Have you ever attended a conference you hated? Maybe two, or even three?
Those stilted speeches and uncomfortable icebreakers are a thing of the past. While we can’t get you that time back, we can get you to a worthwhile conference—starting with three upcoming conferences hosted by AmPhil partners that we know you won’t want to miss.
Conferences, good conferences, give industry leaders the chance to learn from one another about best practices, build meaningful in-person professional relationships, and have some good old-fashioned fun (no cheesy icebreakers allowed!). A truly great conference doesn’t just achieve these goals; it genuinely strengthens civil society—the mission that animates AmPhil and its partners.
Enough generalizing! Let’s hear about three inspiring conferences happening this fall in the worlds of fundraising, conservatism, and Christianity.
In September, one of AmPhil’s strategic partners, NextAfter, will host the NIO Summit, where fundraising professionals will dive deep into practical fundraising training. In between all of the in-depth training, there’ll be a ton of fun to be had. What exactly will be on offer?
In NextAfter’s own words: “At the NIO Summit, you’ll discover how to write better copy, design better landing pages, run more effective social campaigns, track and analyze results, and much more.”
You’ll even hear AmPhil’s Executive Partner and Chief Partnership Officer, Doug Schneider, give an incisive primer: Major Gifts Accelerated in 5 Simple Action Items. It’s sure to be a helping of wisdom you won’t want to pass up. Learn more and join the NIO Summit here.
As you traipse among the October leaves, you’ll happen upon a conference that’s more philosophical in nature: 'Living as Humans in a Machine Age', hosted by the Front Porch Republic in Madison, WI. Some of today’s foremost Christian, conservative thinkers will offer opinions and expertise sure to inspire enlightening conversations about what makes us human.
More details on this conference you can find on Front Porch Republic Conference page here.
Now, for the star of the show . . . this November, the Center for Civil Society will host its third Givers, Doers, & Thinkers conference: “The Rise of the Nones: How Declining Religious Affiliation is Changing Civil Society,” in Scottsdale, AZPhilanthropists, nonprofit leaders, scholars, and educators will discuss two (or more) vitally important questions: What does the current increase in irreligiosity mean for local charity, education, and other aspects of public life? What are philanthropists and nonprofit leaders doing—and what could they be doing—in response?
The center will kick things off in style with a welcome reception on the evening of November 7. The following day, attendees and panelists will engage over how to advance a robust vision for charitable giving that is grounded in the Judeo-Christian understanding of charity, to champion local giving, and share ideas on how to conserve the natural and cultural goods of our communities and our nation.
After attending this information-packed conference, you can return to your organization fully informed about recent trends and ready to ask the hard but necessary questions to improve your organization’s impact on civil society.
We know it’s hard to get away from daily work, but we recommend taking time out of your busy schedule to attend a conference like the ones above. Gatherings such as these are vital to gaining the knowledge necessary to strengthen your organization’s ability to fulfill its mission.
As we said earlier, good conferences give nonprofit and industry leaders that care about civil society what they need for their organizations, whether practical knowledge or philosophical insight. If you attend a well-run conference, you will grow with like-minded institutions and thought leaders of today. And that is what civil society needs.