Disclaimer: No AI agent was harmed in the making of this blog post. However, AI was used to check for typos and grammatical errors.

Conferences can feel like a firehose of information. That’s why I always give myself one goal: walk away with three or four actionable insights to make the investment of time and brainpower worth it. The 3rd Annual Nonprofit Fundraisers Symposium, hosted by DMAW and The Nonprofit Alliance, exceeded my expectations!

I had the chance to attend this year’s Symposium thanks to the Erica Waasdorp Scholarship, generously provided by DMAW, The Nonprofit Alliance, and Erica herself. Thank you for making this opportunity possible.

Beyond the sessions, some of the most valuable lessons came from tabletop conversations with fellow nonprofit leaders and agency representatives facing similar challenges. Here are the key takeaways that resonated with me, or as keynote speaker Professor Americus Reed would say: “You gotta catch this.” (And if he trademarked it, I'm just borrowing it out of deep respect... please don't sue me.)

You gotta catch this: Data is the new oil.

It's not about collecting a ton of data but refining it into actionable insights. Leading organizations are leveraging their data to inform decisions across fundraising, marketing, and donor engagement.

You gotta catch this: Brand building starts internally.

Your team (staff, board members, volunteers, etc.) embody your brand. If they don't internalize it, external messaging won't resonate. Internal alignment and clarity are foundational to building donor trust.

You gotta catch this: Authenticity is key. (ahem Target)

Whether it's your brand voice or personal interactions as a fundraiser, authenticity matters. People can discern when something feels genuine, and that authenticity fosters deeper connections. That kind of honesty builds trust and, more importantly, what Dr. Reed called “identity loyalty” which is when supporters don’t just like your brand, they see themselves in it.

You gotta catch this: Let your brand guide decisions.

Your brand encompasses more than just your logo and your brand color hex codes (most of you who work for small nonprofits probably have yours memorized); it should inform your choices. If an initiative doesn't align with your mission and values, it's okay to decline. Staying true to your brand ensures consistency and integrity.

You gotta catch this: AI agents are becoming integral.

AI is rapidly evolving, and we're seeing the emergence of AI-powered assistants that can handle tasks like drafting emails, analyzing donor data, and identifying trends. These tools are augmenting our capabilities, allowing us to focus more on strategic and relational aspects of fundraising.

You gotta catch this: Synthetic modeling is enhancing prospecting.

Organizations are beginning to use synthetic data (fake but smart data) to simulate donor behaviors, test campaign ideas, and improve targeting strategies. This approach offers a smarter, more efficient path to engaging potential donors, especially if you don’t have a dataset large enough to spot patterns or run meaningful tests. This was one of the tougher concepts for me (and many other attendees) to fully wrap our heads around. There were a lot of questions. At one point, moderator Justin McCord from RKD even joked, “Any questions? Unless they’re about synthetic data.”

I’d love to see DMAW offer a deeper dive or follow-up education on this topic. It's clearly emerging, and we’ll need more practical examples to help our sector understand how it could be applied.

You gotta catch this: Donor-centric cultures start with leadership.

Creating a donor-focused culture doesn't happen by chance. It requires leadership to set clear goals, maintain transparency, and ensure departmental alignment. When everyone is on the same page, donors experience a cohesive and meaningful engagement.

You gotta catch this: April is Sjögren’s Awareness Month!

Okay, this one didn’t come from the conference, but I couldn’t leave it out. I recently joined the Sjögren’s Foundation as Vice President of Marketing and Communications. We’re the only national nonprofit solely dedicated to Sjögren’s disease, a serious, systemic autoimmune condition that affects millions.

The Sjögren’s Foundation leads the way in raising awareness, supporting patients, educating healthcare professionals, and advancing critical research.

April was Sjögren’s Awareness Month, and we’re using this time to elevate patient stories and bring awareness to this often-misunderstood disease. Learn more at sjogrens.org/sjogrensmonth.