider for the long-term.

We know it’s difficult to carve out large chunks of time in your day to attend trainings, so we’ve spread the sessions out over a full day, with breaks in between. You will have access to the session recordings for three months!

Register now for this fast-paced review of important, timely fundraising topics that will help prepare you for a successful 2024!

Schedule

10-11 a.m. // Telling Your Story with Data
You have an important story to tell. Whether it’s to a funder, policymakers, or your clients, data can help you paint a clearer picture of your community or those you serve. In this session, learn how to use data in ways that tell a story. Topics will include why we use data, how to construct a story with data, and how to make sure you are using data in ways that are meaningful. Presenters will share free tools and resources available on Minnesota Compass that you can use to tell your story.
Allison Liuzzi, research manager and project director, Wilder Foundation

11:30-12:30 p.m. // Values Based Donor Qualification
We know you’re searching for ways to center your community and move as much money to mission as possible. You want to be sure that your donors are part of your community–not the center of it. You’re committed to fundraising in a way that creates a more just and equitable community. Join us for Values-Based Donor Qualification. We’ll share our framework for how you can use your organization’s values to guide your decisions about who you include in your one-to-one fundraising portfolio. 
Sarah Staiger and Laura Vitelli, partners, Staiger | Vitelli and Associates

2-3 p.m. // Demystifying Donor Advised Funds
While donor advised funds have become much more mainstream across the nonprofit sector, there are still a great deal of questions and confusion around these flexible giving vehicles. In this session, the presenters will share a brief history of donor advised funds (DAFs), discuss exactly how DAFs work and why different individuals, families, and organizations may choose to use them to accomplish their charitable giving goals. They will look at the various types of DAF providers out there and discuss some of the critiques and public policy discussions currently surrounding DAFs. Most importantly, they will share information on how nonprofits can do a better job of working with DAFs, both through the individuals and organizations that use them as well as with community foundations. This aims to be a very interactive session, so bring your great questions as well!
Heidi Tieszen, philanthropic advisor and Jeremy R. Wells, senior vice president of Philanthropic Services, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

3:30-4:30 p.m. // Audit Your Online Donor Experience
Is your online donor experience leaving supporters feeling warm and fuzzy or confused and frustrated? Together we will use two or more case studies from nonprofit panelists and deconstruct how their online donor experience could be improved. We will look at the entire user pathway from entry point to email receipt and you will leave with concrete ideas for how you can audit and improve your own online experience.
Chris Briggs, major gift officer, Clare Housing and Cary Lenore Walski, nerd-in-chief, Copilot: Web Development & Ongoing Support for Nonprofits

Event Details

• This virtual event will take place on the Zoom platform. Your access link will be emailed to you the day before the event after 12 p.m.
• This session will be recorded. The recording will be made available to registrants for 14 days after the live event.
• Captioning is provided automatically through Zoom. For information on requesting CART, ASL, or another accommodation, please visit our Registration Policies page.
• To learn more about events, registration, and payment, visit our Event & Registration FAQ page.

Registration Instruction: Use the code NCN to register at the discounted rate.