Monday October 4, 2021 Session 1: The Impact of Prospect Identification 2:00-3:00 pm ET 1:00-2:00 pm CT 11:00 am-12:00 pm PT (description below) Registration Link |
Tuesday October 5, 2021 Session 2: Data Science in Your Shop: What It Is, What It Can Do for Your Fundraising, and How to Start 2:00-3:00 pm ET 1:00-2:00 pm CT 11:00 am-12:00 pm PT (description below) Registration Link |
Wednesday October 6, 2021 Session 3: Using TouchPoints to Prepare for a Campaign 1:00-2:00 pm ET 12:00-1:00 pm CT 10:00-11:00 am PT (description below) Registration Link |
Wednesday October 6, 2021 Session 4: Using Emotional Data to Differentiate Your Nonprofit Prospect Management 3:00-4:00 pm ET 2:00-3:00 pm CT 12:00-1:00 pm PT (description below) Registration |
Thursday October 7, 2021 Session 5: Prospect Development's Role in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion 1:00-2:00 pm ET 12:00-1:00 pm CT 10:00-11:00 am PT (description below) Registration Link |
Apra Canada Collaboration Friday! Friday October 8, 2021 Session 6: Reference Librarian Interview Technique and Prospect Research 9:30 am -10:30 am ET 8:30 - 9:30 am CT 6:30 - 7:30 am PT (description below) Registration Link: |
Friday October 8, 2021 Session 7: Prospect Research in Canada vs the US 11:00 am -12:00 pm ET 10:00 am -11:00 am CT 8:00 am - 9:00 PT (description below) Registration Link: |
Friday October 8, 2021 Session 8: Rethinking Donor and Volunteer Surveys: From Design to Analysis 12:30 -1:30 pm ET 11:30 am -12:30 pm CT 9:30 -10:30 am PT (description below) Registration Link: |
Session Descriptions
Session 1: The Impact of Prospect Identification
Session Description: How does a research department quantify the impact of their work when fundraisers have metrics on their work that are easily understood? Hear how the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association decided to develop a process to track the progress of identified high-value prospects and what happens to them. This session will cover the genesis of the idea, conversations with stakeholders, workflow considerations, sample reports, and lessons learned in the process. While it is too soon to provide results due to the donor cycle WFAA is optimistic on the expected value.
Speaker Bio: Todd Conkey; Prospect Development Manager at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA)
Todd Conkey is the Prospect Development Manager at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), which supports the University of Wisconsin – Madison. At WFAA, Todd manages a team of five focused on relationship management for the organization’s 90+ front-line fundraisers. Prior to joining WFAA, Todd held leadership positions in the commercial banking, energy efficiency, and commercial design-build industries. Over his career he has presented at national, regional, and local conferences. He is also active in his community serving on various non-profit boards.
Session Description: How does a research department quantify the impact of their work when fundraisers have metrics on their work that are easily understood? Hear how the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association decided to develop a process to track the progress of identified high-value prospects and what happens to them. This session will cover the genesis of the idea, conversations with stakeholders, workflow considerations, sample reports, and lessons learned in the process. While it is too soon to provide results due to the donor cycle WFAA is optimistic on the expected value.
Speaker Bio: Todd Conkey; Prospect Development Manager at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA)
Todd Conkey is the Prospect Development Manager at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), which supports the University of Wisconsin – Madison. At WFAA, Todd manages a team of five focused on relationship management for the organization’s 90+ front-line fundraisers. Prior to joining WFAA, Todd held leadership positions in the commercial banking, energy efficiency, and commercial design-build industries. Over his career he has presented at national, regional, and local conferences. He is also active in his community serving on various non-profit boards.
Session 2: Data Science in Your Shop: What It Is, What It Can Do for Your Fundraising, and How to Start
We keep hearing about artificial intelligence and machine learning. But what is it? And is it worth your time to add these techniques to your shop? Join Marianne to go over what the latest in analytics tools do, what fundraising efforts they support and improve, and how to get started, even by using Excel.
Speaker Bio: Marianne Pelletier, Managing Director at Staupell Analytics Group
Marianne Pelletier has 30 years of experience in fundraising, with the majority in prospect research and prospecting. She is one of the first adopters of donor modeling and data mining techniques, and is now a world-renown leader on this segment of the research profession. Her prospect research experience began when she was a research analyst for Harvard and Lesley Universities. She later served as a department director for Carnegie Mellon University and Cornell University.
A recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the New England Development Research Association and a Woman of the Year designation by the National Association of Professional Women, Pelletier has served as a volunteer for both election campaigns and social service agencies. She has served on the boards of the New England Development Research Association, the Upstate New York chapter of Apra, and has served as secretary for the Apra International board. She currently serves as a trustee for Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes chapter of AFP.
Pelletier is a graduate of Rockford University, and earned her MBA at Southern New Hampshire University. Her recent workbook, Building Your Analytics Shop: A Workbook for Nonprofits, was a finalist for the Terry McAdam Award in 2016.
We keep hearing about artificial intelligence and machine learning. But what is it? And is it worth your time to add these techniques to your shop? Join Marianne to go over what the latest in analytics tools do, what fundraising efforts they support and improve, and how to get started, even by using Excel.
Speaker Bio: Marianne Pelletier, Managing Director at Staupell Analytics Group
Marianne Pelletier has 30 years of experience in fundraising, with the majority in prospect research and prospecting. She is one of the first adopters of donor modeling and data mining techniques, and is now a world-renown leader on this segment of the research profession. Her prospect research experience began when she was a research analyst for Harvard and Lesley Universities. She later served as a department director for Carnegie Mellon University and Cornell University.
A recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the New England Development Research Association and a Woman of the Year designation by the National Association of Professional Women, Pelletier has served as a volunteer for both election campaigns and social service agencies. She has served on the boards of the New England Development Research Association, the Upstate New York chapter of Apra, and has served as secretary for the Apra International board. She currently serves as a trustee for Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes chapter of AFP.
Pelletier is a graduate of Rockford University, and earned her MBA at Southern New Hampshire University. Her recent workbook, Building Your Analytics Shop: A Workbook for Nonprofits, was a finalist for the Terry McAdam Award in 2016.
Session 3: Using TouchPoints to Prepare for a Campaign
Illinois Wesleyan University completed a comprehensive wealth screening to prepare for a campaign. The next step was to complete a thorough data append to update biographical data and employment data. We also wanted to learn more about our major gift prospects but as a small school, we were limited with human and financial resources. We'll be discussing how TouchPoints helped us select the appropriate data points, such as a matching gift indicator, donor advised fund indicator, and an indicator for those without children, to not only update our biographical data but to also segment the data and enhance communication tactics.
Speaker Bios:
Kara Mehrkens, Associate Director of Prospect Research, Prospect Management, and Data Analytics, Illinois Wesleyan University.
Kara Mehrkens is the Associate Director of Prospect Research, Prospect Management, and Data Analytics at Illinois Wesleyan University where she has been for five years. Before working at IWU, Kara was most recently a stay-at-home mom and also an accountant at Illinois State University and Special Olympics Illinois. She currently serves as Treasurer at Apra-IL. Connect with her via LinkedIn.
Matt LoPresti, Partner, TouchPoints
Matt LoPresti is a partner at TouchPoints, a premium data company helping nonprofit organizations ensure they have the most complete, comprehensive, and accurate donor data available. TouchPoints analyzes and fuses billions of on-line and off-line data elements to break through traditional silos, create holistic identity profiles, and provide insights and understanding that allow its clients to have personalized conversations with their constituents at scale.
Illinois Wesleyan University completed a comprehensive wealth screening to prepare for a campaign. The next step was to complete a thorough data append to update biographical data and employment data. We also wanted to learn more about our major gift prospects but as a small school, we were limited with human and financial resources. We'll be discussing how TouchPoints helped us select the appropriate data points, such as a matching gift indicator, donor advised fund indicator, and an indicator for those without children, to not only update our biographical data but to also segment the data and enhance communication tactics.
Speaker Bios:
Kara Mehrkens, Associate Director of Prospect Research, Prospect Management, and Data Analytics, Illinois Wesleyan University.
Kara Mehrkens is the Associate Director of Prospect Research, Prospect Management, and Data Analytics at Illinois Wesleyan University where she has been for five years. Before working at IWU, Kara was most recently a stay-at-home mom and also an accountant at Illinois State University and Special Olympics Illinois. She currently serves as Treasurer at Apra-IL. Connect with her via LinkedIn.
Matt LoPresti, Partner, TouchPoints
Matt LoPresti is a partner at TouchPoints, a premium data company helping nonprofit organizations ensure they have the most complete, comprehensive, and accurate donor data available. TouchPoints analyzes and fuses billions of on-line and off-line data elements to break through traditional silos, create holistic identity profiles, and provide insights and understanding that allow its clients to have personalized conversations with their constituents at scale.
Session 4: Using Emotional Data to Differentiate Your Nonprofit Prospect Management
There is a data set that can give you an unprecedented understanding of the emotions, motivations and preferences of your donors, volunteers and prospects - and it is likely sitting right under your nose. It can tell you why they engage, and why they don't and won't. It’s called “Emotional Data” and its use provides actionable steps that you and your organization can take to better connect and engage with your donors on their terms while building out more robust donor profiles that produce results. In this presentation you will learn about the emerging field of Emotional Data and hear case studies of its integration and implementation in the nonprofit sector to raise more money and create lasting donor relationships.
Speaker Bio: Grant Gooding, Founder & CEO of Proof Positioning
Grant Gooding is the Founder & CEO of Proof Positioning a market research firm. With his background in qualitative marketing and neuroscience, Grant created a methodology that quantifies emotional resonance and motivations. Today, Grant speaks all over the world on Emotional Data, an emerging field that PROOF is helping pioneer
There is a data set that can give you an unprecedented understanding of the emotions, motivations and preferences of your donors, volunteers and prospects - and it is likely sitting right under your nose. It can tell you why they engage, and why they don't and won't. It’s called “Emotional Data” and its use provides actionable steps that you and your organization can take to better connect and engage with your donors on their terms while building out more robust donor profiles that produce results. In this presentation you will learn about the emerging field of Emotional Data and hear case studies of its integration and implementation in the nonprofit sector to raise more money and create lasting donor relationships.
Speaker Bio: Grant Gooding, Founder & CEO of Proof Positioning
Grant Gooding is the Founder & CEO of Proof Positioning a market research firm. With his background in qualitative marketing and neuroscience, Grant created a methodology that quantifies emotional resonance and motivations. Today, Grant speaks all over the world on Emotional Data, an emerging field that PROOF is helping pioneer
Session 5: Prospect Development's Role in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can often be an afterthought in development work. But to be successful, it must be part of our everyday processes. As prospect development professionals, we maintain our organization's donor pipeline, drive strategy, and help with campaign planning, and therefore are crucial partners in this work. In this presentation, I will discuss how my role at the University of Michigan has evolved to include a partial appointment to DEI, and how key projects have begun to change operations at the institution. Projects examples include: a grant exploring potential bias in wealth screening data, the writing and implementation of a DEI Data Acquisition & Usage Policy, and efforts to diversify pipeline and donor volunteer councils.
Speaker Bio: Kelli North, Senior Development Research Analyst, University of Michigan
Kelli North is a Senior Development Research Analyst at the University of Michigan, where she assists multiple academic units as well as the Alumni Association and the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion with prospect research, prospecting, and fundraising strategy. Her current areas of focus are diversity, equity, and inclusion and NextGen fundraising. She is the Advocacy Lead on the board of the APRA Michigan Chapter as well as a member of the FORUM Planning Committee for the Great Lakes Prospect Development ForUM. She is also a member of the planning committee for the APRA Great Lakes Conference. She has presented at several conferences including APRA-International, APRA-Michigan, and the Great Lakes Prospect Development ForUM. She has also presented webinars for APRA-Pennsylvania, OPRN, and APRA-Michigan.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can often be an afterthought in development work. But to be successful, it must be part of our everyday processes. As prospect development professionals, we maintain our organization's donor pipeline, drive strategy, and help with campaign planning, and therefore are crucial partners in this work. In this presentation, I will discuss how my role at the University of Michigan has evolved to include a partial appointment to DEI, and how key projects have begun to change operations at the institution. Projects examples include: a grant exploring potential bias in wealth screening data, the writing and implementation of a DEI Data Acquisition & Usage Policy, and efforts to diversify pipeline and donor volunteer councils.
Speaker Bio: Kelli North, Senior Development Research Analyst, University of Michigan
Kelli North is a Senior Development Research Analyst at the University of Michigan, where she assists multiple academic units as well as the Alumni Association and the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion with prospect research, prospecting, and fundraising strategy. Her current areas of focus are diversity, equity, and inclusion and NextGen fundraising. She is the Advocacy Lead on the board of the APRA Michigan Chapter as well as a member of the FORUM Planning Committee for the Great Lakes Prospect Development ForUM. She is also a member of the planning committee for the APRA Great Lakes Conference. She has presented at several conferences including APRA-International, APRA-Michigan, and the Great Lakes Prospect Development ForUM. She has also presented webinars for APRA-Pennsylvania, OPRN, and APRA-Michigan.
Session 6: Reference Librarian Interview Technique and Prospect Research
The reference librarian interview technique called “Reference Interview” and prospect research share the same final goal of satisfying customer’s/fundraiser’s information needs. This presentation will go over the reference interview technique application within the prospect research context. You will learn how to support fundraisers to articulate, refine, and satisfy their information needs by asking relevant questions and creating a user-centered interview experience.
Speaker Bio: Olesya Zaremba, Research Officer, Advancement, Rotman School of Management
Olesya is a librarian-turned-prospect researcher, passionate about how research and analytics connect the dots and create exciting opportunities for support at Rotman. With almost twenty years of experience in research, information management and analytics, Olesya navigates through the wealth of information available and delivers succinct, relevant, and timely information services to the Advancement Team. Olesya holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Catholic University of America and Master of Arts in
Information Systems and Technology from York University. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Fundraising Management from Ryerson University.
The reference librarian interview technique called “Reference Interview” and prospect research share the same final goal of satisfying customer’s/fundraiser’s information needs. This presentation will go over the reference interview technique application within the prospect research context. You will learn how to support fundraisers to articulate, refine, and satisfy their information needs by asking relevant questions and creating a user-centered interview experience.
Speaker Bio: Olesya Zaremba, Research Officer, Advancement, Rotman School of Management
Olesya is a librarian-turned-prospect researcher, passionate about how research and analytics connect the dots and create exciting opportunities for support at Rotman. With almost twenty years of experience in research, information management and analytics, Olesya navigates through the wealth of information available and delivers succinct, relevant, and timely information services to the Advancement Team. Olesya holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Catholic University of America and Master of Arts in
Information Systems and Technology from York University. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Fundraising Management from Ryerson University.
Session 7: Prospect Research in Canada vs the US
Interested in learning more about your Canadian prospects? Access to information can vary greatly between countries depending on laws and resource availability. This session will highlight some key differences between American and Canadian prospect research as well as overview publicly accessible, Canada-specific research tools.
Speaker Bio: Andrea Reed, Prospect Researcher, University of Windsor
Andrea Reed holds five years of prospect research experience in higher education. She is currently the Prospect Researcher for the University of Windsor, situated on the border of Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. As a researcher for a border city institution, Andrea is well-versed in both Canadian and American prospect research.
Interested in learning more about your Canadian prospects? Access to information can vary greatly between countries depending on laws and resource availability. This session will highlight some key differences between American and Canadian prospect research as well as overview publicly accessible, Canada-specific research tools.
Speaker Bio: Andrea Reed, Prospect Researcher, University of Windsor
Andrea Reed holds five years of prospect research experience in higher education. She is currently the Prospect Researcher for the University of Windsor, situated on the border of Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. As a researcher for a border city institution, Andrea is well-versed in both Canadian and American prospect research.
Session 8: Rethinking Donor and Volunteer Surveys: From Design to Analysis
Description: A single survey is the most powerful tool a nonprofit can leverage to reach out to its past, present, and future supporters if designed and structured thoughtfully. Through such a survey, rich data could be collected for potential future engagement opportunities. So, join me in this Bootcamp to rethink designing and analyzing a donor and volunteer engagement survey. This session will include those basics of what it means to design an inclusive survey followed by a case study on leveraging your already available data for developing holistic next steps from this survey.
Learning outcomes:
Speaker Bio: Meena Das, Founder & Fundraising Analytics Consultant, NamasteData
Meenakshi (Meena) Das (she/her/hers) is a fundraising analytics and research specialist. She is the founder of NamasteData, a nonprofit consulting practice that aims to build inclusive and equitable research and analytics solutions. She specializes in designing survey-based research tools, analyzing relationship-based engagement, and conducting in-depth dashboard assessments. Meena appreciates spending her time outside work as a mentor to immigrant women and as a pro bono research advisor to small shops. Her two recent favorite projects are her Udemy course on “5 Essential Components of Inclusive Fundraising Analytics” and designing the second season of her podcast “Being and Unbeing an Immigrant” where she wants to bring together the families of immigrants left behind in the home country. Connect with Meena on LinkedIn.
Description: A single survey is the most powerful tool a nonprofit can leverage to reach out to its past, present, and future supporters if designed and structured thoughtfully. Through such a survey, rich data could be collected for potential future engagement opportunities. So, join me in this Bootcamp to rethink designing and analyzing a donor and volunteer engagement survey. This session will include those basics of what it means to design an inclusive survey followed by a case study on leveraging your already available data for developing holistic next steps from this survey.
Learning outcomes:
- Learn how to design an inclusive donor and volunteer engagement survey.
- Learn what are the steps to ensure a successful survey launch.
- Learn about developing strategies in analyzing the survey data with already available donor data in the database.
Speaker Bio: Meena Das, Founder & Fundraising Analytics Consultant, NamasteData
Meenakshi (Meena) Das (she/her/hers) is a fundraising analytics and research specialist. She is the founder of NamasteData, a nonprofit consulting practice that aims to build inclusive and equitable research and analytics solutions. She specializes in designing survey-based research tools, analyzing relationship-based engagement, and conducting in-depth dashboard assessments. Meena appreciates spending her time outside work as a mentor to immigrant women and as a pro bono research advisor to small shops. Her two recent favorite projects are her Udemy course on “5 Essential Components of Inclusive Fundraising Analytics” and designing the second season of her podcast “Being and Unbeing an Immigrant” where she wants to bring together the families of immigrants left behind in the home country. Connect with Meena on LinkedIn.
