In case you are a grantmaking group, there are extra causes than ever to be enthusiastic about this yr’s bbcon, occurring September 24-26, in Seattle. With devoted to the work you do as grantmakers (twice as many as final yr), plus additional networking alternatives to study from one another, you received’t wish to miss Blackbaud’s annual consumer convention. And did you see? The actor Sheryl Lee Ralph can be on the primary stage!
This yr’s bbcon has extra classes for grantmaking organizations than ever earlier than, that includes methods to enhance your utility course of, strengthen your information administration, and making ready your group for the long run. Here’s what you’ll be able to anticipate from the 2024 bbcon grantmaking lineup.
Optimize Your Utility Course of: Crafting a Seamless Expertise
You’ve in all probability heard that we launched our new fashionable applicant and grantee expertise this yr. Whether or not you’ve been updating your kinds or ready for the following grant cycle, now we have a number of classes that can assist you streamline your utility course of, saving time for each you and your candidates.
In his session, Change Up Your Questions: Exploring What You Ask Your Grantees and How, Marshall Ginn of Capital Philanthropy will present you how one can discover a stability between figuring out sufficient about a corporation and lowering the burden on potential grantees. Throughout the session, he’ll discover tips and filters you need to use to evaluate the questions you’re asking, how these questions are requested, and in what format. He’ll additionally aid you look at elements of your course of, together with website visits, grant stories, and decision-making conversations, to make sure that grantees are engaged equitably and respectfully.
Need a greater have a look at the brand new applicant expertise? There are two classes with Blackbaud consultants that can assist you dig into the brand new performance. Ryan Turner and Nick Mills will lead Enhance Effectivity with Conditional Logic in Blackbaud Grantmaking.
Utilizing conditional logic will scale back the variety of utility kinds it is advisable handle as a funder, whereas saving time for candidates.
Blackbaud College favorites, Chrissy Haskell and Henry Wiencek, will information attendees by means of the developments made to the Blackbaud Grantmaking On-line Utility software in 2024 of their session, Ideas from the Consultants. Henry and Chrissy will show constructing an applicant-friendly kind and share ideas to maintain your on-line utility administration processes organized.
Information Administration: The Key to Efficient Grantmaking
As a database supervisor, you recognize the significance of correct, well-organized information. You additionally know the way laborious it’s to keep up your correct, well-organized information when you may have a number of inputs and system roles. If good information governance will get you excited, or if you recognize your group may do higher however you don’t know the place to begin, listed below are just a few classes for you.
Blackbaud’s Rebecca Williams and Brenda Noiseux will lead Information Privateness in Grantmaking: Balancing Assortment and Retention the place they may aid you apply a knowledge privateness lens to the data you ask from grantees. This added layer of understanding may also help you streamline your information assortment, scale back the burden in your grantees, and aid you be a superb steward of their information.
Creating a robust due diligence course of may also help mitigate dangers and potential fraud. In her session Due Diligence in Grantmaking: Tips on how to Reduce Threat by means of Robust Inner Controls, Elizabeth Gousse Ballotte from PKF O’Connor Davies explains the perfect practices for choosing your grantees and establishing robust inner controls. She may also contact on making a whistleblower coverage and key recommendations on how one can deal with complaints.
It’s laborious to keep up correct information when your fundraising, fund accounting, and grantmaking techniques have duplicate information or monitor info otherwise. With so many wants, it may be laborious to know what information needs to be saved the place. Blackbaud Options Consultants Katherine Liles and Lauren Smithman will break down one resolution in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT + Blackbaud Monetary Edge NXT + Blackbaud Grantmaking: The Sum is Better Than the Components. With these three powerhouse options, you may have a whole organizational ecosystem. Katherine and Lauren will share how these items work collectively that can assist you elevate probably the most cash, make impactful granting and funding selections, and report the total influence again to your donors.
The Way forward for Grantmaking: An Thrilling Highway Forward
It’s an thrilling time to be a grantmaker. Not solely as a result of there are such a lot of methods to make an influence, but additionally as a result of know-how is making it simpler to grasp your neighborhood and meet them the place they’re.
Audrey Kidwell from the Middle for Catastrophe Philanthropy will share her expertise main change administration efforts at her group. In her session, Our Journey to Turn out to be Higher Grantmakers: Insights from the Middle for Catastrophe Philanthropy,
Audrey with discover how CDP explored constructing trusting relationships with grantee companions, narrowing the facility hole, contemplating fairness, establishing utility and reporting necessities that decrease burdens, and supporting native organizations working closest to disaster-affected populations.
It’s extra vital than ever to heart your grantmaking on equality and do it in an intentional and conscious method. In Operationalizing DEI in Grantmaking, guide Lekisha Middleton will lead an impactful session on embedding Variety, Fairness, and Inclusion (DEI) into grant-making practices because the authorized and societal panorama continues to shift globally. You’ll go away with a transparent understanding of DEI rules and sensible steps you’ll be able to take to operationalize these ideas inside your group.
AI continues to be a sizzling subject throughout philanthropy. Product Managers Brenda Noiseux and Meg Radman will share the developments they’re seeing with AI in philanthropy, Blackbaud’s strategy to incorporating reliable AI, and what’s on the horizon for brand new AI-enabled instruments in Blackbaud Grantmaking options. Take a look at their session, The Way forward for Grantmaking: Navigating AI Developments in Philanthropy.
All these nice classes have you ever prepared to speak by means of the probabilities along with your fellow grantmakers? Be a part of us for an unique Grantmakers Networking Breakfast the place you should have an opportunity to debate vital matters and developments affecting the grantmaking trade along with your friends.
Primary Stage Can’t Miss
Don’t overlook to have a look at classes outdoors of fund accounting for another improbable alternatives for studying and connection.
In case you are like most organizations, you—or your workers—have been incorporating AI-powered instruments into your day by day processes. And if you’re like most organizations, you’re questioning if you’re taking the suitable strategy to this new know-how. Holly Herbert, the Director of Information Intelligence for Blackbaud will discover methods to empower your staff to have interaction in Generative AI innovation safely and with intention. Her session, Amplifying Worker Impression By means of Generative AI, will aid you future proof your expertise whereas driving influence.
And undoubtedly don’t miss the primary stage dialog with Sheryl Lee Ralph. Sheryl stars as “Barbara” on ABC’s present smash hit Abbott Elementary, and she or he’s a passionate advocate for schooling. She is the founding director of DIVA (Divinely Impressed Victoriously Anointed) Basis 501(c)(3), created in reminiscence of the buddies she misplaced to HIV/AIDS.
Can’t Make It to Seattle? Be a part of Us Nearly!
Even for those who can’t make it to the Emerald Metropolis in individual, you’ll be able to nonetheless register for digital bbcon. You’ll get entry to numerous the good classes and studying alternatives. You possibly can study extra and register for each in-person and digital bbcon at https://www.bbconference.com/2024/.