Workshops & Events 2011

Co- Presenter with Naomi Levine
Webinar: The Art of the Ask: How to Be a Successful Fundraiser
George Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at New York University
December 14, 2011 
1:00 – 2:30pm

There is no more important function in fundraising and philanthropy than learning to “ask” for money. This is both an art and a science. This special webinar on December 14, 2011 from 1:00 – 2:30pm will cover every aspect involved in “the art of the ask” : Where the “ask” should take place; what the best approaches are in making an “ask” ; who should make the “ask” , the professional or volunteer; and how you handle the situation when the response is a “no” . The webinar will discuss how this relates to being an effective fundraiser.

Co-presenter 
Art of the Ask
George Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at New York University
Tuesday November 8, 2011
9:00am – 5:00pm
“The Art of the Ask, a full day of learning every aspect of fundraising can be an important part of a fundraiser's education,” said Naomi Levine, the principal presenter of this session. The full-day course covers: activity leading to the ask, prospect research, the ask meeting, handling objections, and closing the deal.

Presenter
10 Questions You May Have About High Value Prospect Research
(And Any Others That You Care to Ask!)
US Non-Profits for European Organizations
Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
American Patrons of Tate, 520 West 27 Street Unit 404, New York, NY

As you adjust to the new normal and a more thinly-staffed development department, researching donors and prospects is more important than ever in order to maximize your time and resources. 
Poonam Prasad, President of New York City-based consulting firm Prasad Consulting & Research, reveals the mysteries of expensive and similar-sounding online wealth identification databases, free websites, and other resources. Is Googling good enough or must you invest mega dollars to bring in major gifts in today's challenging environment?

Adjunct Assistant Professor
Course on Fundraising Research and Information Management
George H. Heyman, Jr. Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising, 
New York University, School of Continuing and Professional Studies
New York, NY
September 27 – October 25, 2011

To help your organization flourish, you need to know how to identify, research, cultivate, and track donors. During this course you will learn how to use free and cost-effective research tools to evaluate a prospect's ability and inclination to give; and how to store, retrieve, and disseminate information. Topics such as donor confidentiality and other ethical and legal issues will also be covered. You will also learn about prospecting for new donors. Basic skills in internet and MS Word, and a command of written English required.

Co-Presenter
Giving Institute Webinar
September 22, 2011
12noon – 1pm
International Rescue Committee's Freedom Fund: The Tale of the Ugly Duckling

Presenters:
Janet Harris, Chief Development Officer, California Academy of Sciences
Hugh Dwyer, Senior Director of External Relations Information and Operations, International Rescue Committee
Poonam Prasad, Founder and President, Prasad Consulting and Research
Janet Harris teamed up with Poonam Prasad when she conducted a feasibility study for IRC's Freedom Fund in 1999. They recommended against mounting a campaign because the organization's humanitarian mission seemed too remote for most donors to embrace and its fundraising function was too immature. Nevertheless, a $60 million campaign was launched the following year with Janet leading it from the staff side.
Not only did the campaign have to overcome the predicted obstacles, it was also forced to cope with losses in volunteer and staff leadership, September 11, the dot.com bubble and the current economic downturn. The campaign wrapped in December 2008 with $110 million raised. Come learn how to maximize the value of leaders and donors with differing styles, and how strategic investments in technology, research and branding can help your organization triumph over adversity and lay a strong foundation for a brighter future.
The webinar will be broadcast live from the Foundation Center in New York City. Hugh Dwyer and Poonam Prasad will be available to answer questions in person from 1:00pm-1:45pm at this location.

Click here to download the webinar [wmv file / 57 minutes / 77.6MB]

Research Track Chair
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Fund Raising Day in New York
The Marriott Marquis, New York, NY
Friday, June 10, 2011, 8:30am – 5:00pm
Co-Chair Julie Levine

8:45 – 10:00am
Samantha Cohen, Associate Director of Principal Giving, American Civil Liberties Union
Katherine Swank, J.D., Consultant, Target Analytics, a Blackbaud Company
Session Title: What Women Want: Understanding the Needs and Objectives of Women's Philanthropic Giving
Session Description: Women are increasingly impacting fundraising efforts, both charitable and political, and their objectives differ significantly from men's. They tend to seek new solutions and make different decisions in their financial planning. This session is appropriate for anyone that wants to understand how to engage women donors by changing the way you speak with them and by listening for their direction.
Take Aways:

• Identify the unique objectives of women's charitable and political philanthropy.

• Gather and use appropriate research tools that relate to your female prospect pool.

• Use prospect research to develop targeted cultivation and solicitation strategies for women donors for both current and planned gifts.

10:45 – 12noon
Marc Keller, Associate Director of Prospect Research, University of Pennsylvania
Kathleen Sanford, Prospect Researcher, University of Pennsylvania
John Zakrzewski, Prospect Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania
Session Title: International Prospect Research: Tools and Techniques
Session Description: The prospect pools of non-profit organizations, especially universities, have gone global, presenting a new challenge for researchers, since international and domestic prospect research have distinct differences. This advanced-skills presentation will discuss research strategies and resources for international prospects, focusing on the “Big Three”: UK, China, and India, but also discussing other countries, as well as ideas for proactive international research. 
Take Aways:

• Identify the major challenges of international prospect research

• Use free and paid resources to uncover information on international prospects

• Build a plan for proactive international prospect research

2:00 – 3:15pm 
Richard Naum, Vice President for Development, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Kate Chamberlin, Campaign Strategic Research Director, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Session Title: Applying Science to the Art: Analytics and Fundraising at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Session Description: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's development operation applies statistical models and analytical methods to strategic planning and prospect identification. The Center's Vice President for Development and their Director of Analytics will describe projects undertaken at all levels of the effort, with the goal of integrated, donor-centered management decision-making. This enables Sloan-Kettering to raise money more effectively, and more efficiently, even in difficult economic times
Take Aways:

• Applies predictive modeling results to identify major donors

• Implements controlled experiments and lifetime value calculations to evaluate donor pools

• Develops giving forecasts and monthly targets based on historical data

Speaker 
High Value Prospect Research
Association of Development Officers (ADO) Monthly Meeting
Sam's of Gedney Way, White Plains, NY
Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 12:00noon – 2:00pm

Click here to learn more about ADO

Presenter
Fundraising Environment Scan
Spring 2011 Board Retreat
New York Women's Foundation 
1 Metro Tech Center, 18th floor
Brooklyn, New York 11201
April 16, 2011

Click here to learn more about the New York Women's Foundation

Co-Presenter
“International Rescue Committee's Freedom Fund: The Tale of the Ugly Duckling”
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) 48th International Conference on Fundraising
McCormick Place Convention Center – Lakeside, Chicago, IL
Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 12:45 – 1:45pm

Presenters:
Janet Harris, Chief Development Officer, California Academy of Sciences
Hugh Dwyer, Senior Director of External Relations Information and Operations, International Rescue Committee
Poonam Prasad, Founder and President, Prasad Consulting and Research

Janet Harris teamed up with Poonam Prasad when she conducted a feasibility study for IRC's Freedom Fund in 1999. They recommended against mounting a campaign because the organization's humanitarian mission seemed too remote for most donors to embrace and its fundraising function was too immature. Nevertheless, a $60 million campaign was launched the following year with Janet leading it from the staff side.

Not only did the campaign have to overcome the predicted obstacles, it was also forced to cope with losses in volunteer and staff leadership, September 11, the dot.com bubble and the current economic downturn. The campaign wrapped in December 2008 with $110 million raised. Come learn how to maximize the value of leaders and donors with differing styles, and how strategic investments in technology, research and branding can help your organization triumph over adversity and lay a strong foundation for a brighter future.