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UM and NYU Collaborate on Major Philanthropy Conference

Feb
25
9:00 am

The University of Miami and New York University have announced a unique partnership to bring experts from NYU’s nationally renowned philanthropy program to South Florida for a one-day conference for development professionals.

The Art of The Ask:  A Critical Component in Fundraising will feature faculty and authors from NYU’s Heyman Center, some of the foremost experts in their field, and will include a special welcome message from UM President Donna E. Shalala, who spearheaded UM’s record-breaking $1.4 billion Momentum campaign, which raised $1.4 billion.

The conference will take place on Friday, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UM’s Newman Alumni Center, 6200 San Amaro Drive, on the Coral Gables campus. The cost of the program is $290. For more information on the conference, please log on to philanthropy conference.

“The environment for fundraising is more difficult than it has been since the great depression, and this conference is geared towards helping development people succeed in the new realities we are facing,” said Naomi Levine, chair and executive director of the Heyman Center. By offering a philanthropy workshop, with a focus on The Art of The Ask, the program provides information on the key drivers that compel donors to give. Even seasoned fundraisers are often reluctant to make “the ask” and such training and re-focusing is critical.

Although many of the nation’s fundraisers are optimistic about the coming year, Giving USA reports that total charitable giving dropped 3.6 percent from 2008 to 2009, the steepest decline in current-dollar terms since the organization began reporting fundraising results in 1956.

The conference is especially notable for the talent and experience of the speakers who will participate. Key speakers will include Levine, chair and executive director of NYU’s Heyman Center, who led the university’s $2.5 billion campaign; Doug White, academic director of the Heyman Center and author of several books, including The Nonprofit Challenge; NYU faculty member Marian Stern, who will address “The Ask” meeting; and Laura Fredericks, author of the book The Ask, who will discuss negotiating and closing the deal.

“There is an unfortunate irony in this economy: At the time when nonprofit agencies and organization are needed the most in our community, their ability to raise essential funds faces more challenges than ever,” said President Shalala. “We want to help them find a solution, and this is an important opportunity for local nonprofit and developmental people to re-energize their fundraising efforts. We are proud to host this conference and hope that it can spark a higher level of success for these important organizations in our community.”

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