In an era where philanthropy is evolving rapidly, executives must equip themselves with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of engaging high net-worth individuals (HNWIs), wealth managers/family offices, family foundations, and impact investors. This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the modern fundraising landscape, emphasizing innovative strategies that resonate with today’s philanthropists. It will discuss:

  1. Understanding the Philanthropic Landscape
    • Philanthropy in 2025: Learn about the current state of the philanthropic sector and trends in philanthropy
    • Motivations of HNWIs: Gain insights into what drives wealthy individuals to give, including personal values, family legacy, and the desire to create social change
    • Family Foundations: Explore the dynamics of family foundations, including governance structures, decision-making processes, and the importance of aligning philanthropic efforts with family values
    • Incentives: How tax laws are changing impact investing and other forms of giving
  2. Building Effective Relationships:
    • Personalized Engagement: Learn strategies for crafting tailored communication plans with compelling narratives that align with HNWIs’ philanthropic goals and interests
    • Long-Term Relationship Cultivation: Discuss techniques for nurturing relationships over time, focusing on ongoing engagement rather than one-time donations
  3. Impact Investing:
    • Understanding Impact Investing: Defining impact investing and its relevance in today’s fundraising efforts; how these investments prioritize social or environmental impact alongside financial returns
    • Strategies for Engaging Impact Investors: Identify ways to present opportunities to potential impact investors, including project alignment with their values and clearly defined metrics for success
  4. Other Innovative Fundraising Strategies:
    • Leveraging Technology: Explore the role of digital tools and platforms in reaching HNWIs and family foundations; discuss how data can inform fundraising strategies and enhance donor engagement
    • Creating Unique Experiences: Develop ideas for experiential fundraising initiatives that connect donors with the mission in meaningful ways, including policy events, site visits to projects, or tailored volunteer opportunities

In this interactive workshop, participants will analyze successful fundraising campaigns that have effectively engaged HNWIs and family foundations. Discussions will highlight best practices and lessons learned. Participants also will have the opportunity to develop a message for a campaign to practice the skills.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Sarah Beth Lardie
Chief Development Officer
Social Current

The financial challenges of being a human service nonprofit in the U.S. come as no surprise to leaders in the field. (See Social Current’s 2018 report, A National Imperative: Joining Forces to Strengthen Human Services in America, for a refresher of the harrowing statistics.) Human service organizations scrape by on government contracts that, in many cases, fail to cover the direct cost of delivering the service, let alone the indirect costs required to run a high-quality organization. Staff at all levels are underpaid, which leads to burnout and turnover, and, in the, end the organization’s beneficiaries suffer.

This situation is not new. We at Bridgespan have seen it in hundreds of human service organizations that we have advised over the last 25 years. And it surely started long before that. So why does this persist? Why don’t human service organizations walk away from bad contracts? Our experience suggests that the biggest reason is a good one—the desire to help people in need. There is also a bit of inertia that factors in, as well as the desire to not lay off staff and not see the budget decrease, but the biggest reason is mission.

However, in recent years we have seen an increasing number of nonprofit leaders question whether continuing to execute government contracts is really the best way to advance their mission. These leaders have found it helpful to think about two different ways of achieving their mission—”serving” and “solving.” “Serving” refers to providing direct service, typically funded by government contracts, following program models prescribed by those contracts, and doing so within the financial resources those contracts provide. “Solving” refers to trying to change the status quo approaches to human services, often through innovation and advocating for systems change. While it might be tempting to say you want your organization to focus on “solving,” it is not an easy shift to make. There are valid reasons to continue “serving,” and ways to optimize it for impact and sustainability.

This session will explain the differences between “serving” and “solving” and share what it takes to do each well. Participants will leave with a framework they can apply to their organization, have a chance to reflect on their ambitions for their organization, and learn from examples of other organizations that have used this framework. In this interactive session, we hope to share what we have learned from our work and gather your feedback and learn from your experience navigating this dilemma.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Alex Neuhoff
Partner
The Bridgespan Group

Rohit Menezes
Partner
The Bridgespan Group

Data shows there are over 100,000 behavioral health provider organizations, with less than 20% connected to any state or national provider association. In an evolving landscape where behavioral health nonprofits face increasing challenges, mergers and acquisitions are emerging as a strategic pathway to protect Medicaid dollars and ensure sustainability and quality service delivery.

This session, led by the CEO of Consulting for Human Services, a specialist behavioral health consulting firm, aims to reframe the narrative around mergers and acquisitions, moving beyond the traditional perceptions of loss and toward a vision of growth and opportunity. The session will guide participants through the complexities of identifying potential mergers that align with their mission, recognizing bad actors that could derail the process, and the critical role of board alignment in navigating these waters successfully. This presentation will dissect real-world examples, provide actionable insights, and explore the strategic considerations necessary to make informed decisions that secure the future of nonprofit provider organizations.

Learning Objectives

Presenter

Stacy DiStefano
CEO
Consulting For Human Services, Inc (CFHS)

The human services sector is facing an existential crisis, with devastating funding cuts, regulatory uncertainty, and rising operational barriers threatening essential programs. Millions of individuals and families rely on these services, yet recent policy shifts have placed them at risk. This public policy briefing will dig into the most pressing challenges, their real-world impacts, and the urgent actions needed to protect the sector. Join Social Current’s Senior Director of Government Affairs Blair Abelle-Kiser, Ph.D., for a crucial discussion on navigating this turbulent landscape and mobilizing for change.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Blair Abelle-Kiser
Senior Director of Government Affairs
Social Current

Related COA Accreditation standards: Governance (GOV)

An effective board is a cornerstone of organizational success. By focusing on role clarity, strategic planning, and fostering a collaborative culture, leaders can unlock the full potential of their boards to drive impactful results.

This session will equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve these goals and elevate their governance practices. This session aims to provide board members, executives, and organizational leaders with actionable learnings and strategies to enhance board effectiveness.

Key themes include:

Role Clarity:

Strategic Direction:

Board Team and Culture:

Effective Meeting Practices:

Committees and Crisis Management:

Learning Objectives

Presenter

Christina Gullo
Owner/Partner
True North Executive Solutions