education sessions

More than 100 total educational sessions* are waiting for you at AFP ICON 2022. Whether you want to master leadership, relationship building, securing the gift, trends and innovation, or all of the above, AFP has the latest and greatest information to unlock your fundraising potential.

*Sessions and speakers subject to change.
*Session times, dates and assigned rooms subject to change.

Thank You To Our AFP ICON 2022 Education Track Sponsors!

  • Current & Prospective Donor Research (Sponsored by iWave)
  • Ethics, Accountability & Professionalism (Sponsored by RuffaloNL)
  • Healthcare (Sponsored by DonorSearch)
  • Leadership & Management (Sponsored by Lindauer)
  • Relationship Building (Sponsored by CharityEngine)
  • Securing the Gift Track (Sponsored by Charity Engine)
  • Volunteer Involvement (Sponsored by IATS Payments)

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Securing The Gift


May 02, 2022

9:00am - 10:15am

You Need a Killer Opening Act: The Role of Annual Fund In Major Giving

Major Gifts are essential to fundraising and campaign success. In addition to securing new donors and annual gifts, a successful Annual Fund will upgrade donors and build donor loyalty--developing major and planned gift prospects. In this session we will discuss how the Annual Fund can help increase Major Gift results.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
The session will begin with an Annual Fund quiz. Donor Management will contain an exercise for take-home portfolio management. Donor Messaging will include examples of direct response language: Savior Complex vs donor partnership. (Audience participaton) Donor Segmentation will include model report examples.


May 02, 2022

9:00am - 10:15am

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas: Fundraising Fails & How to Survive Them

Want to hear about our worst mistakes with major donors and we how survived them? Pull up a chair, we’re spilling the beans! These mistakes could save you millions.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
This will be a panel presentation with Cherian Koshy, Rachel Muir and Tammy Zonker sharing their biggest mistakes soliciting gifts. Audience members will be invited to share their fundraising failures in this tell-all session.


May 02, 2022

9:00am - 10:15am

Reinventing Capital Campaigns: How We Shortened Cultivation Time and Opened Ask Conversations on Zoom

Capital campaigns in the pandemic required a new focus on direct conversations with donors about gifts. You’ll discover how Angie Sledge, Chief Development Officer of Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, closed 6-figure gifts on Zoom, and how to apply these skills to close your own major gifts in the post-pandemic world.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
We'll set up audience members in 1-on-1 conversations to practice direct donor conversations together. The participants will get applied, practical training in conducting an Ask Conversation. Then we will have a group debrief sharing learnings. Should be a lot of fun!


May 02, 2022

10:45am - 12:00pm

Don’t lose $: Get the corporate and individual gift in just one ASK!

You strategize on how to get the corporate foundation/sponsorship gift but did you know that the person making that decision is and can be your next major donor? Follow these steps and learn how to get BOTH and leave the corporate decision maker incredibly happy AND actually thank YOU!

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
I present 12 minutes of content, then ask open ended questions for the audience to respond. When LIVE I am on the floor moving around the room for superior eye contact and I ALWAYS use humor. I mastered the balance of content and ?s from the audience for total engagement.


May 02, 2022

10:45am - 12:00pm

Winning fundraising campaigns that hit the fundraising jackpot

Hit the jackpot with eye-candy fundraising campaigns you’ll want to steal! See best-of examples from budgets large & small. Get inspired with real world examples, great content, unique thinking, risk-taking and delightful design across donor thank you’s, emails, websites, online advertising, donation pages, videos—and anything else that increases donations!

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
These two dynamic speakers lit up the virtual stage in 2020 with their drool-worthy session “Timesaving Tools to Rock Every Fundraiser’s World” . These two are known for collecting the best of fundraising ideas, campaigns and tools and sharing them to the delight of audience members.


May 02, 2022

12:00pm - 12:30pm

Mobile and mobile apps, get ready for a mobile-first and mobile-only world (Learning Lab)

Mobile has transformed society, allowing users to converse, work, and conduct business anywhere. With users spending more time than ever on the move and on their phones, traditional donor engagement becomes increasingly difficult. We explore these trends and discuss how donor engagement and fundraising strategies must adapt to a mobile-only world.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Introductory/Foundational


May 02, 2022

4:00pm - 5:15pm

Making the Ask- 20 decision scence tools to shape your solicitation

Making the Ask offers you 20 radical and flexible tools to solicit your next major gift in person, on the phone and even by email. Leave old school moves management techniques behind and learn to use the latest thinking in neuroscience in your fundraising.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Introductory/Foundational
The session is almost entirely interactive exploring the use of the 20 key tools organised under five broad headings- passion, proposal, preparation, persuasion, and persistence. there is significant pairs and small group work, underpinned by backgroud informations and science-based insights,


May 02, 2022

4:00pm - 5:15pm

Growing your Monthly Giving Program from Good to Great to Mighty!

If your organization has monthly donors, you will hear and see examples and best practices to make your monthly donor program even more powerful than ever before! If you’re looking to grow your monthly donor program through online and offline cultivation, engagement and retention, this session is for you.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
Engaging attendees’ inputs, there is strong involvement within the workshop format. Participants are encouraged to bring forth their own examples, questions and ideas. There will be exercises, question time, presentations and quizzes along with the participants’ experiences, all ready to test and implement in their organization immediately.


May 03, 2022

8:00am - 9:15am

The capital campaign case statement: friend or foe to equitable fundraising?

The case statement is a trusted capital campaign tool. As we evaluate fundraising practices through an antiracist and equity lens, the case statement offers an opportunity to challenge the status quo. The session explores how case statements often reinforce inequity, and how we can challenge ourselves to craft them differently.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Strategic
- Utilize poll and chat features to ask the audience questions and bring in their perspectives and experiences - Two-speaker format - Dedicated Q&A time


May 03, 2022

8:00am - 9:15am

Why Should I Give to You? 4 Keys to Answering Your Donors’ Most Fundamental Question

“Why should I give to you?” Your donors ask this question every time they consider giving. But most nonprofits are ill-equipped to answer it. In this session, you will discover how to use 4 tested and proven elements to explain why donors should give in each of your fundraising channels.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
This session has built in engagement activities including voting on which version of a landing page / ad / donation page will get more conversions, writing your own value proposition statement, and scoring your statement after being shown the 4 key elements.


May 03, 2022

10:15am - 11:30am

Building Sustainable Corporate Partnerships – Decoding the Real Value of Sponsorships

Institutions frequently do not understand the real value of sponsorships and, therefore, price them inaccurately. This session will present a valuation model that identifies the levers driving price and value. We will also examine how to build partnerships versus transactions and the growing impact of corporate social responsibility platforms– “philanthroships”.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
To build a connection with the audience and offer memorable content, I employ six strategies: plan the presentation from the audience’s perspective, use storytelling, be interactive (accept questions throughout), poll the audience/use live quizzes, employ an easy-to-follow structure/less is more in slides, and move off the stage when feasible


May 03, 2022

10:15am - 11:30am

10 Things Academics Know That Practitioners May Not

The world of academia can seem intimidating but the research being conducted on philanthropy around the globe is fascinating and vital for fundraising programs. This session will present 10 academic papers and deconstruct their findings to highlight how the research results can be integrated into your charity’s fundraising practice.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Strategic
The session will involve presenting the 10 research papers and then participants will have group discussions on the particular themes and how they can integrate the learnings into their fundraising practice.


May 03, 2022

12:15pm - 12:45pm

Top 10 Mailing Hacks for 2022 (Learning Lab)

Direct mail is all the same, right? It doesn’t have to be! There are simple but effective ways to increase awareness and response through direct mail – and we will share them with you! Discover the Top 10 Direct Mail Hacks for 2022 to make the most of your campaigns!

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Introductory/Foundational


May 03, 2022

1:15pm - 2:30pm

Inspired by MacKenzie Scott: What Fundraisers Need to Know to Raise Unrestricted Dollars

MacKenzie Scott’s donations brought new attention to the power and potential of “no strings attached” funding. Unrestricted donations can provide nonprofits with flexibility and security, yet the majority of contributions are restricted. Participants in this interactive session will build knowledge and develop skills for fundraising major unrestricted gifts.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
This interactive session will include small and large group discussions. Participants will practice the case for support for unrestricted gifts in writing and through a donor role play activity. The facilitators will draw on research about unrestricted gifts as well as participants’ experiences to shape the conversation.


May 03, 2022

1:15pm - 2:30pm

Optimizing the Digital Experience to Secure and Retain Donors

How diverse are your digital fundraising efforts? Data has shown a huge increase in online giving as well as the importance of an excellent user experience to secure the gift and retain donors. Learn how to build a data-driven strategy for coordinating and optimizing your digital donation efforts.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
Polling will be used as well as peer-to-peer learning models, specifically Learning Circles. Circle topics are suggested by participants and decided in real-time, and participants self-select the circle in which they want to participate to explore a particular aspect of digital fundraising with their peers.


May 03, 2022

1:15pm - 2:30pm

Getting Involved in the ACFRE Process

Are you interested in applying for the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive certification? This session will explain the ACFRE process and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions of ACFRE Certification Board members.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Introductory/Foundational
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May 03, 2022

3:00pm - 4:15pm

Do Good Donuts - How Social Enterprise Can Provide New Opportunities To Increase Impact

Social enterprise is not new idea. But it might offer your organization a new way to test new ideas, get closer to your benefactors, create greater impact, and generate income in the process. After launching spring of 2021 Do Good has raised and done more then we could have imagined!

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Strategic
Quick quizzes, a tips and tricks sheet and a facts sheet - no matter the location of the fundraiser this content will be relevant as we wont focus on the legal elements more on the fundamentals


May 03, 2022

3:00pm - 4:15pm

Flourishing with Funnels: Maximize Donor Acquisition and Retention to Raise More Online Revenue

Busy development teams often struggle to get their campaign emails sent on-time, much less planning for acquisition and retention. Learn how a utilizing a growth funnel framework with defined activities on a comprehensive user journey can help improve your results, grow your file, and make your campaigns truly flourish.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
Attendees will pair up and participate in a “build-a-campaign" activity in which they select one of their own campaigns, or practice with a pre-selected campaign, and identify the activities along each growth funnel level to create a comprehensive user journey and an overall integrated campaign strategy.


May 03, 2022

3:00pm - 4:15pm

Gender and Values in Direct Mail Solicitations: Research Sponsored by AFP Levis Fundraising Research Grant

Does it matter what values your letters incorporate? Does the gender of your donor affect what resonates? This presentation will help you understand how personal values and gendered preferences affect the effectiveness of appeals. This session reports on research funded by AFP’s Bill Levis Research Fund.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Strategic
Presenters will use Poll Everywhere technology to incorporate real time surveys, for example, polling about gender identification and personal values of audience members. After presenting the research findings, we will ask participants how they can incorporate the knowledge into practice. Answers can be displayed as word clouds using Mentimeter technology.


May 03, 2022

3:00pm - 4:15pm

Plant the seeds to grow a healthier donor pipeline

A healthy donor pipeline is the lifeblood of every organization. Learn moves management best practices to strengthen your donor base and bring home gift agreement language to increase unrestricted giving. This interactive session will help you deepen donor engagement and find new ways to grow revenue.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
The session has three sections: a presentation to set it up, reflection time, small group sharing, and a larger open share Presentation of topic 1 (5 min), Attendees write how they would implement (3 min), Share in small groups (10 min) *Repeat for topics 2/3, Close with open share time


May 04, 2022

8:00am - 9:15am

Endowing your community’s future: A successful approach to an unrestricted endowment campaign

Raising unrestricted dollars can be daunting. Imagine if you could execute a campaign to support your organizations greatest needs in perpetuity. The session will offer one example of how you can engage your community through unique giving channels and emotional marketing to forever support what your organization needs most.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
Offering marketing examples, real donor examples, video, gift options ( such as planned giving options and review of donor advised fund agreements and how they can be used to an organization's advantage).


May 04, 2022

8:00am - 9:15am

In a Nutshell: Get Your Complete Legacy Marketing Strategy Here!

You'll leave this session with a complete plan for the next year of your legacy fundraising program, along with insights on how to speak to donors about leaving a gift in their Will, and a bequest inspiration booklet which we will help you create.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
We will engage with the audience through questions and polls to help identify the key issues in legacy marketing; we will work in small groups to create our Bequest Inspiration Booklet; and we will welcome questions and anecdotes throughout.


May 04, 2022

10:00am - 10:30am

Shatter Fundraising Records with Your Next Virtual Event (Learning Lab)

Virtual events can be extremely effective and great sources of donations, but many nonprofits don't know how to do them effectively. In this webinar, you'll learn how to build community with connection-based activities that let your supporters get to know each other by donating to your cause. You'll come away with actionable ideas to improve your organization's fundraising results by adding radical interactivity to virtual events.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied


May 04, 2022

10:15am - 11:30am

Productive Events: Optimizing Your Nonprofit’s Events to Fuel Fundraising Growth

This workshop focuses on getting the most out of your organization's special events. It reviews the true purpose and ideal revenue model for events and how to make them even more worthwhile by converting event attendees to annual donors.

Education Track: Securing the Gift

Audience: Applied
This session will incorporate the following interactive elements: 1) An opportunity to engage with fellow participants in the beginning of the session through an audience engagement activity that reinforces session material; 2) An opportunity to change the course of the presentation through several pre-designed check points; 3) Post session Q&A.

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