8:00-8:30am

Registration and breakfast served
Skyline (33rd floor)

8:30-8:45am

Welcome and Introductions

Hosts: Brenda Asare, Chair, Giving Institute and President & CEO, Alford Group and Jim Bush, Giving Institute Program & Education Chair and CEO, Winkler Group

8:45-9:45am

Boot Camp Kickoff – Getting to Know You: Sharing Expertise, Interests, and Learning Goals
Hosted by a Giving Institute mentor, this roundtable-style meeting is designed to facilitate introductions and foster connections among attendees. You will be invited to share your background and areas of specialty and lessons learned in your consulting or technology roles. We also invite you to share some of the challenges you face in your role today so that you can connect with others who have similar experiences.

Facilitator: Lauren Haines, Lindauer

9:45-10:00am

Networking Break

10:00-11:15am

Data-Driven vs. Data-Informed Decision Making: A Panel Discussion
Data is a crucial part of our work. But just how much data should you rely on, and how do you ensure it works in the best interests of your clients and customers? The panel will discuss the differences in data-driven vs. Data-informed approaches, give their perspectives about how the use of data is changing, examine ethical considerations, and share what new technologies they’re seeing in today’s philanthropic landscape. Panelists will provide examples of how these approaches have been used effectively in their own work. This discussion will include participant Q & A.

Facilitator: Erik Tomalis, Virtuous

Panelists: 

• Laura Hutyra, M. Gale
• Stephen Ferrando, TrueSense
• Kate Kramer, Bloomerang

11:15-11:30am

Networking Break

11:30am-12:30pm

Affinity Group Launch
Join us for an engaging and interactive breakout session tailored to this distinct affinity group within our community: Early Career Professionals. 

This group is designed for emerging leaders eager to advance their careers. Discussions will center around navigating the early stages of your professional journey, building a strong network, and identifying opportunities for growth and development in a rapidly evolving industry. 

In this session, we will facilitate interactive, iterative small-group conversations where you contribute to meaningful conversations about philanthropy, the Giving Institute, and opportunities to strengthen your professional skillset. We will discuss the following questions.

• It’s five years from now. You are thriving in your career. What role has the Giving Institute played in helping you get there?
• How can we foster partnerships between consulting firms, nonprofits, and tech firms to create sustainable solutions?
• What are essential career skills you want to develop over the next year? What do you want to learn? Why?
• What are the best tools your firm provides for professional development today?
• What are the greatest challenges you are facing in your professional life today?
• Consider the work of the Generosity Commission report. How do we amplify generosity in the United States? How do we start this national conversation? What is your role in this movement?

In addition, we will focus on topics and challenges relevant to your professional journey, creating a supportive environment for networking, knowledge sharing, and skill-building.

Moderator: Summers Hammel, Consultant, Benefactor Group 

12:30-1:30pm

Lunch

1:30-3:15pm

Workshop: The Best Results Start with Great Discovery
The keys to any successful project are understanding the problem that needs to be solved and ensuring alignment on how to solve the problem. Project discovery is one of the most crucial elements of effective project management but is sometimes skipped or rushed due to pressure to deliver, the excitement of getting things started, or inexperience. In this hands-on workshop, Jim will share his experience and best practices for conducting a thorough and successful discovery phase.

Speaker: Jim Bush, Giving Institute Program & Education Chair and CEO, Winkler Group

3:15-3:30pm

Networking Break

3:30-4:30pm

Things You Wish You Knew: Lessons from the Field – a Panel Discussion

We were all new to the nonprofit sector once, and we were thankful to those who came before who could share the lessons they learned while serving clients and customers. Now is your chance to hear from some seasoned Giving Institute mentors who have years of experience serving clients and customers. This will be a question-and-answer session so please come prepared with topics you'd like to discuss.

Moderator: Matt Beem, Chairman and CEO, Kinetic

Panelists: 

• Sam Schlouch, Huron/GG&A 
• Brenda Asare, Alford Group
• Erik Tomalis, Virtuous
• Dan Gross, OneCause 

4:30-5:30pm

Lightning Rounds

Dive into five dynamic, high-energy presentations designed to ignite fresh ideas and stimulate lively discussion. Each speaker has just eight minutes to deliver impactful insights on pressing topics. The format emphasizes brevity and clarity, encouraging concise and powerful delivery. Expect to be inspired and challenged as you engage with a range of perspectives and thinking from Giving Institute mentors.

Lightning Round: Unlocking AI Potential: Building Your Team’s Custom ChatGPTImagine a ChatGPT tailored precisely to your team’s needs, workflows, and expertise. In just 10 minutes, this session will demystify the power of ChatGPT’s Team License, showcasing how teams can easily create custom, purpose-built AI assistants. From training to deployment, see how a personalized GPT can become a game-changer, elevating collaboration and productivity across your organization. 

Presented by: Lauren Sheehan, President, DonorPerfect 
 
Lightning Round: The Creative Equation: Crafting the Most Powerful Fundraising Message
Regardless of platform or channel, donors and potential donors require fundamental creative elements in mission messaging that appeal to both heart and head. Getting the balance right is dependent on many variables. This session takes a look at the universal creative ingredients that support campaign success. 

Presented by: John Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer, TrueSense Marketing

Lightning Round: The Essence of Building Strong Thought Partnerships
This presentation highlights the key qualities that make an outstanding thought partner and consultant. It offers a "Top 10 Characteristics" list, including essential traits like the ability to deeply understand clients, ask the right questions, and prioritize genuine value over merely measurable outcomes. Other critical aspects include reducing client workload, maintaining a high "say-do" ratio, and balancing candor with empathy. Additional insights came from top Giving Institute members that like stressing the importance of creating a safe, ego-free environment, acting with initiative, and celebrating achievements—both big and small. This talk will embody a forward-thinking, respectful approach to consulting, emphasizing adaptability, gratitude, and future-oriented actions rather than focusing on past criticisms. 

Presented by: Chad Paris, Principal, CEO, Parisleaf

Lightning Round: Establishing Trust with Clients
In this presentation, new consultants of all backgrounds and experience will gain practical insights into establishing trust with their clients – a crucial foundation for a successful partnership. This session will focus on building rapport and trust with clients by establishing oneself as an expert and leading with confidence. Whether you are an early-career professional or making the transition to consulting after a career as a practitioner, this session will help you deepen your client connections and drive meaningful impact. 

Presented by: Maureen Huminik, Vice President, Lindauer

Lightning Round: ESOP 

Presented by: Kate Roosevelt, Co-President, Campbell & Company 

5:30-5:45pm

Review of the Day, Next Steps

Host: Jim Bush, Giving Institute Program & Education Chair and CEO, Winkler Group

6:00-7:00 pm

Reception (Mentor Series Attendees, Speakers & All Giving Institute Members Welcome)
Reflect on the events of the day with your colleagues and catch up with your fellow members. All Giving Institute members are welcome to attend, whether you participated in the Mentor Series or not. Please purchase a ticket when you register.

8:00am

Registration and breakfast served
Skyline (33rd floor)

8:30-8:45am

Mind Spa

Dr. Gloria Chance

8:45-10:00am

Welcome by Brenda Asare, Giving Institute Chair

Advancing Shared Knowledge and Lasting Structures in Central and Eastern Europe

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has made significant progress in economic and social development. Yet, beneath this progress lies a landscape marked by significant challenges: cultural and political polarization, growing inequalities, and an unstable tax and legal environment. Three decades after transitioning from socialism to capitalism, philanthropy is not yet integral to the culture, behavior, and personal and business decision-making. 

Despite these challenges, the region holds a significant potential for transformational changes: 

1. With proper motivation, CEE citizens could double their giving – from 2.7 to 5.5 billion euros.
2.  Recent crises – COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine – laid good ground for changes; for 22% of CEE citizens, it was a breakthrough moment to start giving.
3. There is increasing willingness and external legal pressure, as most CEE countries are members of the European Union, which guides their social involvement. 

Our research has identified the growing financial independence of universities, institutes, think tanks, and nonprofits – currently heavily reliant on public funding – as one of five strategic interventions to foster a shift toward a more responsible and impact-oriented future for the region. Facilitating knowledge exchange on fundraising strategies between the U.S. and the CEE region, as well as building lasting structures – philanthropic advisors and development staff well-trained to work with capital owners and capital seekers, will enhance greater philanthropy in the region. 

Please join us in a discussion on enhancing shared knowledge and promoting philanthropy globally. 

Presented by: Anna Korzeniewska, Social Impact Alliance for Central & Eastern Europe, CEE Impact Foundation

10:00-10:30am

Break

10:30-11:15am

Roundtable Discussion # 1

Topics:

• Today’s Ethical Issues – Missy Gale
• Cultivation in Today’s Landscape – Sarah Clough
• Ensuring Data Security – Laureen Sheehan
• Managing Today’s Employees – Carla Willis
• Succession Planning – Rick Dunham
• Remaining DEIA - Dr. Gloria Chance
• Corporate Responsibility – Erik Tomalis
• All Things EOS - Jim Bush 

11:15am-12:00pm

Roundtable Discussion # 2

Topics:

• Today’s Ethical Issues – Missy Gale
• Cultivation in Today’s Landscape – Sarah Clough
• Ensuring Data Security – Laureen Sheehan
• Managing Today’s Employees – Carla Willis
• Succession Planning – Rick Dunham
• Reimaging DEIA - Dr. Gloria Chance
• Corporate Responsibility – Erik Tomalis
• All Things EOS - Jim Bush 

12:00-1:00pm

Lunch served

1:00-2:00pm

Building Support for Expanding the Charitable Deduction

Increasing the availability of the charitable contribution tax deduction is one of the Generosity Commission’s recommendations to reverse declines in giving and volunteering. As Congress tackles tax reform in 2025, the charitable and nonprofit community has a golden opportunity to make this recommendation a reality by working with lawmakers to restore and expand a charitable deduction for non-itemizers. Brian Flahaven, chair of the Charitable Giving Coalition and VP for Strategic Partnerships at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), will share the latest from Capitol Hill on prospects for expanding the deduction, how the coalition plans to approach the tax reform debate, and how the Giving Institute and its members can play a role in this important campaign to democratize giving.  

Speaker: Brian Flahaven, Chair of the Charitable Giving Coalition and VP for Strategic Partnerships, CASE

2:00-3:00pm

Clarity First—and Forever: It’s Time for Campaigns to Prioritize Message Over Mechanics

Your campaign’s pivotal question is not “how” or “how much.” It’s “why.” Yet campaign planning so often begins with fundraising capacity—staffing, database, priorities and goals—and leaves the campaign’s purpose as an afterthought. This approach risks disengagement from donors and volunteers who inevitably crave clarity and meaning. That’s why more institutions are using message development as the opening act of campaign planning – before the capacity study, before priority articulation, before feasibility testing. By putting messaging ahead of mechanics, campaigns more genuinely express institutional ambitions, inspire larger gifts, and equip ambassadors to speak fluently to individual donor interests. Join this session to explore how fusing strategy with storytelling can unlock deeper generosity and greater campaign success. 

Presented by Doug Diefenbach, Vice President, Strategy & Brand, Foster Avenue + Ovrture

3:00-3:15pm

Break

3:15-4:30pm

The Evolution of Generosity and The Giving Institute: A Panel Discussion

Join this panel discussion to explore how the Giving Institute’s long-standing leadership has helped shape philanthropy since its founding in 1935 as the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel. From establishing professional standards and ethical principles to commissioning the generosity commission’s work, the Institute has been at the forefront of philanthropic thought leadership. Together, we will explore how past successes and failures offer valuable insights into solving the generosity crisis we face today. The panel discussion will include an open Q&A.

Moderated by George C. Ruotolo, Jr., Chair & CEO, Ruotolo Associates

Panelists:

• Leo Arnault
• John Glier
• Hank Goldstein
• Del Martin
• Nancy Raybin

4:30-4:45pm

Wrap Up

6:30-9:00pm

Group Dinner Offsite – The Chicago Sports Museum & Harry Caray's 7th Inning Stretch, Water Tower

Please purchase a ticket during registration. Transportation will be provided to and from dinner.

8:00 am

Breakfast served
Skyline (33rd floor)

8:30-8:45am

Mind Spa

Dr. Gloria Chance

8:45-9:30am

Lightning Rounds

• ESOP - Kate Roosevelt, Co-President, Campbell & Company
• Unlocking AI Potential: Building Your Team’s Custom ChatGPT - Lauren Sheehan, President, DonorPerfect
• Quarterly Conversations – Jim Bush, Giving Institute Program & Education Chair and CEO,Winkler Group
• Takeaways & Ideas & Actions & Insights & You – Chad Paris, Principal, CEO, Parisleaf  Boot Camp Takeaways - Mentor Series Boot Camp Mentees 

9:30-10:00am

Break

10:00-11:00am

Giving USA Board Meeting

11:00am-12:00pm

Giving Institute Board Meeting