WEBINAR SERIES 2015 | Giving Day Playbook

1. Giving Day Basics for Newcomers

2 p.m. E.T. Aug. 13, 2015

Giving Days are energizing events, but they take a lot of planning to pull off well. This webinar for Giving Day newbies will provide an overview of the main areas that every organizer must consider, such as campaign goals and structure, donor incentives, crisis planning, communications and measuring success. Three community foundations, from cities big and small, will discuss their approaches to conceptualizing and executing their campaigns. Participants will get insights of what it really takes to put on a Giving Day for the first time, and leave with valuable lessons that they can implement in their communities right away.

Audience: Community foundation staff new to Giving Days

Confirmed Speakers:

  • Mike Berkowitz, Third Plateau Social Impact Strategies
  • Courtney Bengtson, Wichita Community Foundation
  • Victoria Fear, The Miami Foundation
  • Barbara Fischer, Blue Grass Community Foundation
  • Anna Dilernia, Knight Foundation

An archive of this webinar is available: "7 tips for Giving Day newcomers" (8/17/2015)

2. Landing Corporate Sponsorships

2 p.m. E.T. Aug. 27, 2015

Even though Giving Days raise more and more funds for communities each year, the foundations that organize them continue to search for ways to make these campaigns financially self-sustaining. Corporate sponsorships can be an answer, offering local businesses a way to strengthen their brand and attract new customers, while providing Giving Day hosts with the support they need to operate. This webinar will cover the best practices and methods for researching, cultivating, landing and retaining corporate and business sponsors for Giving Days.

Audience: Experienced Giving Day staff from community foundations

Confirmed Speakers:

  • Shannon Doolittle, Fundraising + Donor Happiness Coach
  • Mari Ellen R. Loijens, Silicon Valley Community Foundation
  • Jessica Weare, Microsoft
  • Dana Rinderknecht, Community First Foundation
  • Lisa Adams, FirstBank
  • Anna Dilernia, Knight Foundation

An archive of this webinar is available: "How to land corporate sponsorships for Giving Days" (9/1/2015)

3. Building Your Foundation’s – and Your Giving Day’s – Brand

2 p.m. E.T. Sept. 17, 2015

Giving Days help community foundations raise their profile, and increase awareness of the valuable roles they play in their cities. However, many hosting foundations do not have a branding strategy that can help them capitalize on the added boost of an outward-facing, attention-generating Giving Day. This webinar will share best practices in crafting a brand strategy that takes advantages of the lift of a Giving Day yet benefits the community foundation year round.

Audience: Experienced Giving Day staff from community foundations

Speakers:

  • Sarah Durham, Big Duck
  • Anna Dilernia, Knight Foundation

An archive of this webinar is available: "Building your foundation’s - and your Giving Day’s – brand" (9/22/2015)

4. Reaching Diverse Donors

2 p.m. E.T. Oct. 15, 2015

While Giving Days are successful at bringing nonprofits new dollars and donors, the campaigns may not be attracting a diverse or representative set of participants, early research shows. Given the nature of Giving Days, there is great potential in using them as a platform for deepening and broadening giving in communities – even from people who don’t consider themselves philanthropists. This webinar will share expert advice from proven fundraising campaigns on how a foundation can truly democratize giving in their community.

Audience: Experienced Giving Day staff from community foundations

Confirmed Speakers:

  • Alexandra Aquino-Fike, Hispanics in Philanthropy
  • Priscilla Enriquez, Sacramento Region Community Foundation
  • Noelle Ito, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
  • Anna Dilernia, Knight Foundation