We could come up with a million reasons you should attend RAISE this year. But that would take too long to read. So we whittled it down to nine. Which is a way more manageable length.
When we see you in September, let us know which is the one that convinced you!
So Many New People
We work hard (and for many, many months) to make sure that everything on the schedule at RAISE is top notch. But the truth is we can’t take any credit for the best part about it: Our attendees.
RAISE is full of ambitious, creative fundraisers who are writing the next chapter in the history of the industry. Somehow, they’re all incredibly nice, too. Every year we meet new people, learn about their unique approaches and leave inspired to try a bunch of new stuff or dig deeper to learn even more. But even better than that is hearing everyone’s excitement about connecting with people from the industry and learning from one another. It warms our little hearts.
Speakers
Some of those new people you meet will be take the stage to talk to the masses. We search high and low to find speakers who are setting the tone for their industry. Whether they’re sharing a fresh perspective, asking thought-provoking questions or challenging long-standing norms, we usually find ourselves thinking about presentations from people like X or Y for months after RAISE ends.
Brent’s Look
You can count on our CEO Brent taking the stage this year, as always. And you can count on him doing it in a look that’ll stand out.
Fresh Perspective
There are a ton of people redefining what it means to work in and excel at higher-ed fundraising. But we also think there’s so much to learn from leaders in for-profit businesses. So much of what they do can be applied to advancement. Keep an open mind and you never know where the idea that changes your career comes from.
Tracks!
For the first time ever, we’re offering a whole bunch of tracks to follow at RAISE. Whether it’s for the specific field of advancement you work in or an area your institution needs to explore, we wanted to make it easier for you to stay laser focused throughout the conference. In addition to the keynotes, you can now focus on Segmentation, Data and Analytics, or Pipeline for the Frontline.
Boston
Again, we’re biased. We’re proud to call Boston home and happy to talk about how great it is. You can walk pretty much everywhere. What will you encounter on your walks? History. Art. Food. Beer. Pretty stuff. Plus Fenway Park, where you can take in a game with the EverCrew the night before RAISE kicks off.
Big Ideas
We’ve never been able to get our hands on a crystal ball, but we invited a bunch of smart people to talk about where they see the industry going. There are a ton of signals that fundraising is fully in flux at the moment, and we want you to be out ahead of the curve.
Whether it’s how the industry as a whole is changing, what fundraising organizations should look like in five years or what strategies are going to dominate the industry in the future, we’ll be covering all of it so you can act with an eye on the future.
Stuff You Can Do Right Away
We love a lofty, pie-in-the-sky idea as much as the next guy. But if that’s all we ever had, not sure we’d actually get anything done. Turns out, bosses like it when you get stuff done. In addition to some dreams to strive for, you’ll leave RAISE with projects you can kick off right away or adjustments you can implement that will help kick start those lofty goals.
Fun
Maybe we’re adrenaline junkies, but no one wants to be talked at all day, which is why we work hard to make sure there’s a ton of energy throughout RAISE and plenty of chances for you to get involved and interact with the material and your fellow attendees. We’re also firm believers that a hard day of work deserves a couple drinks…and a dance party. But you won’t have to stick around for cocktail hour or the after party (or the after-after party) to have a good time. We make sure the excitement starts as soon as you walk in the door and lasts as long as you do.
