AGENDA
All session details & descriptions can be found on this page.
Agenda Overview
Session Descriptions
Session details will be added below as they are available. Click the + sign to view all details for a specific session.
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Location: TBA
Join NAM staff as we officially kick off Fundraising Palooza!9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Location: TBA
Session Description:
We'll journey through real-life examples of storytelling in action, demonstrating how compelling stories can inspire, engage, and mobilize support. We'll also tackle the ethical considerations crucial to crafting authentic and respectful stories that honor the experiences of those we serve.
Get ready to leave this session with a toolkit of actionable strategies that you can implement right away to foster a culture of storytelling within your organization. Whether you're new to storytelling or looking to refine your approach, Kiersten will set the stage for an inspiring conference experience. Together, let's turn your mission into a movement and make your good go further
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10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: TBA
Session Description:
Grantwriting is only sometimes writing. More often, it's a process of revision: pulling together mission statements, program descriptions, external research, your Executive Director’s copy, your Comms Manager’s copy, and whatever-the-program-lead-told-youlast-week and turning them into something that reads as a single cohesive document. This session will provide some tips and strategies that will help you, the primary custodian of that document, stay organized. We’ll discuss best practices for reading and rereading your applications, inspired in part by Rick Moody’s “A Guide to Revision,” and we’ll work on writing and revising to the question without getting stuck in the question.
Session Survey: Coming Soon!
Session Materials: Coming Soon!
Location: TBA
Session Description:
Most fundraising work focuses on the ask: the proposal, the meeting, the appeal, the campaign. But the conditions that determine whether those asks succeed are mostly built before the ask happens. Funders, major donors, and institutional partners are reading organizations long before they're reading proposals, and what they see has more to do with how the organization is led, governed, and run than with how well any single document is written. This session steps back from tactics to ask a more structural question: what does it actually take to build an organization worthy of philanthropic support, and what is the work of fundraising leadership inside that bigger picture? The session examines the signals that build funder and donor confidence over time, the patterns that quietly erode it, and the practical work of strengthening the conditions underneath fundraising rather than only the activities on top of it. Attendees will leave with a sharper internal lens, a clearer sense of where to invest their organization's limited capacity, and language for the strategic conversations this work requires with boards, leadership, and donors.
Session Survey: Coming Soon!
Session Materials: Coming Soon!
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: TBA
Session Description:
Grab your lunch and get settled before diving into Philanthro-Quiz, a fast-paced, interactive game that tests your fundraising knowledge using Kahoot! Compete with peers, learn new insights about donor trends and local philanthropy, and see if you can claim the title of Philanthro-Quiz Champion before wrapping up and heading into the afternoon sessions.
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12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location: TBA
Session Description:
Struggling to turn your program data into something stakeholders actually care about? This session shows how to move from scattered tracking to real-time fundraising intelligence.
Learn how WhyArts collects live data from staff in the field then transforms it into a dynamic dashboard that provides instant access to key metrics—participants served, workshops delivered, and populations reached. See how we apply simple economic measures like cost-per-participant and impact-per-dollar, along with geographic mapping, to clearly demonstrate value and equity.
Session Survey: Coming Soon!
Session Materials: Coming Soon!
Location: TBA
Session Description:
In small towns and rural communities, board members are often expected to help fundraise in ways that do not match their context, comfort, or relationships. This session offers a more practical approach by sharing 10 relationship-focused fundraising plays that board members can use to build connection, visibility, stewardship, and donor engagement without relying only on direct asks. Through a mix of presentation, group discussion, and hands-on demonstration, participants will explore what works in smaller communities and practice turning broad fundraising expectations into realistic board actions. Attendees will leave with practical ideas, sample language, and simple next steps they can adapt for their own organizations.
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1:30 PM - 1:45 PM
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM
Location: TBA
Session Description:
Building an effective donor engagement plan that works and scales results is crucial for successful fundraising efforts. Designing A Practical Framework for Donor Engagement and Growth dives into practical, real-world strategies and examples to help participants learn more about donor retention and engagement.
This interactive session will introduce prospect research tools, and attendees will explore how to evaluate and apply them effectively within their own organizations. Through guided exercises, case examples, and discussion, participants will learn how to segment donors, streamline stewardship, and build customizable engagement plans to increase donor retention. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with scalable systems and actionable tools designed to enhance donor relationships, improve efficiency, and drive stronger, more sustainable fundraising results.
Session Survey: Coming Soon!
Session Materials: Coming Soon!
Location: TBA
Session Description:
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are now a central—and often misunderstood—part of the charitable giving landscape. For nonprofit fundraisers, DAFs can sometimes feel like “mystery money,” creating confusion about donor intent, stewardship, compliance, and long-term relationship building. This session reframes DAFs not as a transactional hurdle, but as a relationship-driven philanthropic tool that nonprofits can engage strategically and confidently.
Drawing on real-world experience from the Omaha Community Foundation, this presentation provides a practical, nonprofit-focused overview of how DAFs work, why they matter, and how fundraisers can strengthen donor relationships even when gifts flow through intermediary accounts. Participants will gain clarity on the roles of donors, sponsoring organizations, and nonprofits, and walk away with concrete best practices for stewardship, communication, and compliance.
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2:45 PM - 3:00PM
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speaker TBA
Location: TBA
Session Description:
Session details coming soon!