Read what people are saying about the 2014 National Fundraising Conference:

"The MIE conference is a must attend. I have been going every year for ten years and I always learn new things. The presenters are interesting, know their subject and always have something new to offer."

"As someone new to the legal aid fundraising world, the information at the conference from both speakers and fellow attendees was invaluable."

"This was the best MIE Fundraising Conference ever! The venue, speakers and content were excellent. Looking forward to next year and learning even more about fundraising!"

"I cannot overstate the value of the formal and informal networking opportunities with peers. I continue to follow up with these folks for ideas and brain-storming after the conference, too. -- Andrea Kaufman, Director of Development, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid

"Excellent and engaging speakers, timely and practical suggestions. If you only attend one fund-raising conference this year, this should be that one." -- Dave Collins, Board Member, Prairie State Legal Services, Inc.

"I learned so very much in a short time at the MIE Fund-Raising conference. I left the conference with specific, concrete steps I can implement to dramatically improve our fund-raising efforts." --Steve Elliot Executive Director Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas

"The MIE Fundraising Conference was a valuable learning experience for me as a mid-level fundraiser. I gained so much that is directly useful for my current role, as well as for my ongoing career in development."

Join us for MIE’s Fundraising Conference, the one opportunity each year for those of us raising funds for legal aid to come together to fill our development toolbox with the skills, insight and inspiration we need to become more successful in today’s competitive fundraising environment. Plus, benefit from plenty of time for networking, and the opportunity to spend 30 Minutes with a Mentor.

THESE GREAT SESSIONS WILL ADD TO YOUR DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX:

Storytellers Make the Best Fundraisers

Do you ever feel frustrated by the lack of good stories in your organization? Do you wish the rest of the staff would do more to help you capture stories? Worry no more! Join nationally recognized fundraising storyteller, Kathy Swayze, to learn how stories can help you raise more money for your organization.

Stories inspire. And when donors are inspired, they are more likely to consider supporting your charity. In this session, you’ll learn how to find the best stories and shape them for your fundraising materials. We’ll cover great interview questions, the elements of a great story and how to create a storytelling culture in your organization.

Presenter: Kathy Swayze, CFRE

Kathy Swayze serves as President and Creative Director of Impact Communications, Inc. and is nationally recognized for her ability to bring the stories of nonprofit organizations to life. During her career, she has contributed to the fundraising success of more than 200 organizations, including the AARP Foundation, Greenpeace, Johns Hopkins University, Human Rights Watch, the Washington National Cathedral and many others. Ms. Swayze holds the CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive), is a Past President of the Washington, DC Metro Area Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and was named Washington DC’s 2012 Outstanding Professional Fundraiser. www.impactdc.com

How to Increase Giving from Lawyers

At our 2013 Conference, Celinda Lake, of Lake Research Partners, shared the results of the first research in a decade on how the general public feels about civil legal aid. After that well-received session, you told us how valuable it would be to have research specifically about lawyers and their understanding of and attitudes about giving to legal aid. The Public Welfare Foundation and Voices for Civil Justice have responded to this request, and Celinda will return to the 2014 Conference to share insights from this new research. Martha Bergmark will summarize the first year’s work of Voices for Civil Justice, as an introduction to the break-out session to follow.

Presenters: Celinda Lake, Lake Research Partners; Martha Bergmark, Voices for Civil Justice

Increasing Major Gifts - And Having Fun at the Same Time

Why is it many of us are comfortable asking for a law firm or corporate contribution, but we perspire when we think of asking individuals for money? Let’s change that. In this entertaining and interactive session, we’ll explore how you can build a major gift program – and enjoy the journey! We’ll talk about moving the prospect from awareness to emotional engagement, the art of a comfortable ask, and the support system you need to have in place. And we’ll even touch on getting your board involved in ways they enjoy and that help make your organization successful.

Presenter: Bill Bartolini, Ph.D., ACFRE holds the designation of Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE), the Association of Fundraising Professional's (AFP) certification for senior professionals. He has served on the international board of the 36,000-member AFP and is recognized as an AFP master teacher who presents annually at the AFP International Conference, Blackbaud Conference (BBCon), CASE Conferences, and other gatherings.

Bill is known as an entertaining and engaging professor at Columbia University where he taught the course "Major Gifts" in their Masters in Fundraising and Nonprofit Management.

Bill is currently Senior Advisor, Principal Gifts at The George Washington University, where he manages a portfolio of prospects capable of giving $1M or more. He has worked in fundraising at Kent State University, where he was on the senior team for their first comprehensive campaign, and Northeastern University, where he sparked the completion of a lagging $200 million campaign. He has also worked at the University of Illinois and several nonprofit organizations.

Bill received his undergraduate degree from Ball State University, his masters degree from Indiana University, and his Ph.D. from Kent State University, where his dissertation focused on what people think and feel when asked for a gift.

Looking at Access to Justice Community Collaborations from a Resource Development Perspective

Thirty states now have Access to Justice Commissions; several more will be added in 2014. Numerous states have combined legal community fundraising campaigns. Ideally, both are designed to get the most influential, high-level leaders deeply engaged in helping to increase and improve access to justice. We will look at these from a fundraiser’s perspective – how have these collaborations worked to increase funding, how can you influence any statewide collaboration in your state, and how do you best use your program’s fundraising time and resources to complement and expand the work being done by the statewide entity.

Presenters: Peter B. Edelman, Professor, Georgetown Law, and Chair, District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission, Washington, DC; Naria Santa Lucia, Director, LAW Fund, Seattle, Washington; Michelle Majors, Director of Development, Columbia Legal Services, Seattle, Washington; Eric Angel, Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC

Designing and Implementing a Campaign to Increase Visibility for Legal Aid

The staff of Voices for Civil Justice have been working since November on their mission – identifying good stories, pitching them to the media, and getting legal aid in front of the public. Using Celinda Lake’s research as a guide and working with public relations consultants BerlinRosen, they have coordinated with many of you to get the quality stories and data they need to make the best case for legal aid. In this interactive session, Martha will explain more about the Voices network and provide information about the updated communications toolkit, modeled after the work done by NLADA in 2001. It will be an opportunity to learn how you can be more involved in this project, to share ideas about great stories, and to discuss how to build state networks.

Presenter: Martha Bergmark, Executive Director, Voices for Civil Justice

Engaging Private Philanthropy

Mary McClymont, President, Public Welfare Foundation, and Sandy Ambrozy, Program Officer, Kresge Foundation, have been national champion voices for civil legal aid. They return to the conference to discuss their work to engage private philanthropy with legal aid and how we can build on their work to benefit our programs. This is a great opportunity to talk with foundation officers deeply committed to helping legal aid programs raise more money from foundations.

Presenters: Mary McClymont, President, Public Welfare Foundation; Sandy Ambrozy, Program Officer, Kresge Foundation; Jennifer Bentley, Attorney & Manager of Outreach and Development, Legal Services of South Central Michigan

Strengthening Board Participation in Fundraising

Organizations that maximize their philanthropic potential utilize their Board (and advisory committees) to partner with staff. Board members can play a variety of vital fundraising roles from ambassador and identifier to solicitor and steward. Often, however, they are reluctant to enter into the process. With a variety of tips and tools, this session will help you understand how to effectively partner with your Board members so you can motivate, engage and support them in successful fundraising.

Presenter: Pamela Clapp Larmee, CFRE, Principal, Strategic Philanthropy Services, LLC, www.strategicphilanthropyservices.com

Pam founded Strategic Philanthropy Services, LLC in 2006 to provide fundraising and strategic planning services to a range of local, national and international non-profit organizations. She has over two decades of experience in fundraising, board development, volunteer management and strategic planning. Her clients have included District of Columbia College Access Program, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, National Academy of Sciences, Washington Architectural Foundation and The Chronicle, the Independent Daily at Duke University. Previously, Pam served as the Associate Vice President of Medical Center Advancement at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She led the overall development and alumni relations efforts of the Medical Center, including the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the School of Public Health and Health Services. She also served as the Director of Principal Gifts at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC during their $301.5 million campaign. Earlier, Pam was a regional major and planned gift officer for the University of Michigan during their $1.4 billion campaign.

Pam is an active community member having served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Washington DC Chapter, as Education Co-Chair for the Bridge to Integrated Marketing and Fundraising Conference in 2013 and on the Board of Directors of Postpartum Support Virginia.

Using Powerful and Affordable Video to Tell Your Story

Whether your goals are fundraising, advocacy or imaging, video is the most powerful way to communicate your message. Producing quality video doesn’t need to be expensive to be effective. EMMY Award winning producer Gary Yordon's video messaging is changing the communications landscape for legal aid programs all across America. Gary will show you how to create impactful video and how to get your audience to see it without breaking your budget.

Presenter: Gary Yordon, Governance, Inc., Tallahassee, FL

Posting with Purpose: Using Social Media to Win Your Case

You’re established on social media. You have a strong fundraising plan. Now how can you make sure the two play well together? Join us to learn how to strategically incorporate social media in your fundraising plans. We’ll discuss building your audience, creating content and messages that work, what and how to measure results, and practical tips and tricks for success.

Presenters: Jeanne McCann, Director of New Media, The Hatcher Group; Debbie Stein, Vice President, The Hatcher Group

Jeanne McCann, director of new media, The Hatcher Group, oversees all new and social media at The Hatcher Group. She has created numerous social media campaigns focusing on issues ranging from child development and the environment, to asset poverty, the school-to-prison pipeline, and ways to strengthen working families, She is passionate about helping organizations use social media strategically. Jeanne has more than 25 years’ experience in communications, journalism and public affairs, including 13 years as the executive producer of Edweek.org, the online arm for Education Week newspaper. Jeanne also served as adjunct faculty at American University’s School of Communications, and has worked on numerous national and state public relations campaigns related to social issues such as mental health, organ donation and teen pregnancy prevention. Jeanne holds a Master of Arts degree in Journalism and Public Affairs and a Master of Social Work degree.

Debbie Stein, vice president, The Hatcher Group has more than 25 years of experience in policy analysis and advocacy on behalf of vulnerable children and families. At The Hatcher Group, Debbie has worked with the Carsey Institute, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Coalition on Human Needs, the Kellogg Foundation, the Mott Foundation, the Ms. Foundation, the Stoneman Foundation, and a number of state advocacy organizations. She provides policy insight, develops strategic communications plans and messaging advice, tracks federal and state policy developments, manages policy briefings and helps train state advocates. She has written policy briefs and legislative and press materials on children’s and economic issues. Prior to joining The Hatcher Group, Debbie worked with Voices for America’s Children, where she managed the organization’s policy work, educating policymakers about federal tax and budget issues affecting low-income families. She also trained a national network of child advocates to be more effective with state and federal policymakers on issues such as food stamps, early care and education, foster care, child health and welfare reform. Debbie previously worked for the Food Research and Action Center and for several national legal services organizations. She also spent six years at Brooklyn Legal Services, where she represented indigent clients in housing matters and in obtaining public assistance. She was co-president of the New York City Legal Services union local. A cum laude graduate of Princeton University, Debbie has a law degree from New York University.

Professional Development for Legal Aid Fundraisers: Investing in Your Most Valuable Resource

This session will explore an array of individual skill-development opportunities, from professional memberships to certifications, workshops and chapter meetings to seminars and webinars, and from coaching and mentorship to national conferences and online/on-the-shelf resources. Professional development doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming, but the payoff in networking, developing relationships, and working smarter to maximize revenue makes professional development a sound investment. We'll examine the prerequisites, the costs, the time commitment, and low-to-no-cost options from which you may choose that fit your level of experience to help hone your fundraising practice.

Presenter: Walt Gillette, ACFRE, Director of Development, WAMU 88.5 FM Public Radio

Since October 2002, Walt has served as the Director of Development for WAMU 88.5, the NPR news station in the greater Washington DC area…and the #1 FM radio station in the market.* The station’s diversified development program accounts for approximately 50% of the station’s annual operating budget. WAMU recently relocated to a new facility on Connecticut Avenue in the nation’s capital, and significant major gift fundraising has accelerated in recent months to fund the conversion of the building to create a media center and community resource.

He has enjoyed a 26-year career in public media, currently serving on the Greater Public [Media] Chief Development Officer Committee and on the NPR/major station [Fundraising] Collaboration Advisory Group. Serving as a philanthropic fundraising advisor for public media stations since early 2001, his previous employment in the system includes the Florida Public Broadcasting Service, the Friends of WLRN in South Florida, and WUWF in Pensacola/Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.

His fundraising career also includes work for the American Red Cross, the American Lung Association of Florida, and in Okinawa, Japan, the Department of Defense Overseas Shows program. Other employment includes operating a Zamboni Ice Resurfacer, teaching SCUBA as a PADI Open Water Instructor, and serving a tour as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Walt is an active volunteer leader within the profession. Prior Association of Fundraising Professionals service includes one term on the AFP International Board of Directors, Chair of the Education and Training Committee, Chair of the Quality Assurance Task Force, co-chair of the AFP Collegiate Chapter Task Force, two terms on the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Board of Trustees, three years as Chair of the AFP Foundation Donor Relations Committee, two years as Chair of the AFP Communications & Marketing Committee, and service on the AFP Leadership Academy Task Force.

He originally received his Certified Fund Raising Executive designation in 1995. In October 2008, he achieved certification as an Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive (ACFRE). Following the completion of the AFP Faculty Training Academy in 2002, he received the designation of AFP Master Teacher. Walt is a member of the AFP Washington DC Metro Chapter. In 2010, he was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors for America’s Charities/Community 1st.

Walt received the Public Radio Association of Development Officer’s Award as the Outstanding Public Radio Development Professional in July 2005, and was named the AFP (then NSFRE) West Florida Chapter's Outstanding Fund Raising Professional in 1998.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Maryland and a Master of Arts in Communication Arts from the University of West Florida.

Walt played trumpet and flugelhorn in the Maryland Community Band and served seven years as the first Chairman of the MCB Board of Directors. The Band traveled to China in June 2008, during which the band performed in Beijing and Shanghai as part of a Washington, DC musical salute to the Olympics.

*Washington, DC Metro, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Arbitron PPM, Monday-Sunday 6a-Mid, Persons 6+

New Federal Funding Opportunities for Legal Aid

The Department of Justice Access to Justice Initiative has been working for the past two years as staff to the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR). LAIR’s goal to better engage legal aid providers with federal agencies as grantees, sub-grantees and partners wherever doing so can improve outcomes for vulnerable populations, is leading to many new potential funding opportunities and new resources for legal aid programs. In this interactive session, led by DOJ’s Karen Lash and staff from legal aid programs that have successfully obtained some of these new funds, participants will provide information about federal funding opportunities and also discuss in more depth their experiences with the SSVF grants to serve veterans, reentry grants from the Department of Justice and Department of Labor and block grants to prevent homelessness and domestic violence.

Presenter: Karen A. Lash, Access to Justice Initiative, U.S. Department of Justice

How Do We Do It All (In a Shop that’s Small)?

How do you build and sustain a healthy comprehensive donor engagement program with limited staff resources? Unless you have magic wand, effective fundraising is often about knowing which balls to juggle and which plates to spin. You can raise money from grants, events, major donors and annual appeals while building a strong website, publishing a newsletter and growing your social media presence. Learn what is possible from a veteran “small shopper” who has raised money for a legal advocacy organization for more than 10 years. Discover how to set reasonable (reachable) goals with the resources you have. Take home practical ideas about how to create and implement effective development plans, recruit helpful help from program staff and board members, hire outside contractors when appropriate and analyze what is working well or not.

This interactive workshop is for those in organizations with 0 to 3 full time staff dedicated to raising funds from and communicating mission to the outside world.

Presenter: Jennifer K. Pelton, CFRE is the Director of Development for the Public Justice Center, a Maryland legal advocacy organization that seeks to eradicate poverty and discrimination. She has served the organization as Director of Development for more than 10 years, raising nearly $1.8 million each year in partnership with board, staff and volunteers. Jennifer’s nonprofit and fundraising management experience stretches back to 1992 and has largely focused on “doing lots with little for good causes.” As a graduate of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Faculty Training Academy and a veteran participant of professional development workshops, Jennifer strives to create interactive, interesting and helpful learning sessions. She earned the international credential Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) in 2006.

Looking at Access to Justice Community Collaborations from a Resource Development Perspective

Thirty states now have Access to Justice Commissions; several more will be added in 2014. Numerous states have combined legal community fundraising campaigns. Ideally, both are designed to get the most influential, high-level leaders deeply engaged in helping to increase and improve access to justice. We will look at these from a fundraiser’s perspective – how have these collaborations worked to increase funding, how can you influence any statewide collaboration in your state, and how do you best use your program’s fundraising time and resources to complement and expand the work being done by the statewide entity.

Presenters: Naria K. Santa Lucia, Director of Legal Aid for Washington Fund (LAW Fund) and the Endowment for Equal Justice

Decoding the Legal Landscape for New Legal Aid Fundraisers

Aimed at both new and experienced fundraisers that are new to legal aid fundraising, this session provide tips and “inside” information about the legal community landscape. For example - How are key legal organizations formatted (for example, associates vs. partners, etc., government entities, etc.)? How are budget decisions made at law firms, corporate counsel offices, etc.? What are key terms and the “lingo” that all fundraisers working in the legal “sphere” should realize and understand? Attendees will come away with a road map to successfully navigate the legal landscape.

Presenters: Andrea Kaufman, Director of Development, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and The Fund for Legal Aid; Naria K. Santa Lucia, Director of Legal Aid for Washington Fund (LAW Fund) and the Endowment for Equal Justice; Courtney Simms, Director of Development at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

Non-Lawyer Donors? You May Be Surprised at How Much They Give and Where They Live

Big money is being raised from non-lawyers by legal services programs in small cities and rural communities, as well as in big cities. Hear from your colleagues about the techniques they are successfully using to raise significant amounts of money from non-attorneys.

Presenters: Jack Ward, Associate Director, Finance and Development, Greater Boston Legal Services; Jim Barrett, Executive Director, Pisgah Legal Services

The Missing Donors — Too Many Are Lawyers!

Are there attorneys you are not asking for money? This session will focus on how to get more attorney donors through targeting drives focused on specific groups. Panel members will discuss the successful approaches including: Associate Fund Drives; In-house Counsel Drives; Plaintiff attorneys; and Attorney Board Members, as well as outreach to law firm partners.

Presenter: Jack Ward, Associate Director, Finance and Development, Greater Boston Legal Services; Naria K. Santa Lucia, Director of Legal Aid for Washington Fund (LAW Fund) and the Endowment for Equal Justice; Thuy-Tu Tran, Senior Development Associate, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbus; Zoe Cronin, Greater Boston Legal Services

Big Money, Big Changes — Law Firms and Corporate Legal Department Giving

This session will cover the fundamentals for sustaining a successful fundraising effort from Law Firms and Corporate Legal Departments during this time of significant change in both of these environments.

Presenters: Jack Ward, Associate Director, Finance and Development, Greater Boston Legal Services; Holly Puckett, Assistant Director, Campaign for Equal Justice, Portland, OR; Juliette Holmes Smith, Pine Tree Legal Aid; Kathie Battle Sayles, Director of Development, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services

The Magical World of Planned Giving

The aging of the U.S. population, increasing personal wealth, and incentives provided in the tax code are combining to create what some experts are calling “a golden age of philanthropy.” Once only a strategy employed by universities and other large institutions, planned giving is increasingly an important source of support for nonprofit organizations of all sizes and types. Michael Worth’s presentation provides an introductory overview of the techniques of planned giving and ways to use them to help individual donors in various financial and life situations maximize their giving.

Presenter: Michael J. Worth is Professor of Nonprofit Management in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, where he teaches graduate courses on governing and managing nonprofit organizations and on fundraising and philanthropy. He is also Principal in Michael J. Worth & Associates, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that serves education, national institutions and associations, and nonprofit organizations.

Dr. Worth served as Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs at The George Washington University for eighteen years. He previously served as Director of Development at the University of Maryland College Park. Earlier in his career, he was Assistant to the President at Wilkes University and Director of Development at DeSales University, both in Pennsylvania. At GW, he planned and directed two major campaigns and provided support to the Board of Trustees for board development programs.

He has written or edited well-known books on fundraising, nonprofit management, and governing boards, including New Strategies for Educational Fund Raising (2002), Leading the Campaign (2010), and Foundations for the Future (2012). He is the author of the widely-adopted textbook Nonprofit Management: Principles and Practice, currently in its third edition.

Dr. Worth has been active in the Washington, DC nonprofit community, having served as a member of the Board of Directors of Miriam's Kitchen, an organization providing services to homeless individuals, and for four years as a member of the selection committee for the Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management. He is a member of the advisory board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, DC Chapter.

He holds a B.A. in economics from Wilkes College, an M.A. in economics from The American University, and a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Maryland.

Strategic Planning for Fundraising

Presenter: Jennifer K. Pelton, CFRE is the Director of Development for the Public Justice Center, a Maryland legal advocacy organization that seeks to eradicate poverty and discrimination. She has served the organization as Director of Development for more than 10 years, raising nearly $1.8 million each year in partnership with board, staff and volunteers. Jennifer’s nonprofit and fundraising management experience stretches back to 1992 and has largely focused on “doing lots with little for good causes.” As a graduate of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Faculty Training Academy and a veteran participant of professional development workshops, Jennifer strives to create interactive, interesting and helpful learning sessions. She earned the international credential Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) in 2006.

Fundraising Ethics: What Every Legal Aid Development Professional Needs to Know About Building and Sustaining the Public's Trust

People give to people, and often we find ourselves having to walk a thin line between an organization's strategic priority, what is in the best interest of the nonprofit, and how donors intend to make their contributions to address your priorities. In ethical fundraising, decisions are seldom black or white, and are most often "grey" issues with which your organization should be ready to deal. In this session, participants are invited to engage in a dialogue on ethical fundraising challenges and how to handle them. The session will examine how ethical fundraising practice builds the public's trust, provide a brief overview of select AFP Ethics Standards, and address a case study that demonstrates a few of the complex problems, hard choices, and uncertain outcomes that ethical fund-raisers may face.