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10:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Registration

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Off-Site Visits
Registration is separate and limited; opening soon.

1. Ford NGL
   
2. Right to Read - University of TN Baseball Stadium
   

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4:15 - 4:45 PM

New Member/ 1^st Time Attendee Meet and Greet

5:00 - 5:30 PM

Regional Meet & Greet

5:45 - 6:00 PM

Travel to Stadium

6:00 - 8:00 PM

Opening Reception at Neyland Stadium - Home of University of Tennessee Football

8:15 – 8:40 AM

Welcome ft. Knoxville Mayor, Indya Kincannon

8:40 – 9:00 AM

CEFL Awards

9:00 – 10:00 AM

Keynote Session #1

The Generosity Crisis is Here
Presented by Brian Crimmins, MBA

This session will explore the current state of philanthropy and provide concrete evidence around the changing definition of generosity. You will also learn about the unprecedented competition for connection facing modern nonprofit organizations and why creating "radical connections" is critical to helping Foundation leaders deliver on their mission.

10:00 – 10:30 AM

Morning Refresher

10:30 – 11:30 AM

Breakout Sessions

Resource Development
Breakout Session 101 - How to Make Sure Your Donors "Get the Message"
Presented by Molly Servais, CEFL & Chrissie Wetherbee, CEFL

Effective messaging can be the difference between a good campaign and a great one. Learn from an education foundation how a unified, student-focused message can lead to year-round fundraising success. By keeping messaging consistent across all fundraising initiatives and events, consistent donor engagement, stronger relationships, and significant fundraising outcomes are achieved. In this session, you'll learn how to align your marketing and fundraising plans to ensure your board stays focused and on track. Discover how a well-crafted, consistent message can create lasting connections, keep your foundation top-of-mind, and drive ongoing success with your donors.

Programming
Breakout Session 102 - How to Determine What Projects to Fund
Presented by Mike Taylor, CFRE, CEFL & Kathryn Starke, MS

How do we as educational foundations help our schools move the needle to achieve their own goals? What strategies and techniques are most effective in helping our schools feel supported in working toward a shared and common goal? 

Attendees will learn how to successfully determine the best projects to financially support through a strategic educational audit. The session will also share examples of impactful literacy partnerships, how an education foundation can play a role an in supporting students in the implementation of quality literacy instruction and how your school community can collaborate to help students and teachers achieve academic success.

Collaboration
Breakout Session 103 - Creating Community-Based Systems to Scale Business-Education Partnerships That Impact All Students
Presented by Windy Clayton, Dr. Brad Corum, & Marc Hill 

Students thrive when learning is challenging, hands-on, and relevant to their future goals and aspirations. In this session, learn how Ford Next Generation Learning (FNGL), a national nonprofit, partners with Knox County and communities across the country to transform the school experience by creating strategic partnerships between school districts and community organizations that result in sustainable, shared ownership.

You will also learn how school districts and their community partners create locally based systems for scaling the number and scope of business-education partnerships focused on real-world learning experiences for students. Participants will discover how Knox County's "powerful partnership" system is supporting their commitment to guaranteed experiences for students in the career academy model, as well as how a powerful partnership system can be created and implemented in any community where the school district is committed to scaling the number and impact of business-education partnerships.

Learn from Nashville-based partnership experts, Alayna Cate (Director of Partnerships) and Mike Rossi (Director of Data and Outcomes), as they share strategies for building and sustaining community partnerships in public schools. PENCIL (Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership) has been fostering a collaborative ecosystem of partnerships since its inception in 1982. Now, 42 years later, PENCIL facilitates hundreds of school-community partnerships and millions of dollars’ worth of free school supplies for teachers each year. In this workshop, you will learn PENCIL’s Partnership Continuum, strategies for recruiting and sustaining partnerships, and how an intermediary organization like PENCIL can benefit your city.

11:30 – 11:45 AM

Break

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

Breakout Sessions

Resource Development
Breakout Session 201 - AI-Assisted Grant Writing - Turning Grants from Chore to Opportunity
Presented by Matt Leighty

This hands-on training session will equip education foundation professionals with practical skills to leverage AI tools in grant writing processes. Participants will explore cutting-edge AI applications designed to streamline research, enhance proposal drafting, and improve the overall quality of grant applications. The workshop will cover: Introduction to AI-powered grant writing tools, Strategies for AI-assisted proposal outlining and content generation, and Best practices for integrating AI outputs with human expertise. Through interactive demonstrations and guided exercises, attendees will gain confidence in utilizing AI to augment their grant writing capabilities. By the end of the session, participants will be able to implement AI tools to increase efficiency, improve proposal quality, and ultimately enhance their foundation's success rate in securing educational funding. This training offers a unique opportunity to stay ahead in the competitive world of grant acquisition.

 Organizational Leadership & Planning 
Breakout Session 202 - Triumphs, Trials and Tribulations: Insights from 27 Years of Local and Statewide Education Foundation Leadership   
Presented by Mary Chance & David Moore

Join Mary Chance as she reflects on 27 years in the education foundation field — 10 years leading a local foundation and 17 as CEO of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. In a “fireside chat” with colleague David Moore, Mary will share insight from the lessons learned as the executive who grew Florida state investment in education foundations from $1 to more than $20 million last year. Mary will share about factors that lead to successful growth and pitfalls that stymie foundations. Mary has seen CEOs come and go, governors change, trends and issues in education shift. She will share perspectives on the dance education foundations are engaged in. Participants will also walk away with fresh thinking on the value proposition of education foundations and new approaches for raising funds and friends no matter the context.

Programming
Breakout Session 203 - Youth Engagement: Top 10 Things Organizations Can Get Wrong About Meaningful Youth Engagement - and How To Get It Right!
Presented by Gail Rothman, CEFL & Rachel Alterman Wallack, MSW

So often, education foundations and districts support programming for youth without having direct input from youth themselves. This highly interactive session will focus on tactics and strategies to help you and your stakeholders engage with youth in ways that are meaningful, honor the lived experience of youth, and help adults with the tough job of power sharing. We will bust some of the go-to assumptions that adults make about working in partnership with youth and help you assess how your organization can meaningfully incorporate youth voice to inform your work and impact. Participants will identify their WHY of youth engagement and hear examples of how other organizations have (both successfully and unsuccessfully) approached this work.

Collaboration
Breakout Session 204 - Academies of Anchorage: A Case Study for Strategic Grant and Fundraising Strategies
Presented by Savannah Stamates, MSW

Facing a $120 million budget deficit, falling graduation rates, outward migration, and $1 billion in deferred maintenance costs, Anchorage School District boldly pursued discretionary funding to support the educational transformation in one of the largest and most diverse school districts in the country in 2023. But with discretionary funding and initial investments secured, how will the district expand and sustain the continued growth and costs of this transformation?

Key learning outcomes for attendees include:

1. Effective Grant Forecasting for Change Management across organizations
2. Strategies for Sustainability in Discretionary Grants
3. Managing Change in Divisive Environments

Attendee Value: Understand how to anticipate funding needs and align grant opportunities with long-term organizational goals, especially during transformative change.

12:45 – 1:45 PM

Lunch

1:45 – 2:45 PM

Roundtable Discussion & Networking

2:45 – 3:15 PM

Afternoon Refresher

3:15 – 4:15 PM

Breakout Sessions

Resource Development
Breakout Session 301 - Leveraging School District Career & Workforce Development Programs to Maximize Corporate Giving and Engagement 
Presented by Michael Wertz & Jay Shively

This presentation will discuss the opportunities made available to education foundations when they engage school district career and workforce development (CWD) faculty in conversations with local businesses. Additionally, these departments can often make meaningful introductions to local employers, vendors, and civic leaders who are connected to their programs. By inviting CWD staff into these conversations, education foundations can engage these businesses and leaders in topics such as advocacy/policy, programming, and philanthropy resulting in increased opportunities for students in CWD programs to engage directly with employers and for education foundations to increase their financial support from corporations. Attendees will hear examples of how this has been done in Henrico County and discuss ways that you can support and lift up the voices of this often-underrepresented group of students and faculty.

 Organizational Leadership & Planning 
Breakout Session 302 - Relaunch or Tune Up? Getting Your Foundation to the Next Level 
Presented by Gail Rothman, CEFL & Robin Callahan, CFRE, CEFL, CAP

Has your Foundation been doing the same things and getting the same results year after year? This interactive session will compare the approaches taken by several different foundations whose leadership found themselves stuck in one way or another. Sometimes, all that is needed is a specific tune-up in one or a few areas. Other situations may call for a more substantial organizational relaunch. In each case, you will learn steps and strategies that these foundations took to get unstuck, get re-energized and move forward with greater impact. Share where your foundation may be “stuck" - whether around resource development, organizational infrastructure or engagement goals - and gain practical strategies that will motivate you to get moving again.

Fundraising is no longer simple. The days of large, unrestricted donations are behind us; today’s donors demand professionalism, organization, and robust systems. For small organizations with limited resources, this can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to elevate your fundraising efforts, this workshop will equip you with essential tools and processes for excellent donor stewardship. We’ll share quick tips and tricks to save you time and reduce headaches in your fundraising journey!

Outcomes: Participants will understand the fundraising cycle and identify the tools and roles essential for success, including research, database management, case development, fundraising basics, record keeping, recognition, and stewardship.

Value: Gain a roadmap and practical ideas to build an effective fundraising office tailored to your organization’s needs.

4:15 – 5:00 PM

Free Time

8:30 – 8:45 AM

Welcome ft. Knox County Mayor, Glenn Jacobs

8:45 – 9:45 AM

Keynote Session #2

Dominate Your Day: Stop Being Busy and Leave Burnout Behind
Presented by Sarah Ohanesian

Here's the truth: You can be a hustler and still not be productive. Ouch, right? That's how I felt too when I realized that my proverbial hamster wheel wasn't getting me anywhere. As a busy-aholic turned productivity expert, I share my personal story of escaping the jaws of busyness and offer an unfiltered perspective on how to command the chaos and achieve a life of purpose-driven productivity. In this talk, I reveal the antidote to the busyness epidemic and equip audiences with tangible tools to prioritize purpose, enhance productivity, and regain balance in all areas of life - starting right now. With the job they have, the responsibilities they juggle, and the family they love. They can dominate their day.

Key Takeaways:

In this talk, audiences will...

• Understand how to shift from busy to productive.
• Discover compounding productivity.
• Unlock simple ways to accomplish more, make better and faster decisions, and increase productivity without burnout.
• Learn how to focus on the most impactful work every day.

9:45 – 10:15 AM

Morning Refresher

10:15 – 11:15 AM

Breakout Sessions

Imagine a program that not only addresses teacher shortages but inspires local youth to choose teaching as a career, keeping talent right here at home. Welcome to the Homegrown Teachers Initiative, a comprehensive, full-circle approach to nurturing future educators within our community. In this session, learn how to design and implement a program that begins by inspiring students in high school to consider teaching, supports them through college, and brings them back to the classroom as qualified professionals. We'll explore a proven strategy for building a robust pipeline of local talent, including financial support through scholarships, stipends, and mentorship opportunities. But we don't stop there—our program also addresses critical needs like affordable housing, ensuring that these new teachers can thrive in the community they serve. Join us to discover how your Foundation can create a powerful, sustainable impact by investing in the educators of tomorrow, right from your own backyard!

 Organizational Leadership & Planning 
Breakout Session 402 - From Boomers to Zoomers: Proven Tactics to Inspire Your Team as They Engage with Donors Across Generations
Presented by Emily Kelly

Have you ever wondered how your organization's fundraising efforts relate to your constituents from different generations? Odds are your Gen Z and Baby Boomer donors are learning about and engaging with your nonprofit in very different ways. Your organization's outreach should be optimized through a generational lens to ensure the right audience is being reached with the right message. In this session, you'll learn how to lead your development team to unlock hidden potential with your donors based on generational giving trends.

In Bloomerang's 2024 Generational Giving Report, over 1,000 donors of all ages were asked to tell us how they discover nonprofits to support, how they stay connected to those nonprofits, their fundraising event habits, donor retention preferences, and more! Join us for a deep dive into some of the report's findings, including tactics to inspire your team as they engage with donors across generations.

Learning objectives:

• Why do generational giving trends matter?
• A snapshot of each generation
• Key omni-generational takeaways to enable your team

Programming
Breakout Session 403 - Investing in Principals as the Lever for School Improvement
Presented by Amy Galloway & Jill Akin

This session will explore a pilot program between Knox Education Foundation, Knox County Schools, and PIVOT: School Improvement Leaders to support and develop principal skill set as a key lever to drive improvement in schools, especially in schools serving the highest need students. Learn about the impact of investing in building the knowledge, skills, and mindsets of principals so they can be empowered to make the improvements their schools need. We will discuss program design and partnership details, to ensure attendees walk away understanding the value of this work and the steps to take if they are interested in a similar initiative.

Collaboration
Breakout Session 404 - Discover Something Greater Than Yourself: Community Collaboration 
Presented by Nicole Anderson

School foundations serve the connection between the community and school districts. Over the past 10 years the CPS Foundation has successfully brought together local businesses and industry to develop and support career pathway programs, a child care center and next the district's special education teacher shortage.

11:15 – 11:30 AM

Break

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Breakout Sessions

Resource development can be a complex and crowded landscape. Individuals—staff and board members—who are compelling speakers with powerful stories can significantly enhance an organization’s success and inspire passion among all stakeholders. In this interactive workshop, participants will create impactful “I Stories” designed to captivate donors and stakeholders. We’ll also delve into the key components of a compelling case for support, with a focus on the unique nuances of public school foundations. By harnessing curiosity, integrity, and authenticity, organizations can engage key community audiences and turn under-informed leaders into activated problem solvers for critical missions.

Outcomes: Participants will leave with a solid draft of their case for support and additional tools to empower their boards in similar efforts.

Value: Stand out in a crowded marketplace by clearly articulating your mission amidst competing messages.

The Lynwood Partners Educational Foundation (LPEF), in collaboration with the Lynwood Unified School District (LUSD) and the Lynwood Alumni Association, has launched the Lynwood Alumni Center. This new initiative aims to support LUSD students and alumni with essential resources for academic, professional, and personal success. The center provides access to college scholarships, emergency grants, and professional development support for both current students and alumni. This investment is intended to contribute to the future success and well-being of the Lynwood alumni and student community.

Outcomes: The Alumni Center's goals include strengthening the alumni network, reducing barriers to higher education, and offering ongoing mentorship. Furthermore, the center hosts events such as the annual Alumni Awards Gala, which celebrates alumni achievements.

Value to Attendees: This session offers insights into establishing community partnerships, securing funding, and creating a lasting support system for alumni. These efforts aim to enhance student engagement and long-term success.

Programming
Breakout Session 503 - Beyond Listening to Youth Voice: From Ideas to Action
Presented by Copland Rudolph, MA & 6 students

While many organizations have rightly begun to recognize the critical importance of hearing from youth, ACSF would like to present our impactful model for moving beyond just listening to youth, to giving them the platform, professional development, and paycheck to make real change. ACSF believes that our organization is a conduit for student voice and leadership and we will present how youth leadership has transformed the ways our organization engages with our public education community. We will discuss the continuation and expansion of our interconnected student leadership opportunities, including DREAM Team High School Internship Program, Racial Equity Ambassador Program, and our student Board of Director positions. By integrating the lived experiences and expertise of our students, ACSF is effectively addressing the practices, biases, and environment of our public schools while building the capacity of our youth to act as leaders in our city and state.

• Hear, step-by-step, the amazing success story of how North Platte Public Schools Foundation has exceeded their Back to School Bash Change Wars team fundraising goals for the past 3 consecutive years, with eight schools participating, led by 84 team captains, generating hundreds of donations.
• Discover how your education foundation can leverage the power of Team Fundraising and engage your foundation's passionate supporters as team captains, team members, and fundraisers, to take your fundraising campaigns further by creating friendly competition and empowering collaborative fundraising to supercharge results.
• How technology advances and streamlines the fundraising process and provides an opportunity for alumni to participate no matter where they live.

12:30 – 1:30 PM

Lunch

1:30 – 2:30 PM

TED Talk Presentations

Public schools continue to be a focal point of scrutiny across the nation. Facing more challenges than ever and attacks on funding. Our purpose as school foundations is to help bridge the gap and provide support where federal, state and local funding falls short. Sharing the stories of the impact is an important piece of the puzzle.

Making Dollars Make Sense
Presented by Laura Hite, MA

This presentation will cover how to communicate complicated finances to your Board and staff so that stakeholders understand restricted and unrestricted income and expenses. Laura Hite will present how she reorganized CEF's annual budget so that it clearly delineates between restricted and unrestricted funds, and reflects organizational values and mission so that the reader understands why the funds are needed. Program income is aligned with mission pillars and is separated into restricted and unrestricted, offering more insight into where the money goes and why. Attendees should leave with ideas on how to adjust their own budgets to better communicate funding needs to their Boards, grantors, and other stakeholders.

Creating Clarity: Why Every Education Foundation Needs an MOU with Their School District
Presented by Robin Callahan, CFRE, CEFL, CAP

Education foundations play a pivotal role in supporting students and enhancing educational opportunities. However, without a clear Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the foundation and the school district, misaligned expectations and operational challenges can arise. This 10-minute TED-style talk will highlight the critical need for establishing an MOU to define roles, responsibilities, and areas of collaboration.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will learn the key elements that should be included in an effective MOU, such as governance, funding agreements, and communication protocols.

Value to Attendees:

By the end of this session, participants will understand how a well-structured MOU can strengthen their partnership with the district, increase impact, and provide a framework for long-term success. This talk will offer a concise road-map for education foundations to formalize their relationship with the school district, ultimately ensuring their efforts are aligned to best serve students and the community.

In my first year as an educational foundation leader, I confronted imposter syndrome until I began to understand and appreciate how my decades as an educator – a special education educator in particular – showed me that I had unique skills to power my leadership in the nonprofit sector.

Key Outcomes: Participants will learn how to lead while:

1. Saying No Nicely
2. Leveraging the Power of Policy and Documentation

Project Excellence: Transforming Futures Through Collaboration and Community
Presented by Dr. Kimberly R. Hill

Project Excellence is a collaborative community engagement initiative led by the University of Tennessee's College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS). It aims to empower Knoxville area high school students by providing early college access, leadership education, and holistic support for personal and academic growth. In this session, we will explore how collaborative partnerships have shaped Project Excellence, focusing on the role of community leaders, educational institutions, and university departments in fostering a transformative pre-college experience.

This presentation will provide insight into Project Excellence's structure, and detail how diverse partnerships have played a pivotal role in program success. Attendees will gain a deep understanding of collaborative community engagement, the value of integrating distinguished lecturers from the community, and the potential of university-community partnerships to make a positive impact on underserved students. Additionally, we'll discuss successes, lessons learned, and opportunities for future expansion.

Early childhood reading is vital as it helps children build fundamental literacy skills, language development, and creates an opportunity for children and parents to bond. The Dolly Parton Imagination library provides free age appropriate books to children ages 0 till they turn 5 working with local program partners. The journey to bring The Dolly Parton Imagination Library to a school distinct and a community will be discussed.

2:30 – 3:00 PM

Afternoon Refresher

3:00 – 4:00 PM

Breakout Sessions

Resource Development
Breakout Session 601 - Preparing for a Successful Campaign
Presented by Karin Cox, MFA

This session will dispel common myths and misunderstandings about ensuring a successful campaign. Success is not dependent on a nonprofit’s size nor the number of years since its founding. Despite conventional wisdom, the most compelling mission is not always the most supported. At the same time, achieving campaign success shouldn’t be a mystery. “I wonder if our campaign will be successful?” should be a non-starter. With the right preparation, research-based insights and a proven plan, success is assured. Whether a campaign is for infrastructure, programs, endowment or a combination of goals, nonprofits of all sizes and sectors can raising more money than they may ever have imagined. Strategic preparation makes all the difference, and this session will layout the plan in a way that not removes doubt, but builds confidence that the next extraordinarily successful campaign can be yours!

This session will explore the impact of Grow Your Own teacher apprenticeship programs by diving into the high return on investment for these programs. Presenters will share how a multifaceted approach to reducing programmatic cost, braiding available state and federal funds, and connecting with workforce development funding sources can produce low and no-cost pathways for hundreds of well-prepared educators. TN has registered more teacher apprentices than any other state, and after collecting input from over 300 stakeholders in the 2023-24 school year, we will share transparently about the strengths and complexities of the GYO teacher apprenticeship approach to solving educator workforce challenges with long term strategies and sustainable funding sources.

Programming
Breakout Session 603 - Funding What Matters: Aligning Grants With Educational Priorities
Presented by Katie Mixon, MEd & Dr. Maria Panizo

This session will provide an in-depth exploration of the Priority Based Grants (PBG) initiative of KEF. PBG are designed to support projects that accelerate student learning, address specific challenges, or promote innovative ideas, all while aligning closely with the four priority areas of Knox County Schools. 

During the session, we will explore the following key aspects:

• Alignment of Priorities and Outcomes: We will review how KEF ensures that the projects selected for funding align with both district priorities and desired academic outcomes.
• Grant Selection and Implementation Process: Participants will gain insight into the complete cycle of grant selection, from the initial call for proposals to the final implementation.
• Program Evaluation: We will discuss the importance of setting clear, measurable goals, metrics, and specific outcomes for each funded project.

Outcomes:

Learn a systematic approach to funding educational initiatives through a framework to understand the end-to-end process of selecting and implementing grants.

Programming
Breakout Session 604 - Next Gen STEM: Impactful & Innovative Programming
Presented by Ralph Hayes, CEFL & Josh Mahlik

Tired of boring "STEM In A Box" kits? This fast-paced, engaging session will cover a wide-variety of innovative STEM projects that will leave attendees with a menu of proven options. From finding adequate funding, aligning with district leadership & initiatives, implementation, tracking appropriate data, and storytelling your success, this is a one-stop-shop for Next Gen STEM! Education Foundations have a unique ability to infuse new and engaging learning. Many programs start as a pilot and grow, but being a part of that initial idea and experiment positions your foundation as a vital resource to your district and community. Need a great idea for a grant? This session has projects that are ripe for grant funding. From growing indoor dragon fruit to fueling heat lamps for baby chicks with solar, this session is sure to have ideas you haven't seen before. Solar - CHECK; Climate Change - CHECK; Childhood Nutrition - CHECK; Sustainable Food - CHECK; Programming that make a true impact for tomorrow - TODAY! This duo of instructors is sure to have participants chuckle with plenty of dad jokes and to leave with a hunger to push the boundaries for their educators, students, and communities.

4:00 – 5:30 PM

Free Time

5:30 – 6:30 PM

Closing Happy Hour at Marriott Art Exhibit