Where the Future of Fundraising Takes Shape

Why This Conference Feels Like a Family Reunion

Everywhere I turn, there’s a flash of a familiar face — a former colleague, a client, a friend from a conference years ago. Lanyards sway as people lean in for hugs and laugh like no time has passed. This is the Bridge Conference, and this year it turned 20.

For me, the years I’ve attended the conference, the sessions and keynotes always deliver. But Bridge is as much a reunion as it is a conference. It’s where I reconnect with the people who’ve shaped my career and meet new ones who will be part of my professional story going forward.

If you’ve never been, Bridge is the premier gathering for fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, and the agencies and vendors who help them succeed. It’s where direct mail veterans swap notes with digital strategists, and where big-picture keynotes are balanced by deep-dive case studies. This year felt bigger, bolder, and more connected than ever.

From First Timers to Lifers

Over coffee breaks and hallway chats, I interviewed 15 people — a mix of first-time attendees and long-time regulars — about what Bridge means to them. A pattern emerged: almost everyone’s first year felt overwhelming, but the relationships they built kept them coming back.

Katy Jordan remembers that by her third year, she was making the kinds of connections that led to speaking opportunities and eventually a seat on the planning committee. Chrissy Hyre told me Bridge now puts more effort into welcoming first timers — a change that makes it easier to start conversations and feel part of the community right away. Her advice? “Be brave. Go up to people you don’t know and start talking.”

Where Careers Get Shaped

For some, a single invitation to Bridge has been career-shifting. Jessica Stober’s mentor brought her for the first time and set her on the path to serving on the YDMW advisory council. Jade Nguyen volunteered as a greeter in 2015 and ended up with a permanent sense of belonging to the Bridge community, as well as serving as president of the DMAW.

John Thompson, a 20-year attendee and this year's co-chair of the conference, ensures that his company sends 10 to 20 staff members each year, then has them host an internal “lunch and learns” so the whole team benefits from the insights gathered.

Learning, Adapting, and Staying Ahead

The conference isn’t just a social highlight; it’s a two-day master class on where fundraising is headed. Erik Tomalis uses the time to connect with vendors and track new technologies. Mary Getz has watched Bridge evolve from a direct-mail-heavy agenda to a fully omnichannel program.

Ben Childers loves that it “brings digital and non-digital closer together.” And Rebecca Shapalis appreciates that Bridge “does not rest on its laurels” — adding pre-conference tech sessions, affinity groups, and new content to reflect the reality of today’s fundraising world.

The Magic of Collaboration

What makes Bridge special is how seamlessly it blends nonprofits, agencies, and vendors. There’s no hard line between “us” and “them” — just a shared mission. I heard it over and over: people are generous with their time, willing to share results, and genuinely invested in helping each other succeed.

Polly Papsadore, a past co-chair, summed it up perfectly: “Everyone is trying to make the world a better place.” That spirit is everywhere — in the sessions, in the happy hours, even in the puppy lounge (yes, there’s a puppy lounge).

Leaving Tired… and Inspired

By the end of the conference, I was tired, my feet ached, and my head was buzzing with new ideas. But that’s Bridge. You leave tired, but you also leave re-energized.

As Rebecca Shapalis said, it’s a reminder of why we do this work. For me, it’s also a reunion — a chance to reconnect with people who’ve been part of my career story for years, and to welcome new faces into that circle.

Here’s to the next 20 years of Bridge — and to all the hugs, hallway conversations, and ideas that will keep us moving forward together.

 

Guest blog by: Ann Crowley, Director, Membership Marketing, National Wildlife Federation, DMAW Board of Directors

Ann has spent more than 30 years advancing nonprofit missions – over 25 of them at the Human Rights Campaign and now at the National Wildlife Federation. Her career has spanned every corner of fundraising, with a brief stop on the agency side adding perspective. Along the way, she's mentored countless fundraisers, embodying the Bridge spirit of turning colleagues into family.