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Speaker

Better Practices: Applying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Principles to Fundraising Campaigns

At a time when nonprofit organizations need real innovation, better strategies, and new ideas in order to serve all constituents, applying better practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to fundraising and volunteer engagement is imperative. Yet too often, DEI discussions stall as conversations, and don’t move into meaningful action. Our Boards remain more homogenous than we’d like. We struggle to recruit diverse reunion volunteers, not to mention staff. We undervalue prospects’ capacity and miss out on transformational gifts and deeper relationships.

This presentation will explore how to apply DEI principles to increase stakeholder engagement to advance your organization’s impact – especially as it relates to campaigns. Participants will come away with practical guidance on how to move from awareness about DEI to action that yields results. It will look specifically at:

• Challenges that prospect researchers face with data and prospect identification.
• Meeting volunteers and donors from diverse backgrounds - where they are, and as they prefer.
• Stories from the field and the role that prospect researchers can play in adopting better, more inclusive practices and promoting cultural and operational shifts.

Angelique Grant, PhD.
Senior Consultant and Vice President, Aspen Leadership Group

Angelique Grant, Ph.D. is a senior consultant, vice president and certified diversity recruiter with Aspen Leadership Group (ALG). In addition to executive search, Dr. Grant provides counsel in diversity, equity and inclusion practices, fundraising, and nonprofit strategies with ALG. She is a certified unconscious bias trainer and facilitator, has been an active speaker for countless industry associations over the years, and has chaired and served as faculty for several conferences across the country. She is the co-author of the first comprehensive book on DEI in advancement, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Advancement: A Guide to Strengthening Engagement and Fundraising Through Inclusion (CASE 2020), with Ron Schiller.

Throughout her 27-year career, Dr. Grant has successfully managed teams to meet fundraising goals in several multi-million dollar campaigns, and two separate billion dollar campaigns. Previously, she served as an Assistant Vice President of Development and Assistant Dean of Medical Advancement, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University. Her extensive experience in higher education advancement has also included roles at Princeton University, Washington State University, and the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Grant is a proud Miami, Florida native. She is a Fulbright Scholar who holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration specializing in Institutional Advancement from Washington State University. She has a M.A. in Communication, specializing in Public Relations and Media Management from Washington State University, and a B.S. degree in Journalism from Florida A&M University.

She is the founder of the South Florida Network of Blacks in Philanthropy and serves on numerous boards, including Our Fund (LGBTQ) Community Foundation, the African American Development Officers (AADO) Network, and the Advisory Committee for Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC). She has been recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential and Prominent Black Women in South Florida by Success South Florida Magazine, a Lumina 10 in ICABA Honors South Florida 100 Most Accomplished Blacks Healthcare & Law, and selected as a Top Hat Woman of Achievement Award for Community Empowerment.

Prospect Management & Campaigns

Decipher the swirling clouds of an upcoming campaign, and learn a general overview of capital campaigns and best practices a prospect development office could and should be doing in their organization. This session focuses on strategic prospect management in the run up to a campaign, and to be prepared for the “storm” of the campaign ahead.

Jill Meister
Director of Prospect Management and Stewardship
King School

Open Discussion & Networking

Join your peers for small group discussions and networking.