2026 Virginia Fund Raising Institute: Full Schedule

3:15pm EDT

Activating the Next Generation: Young Professional Boards as a Catalyst for Nonprofit Growth and Impact

Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm EDT

This workshop explores the strategic value of Young Professional (YP) Boards as a powerful tool for strengthening nonprofit engagement, donor cultivation, and Board and Committee pipelines. Participants will learn how YP Boards effectively engage the next generation of donors and advocates by aligning social impact with meaningful philanthropic involvement. The session will highlight proven strategies for cultivating young volunteers into committed, long-term supporters and future nonprofit leaders. Attendees will also examine best practices for transitioning YP Board members into governing board service. This workshop offers practical insights to build future-ready boards and donor pipelines.

Speakers

Kayla Smith

Senior Manager of Corporate Relations, Ronald McDonald House of Richmond

Kayla Smith is a nonprofit leader with a passion for community engagement, fundraising strategy, and donor relations in the Richmond region. As Senior Manager of Corporate Relations of Ronald McDonald House of Richmond, she leads initiatives that connect corporate partners with mission... Read More →

Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session I

Audience All
Area Board Relations/Engagement

4:30pm EDT

Coaching, Mentoring and Workplace Sponsorship: Building Sustainable Fundraising Careers

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT

TowneBank Room

Strong fundraising careers are built through relationships, guidance, and advocacy. This interactive breakout helps fundraising professionals understand the distinct roles of coaching, mentoring, and workplace sponsorship—and how each supports leadership growth, retention, and long-term success. Participants will gain practical strategies for finding the right support, strengthening professional relationships, and investing in the next generation of fundraisers.

Speakers

Ken Miller

President, Denali FSP Fundraising & Grant Consultants

Ken Miller, CFRE, is a best-selling author, dynamic speaker, and transformative business leader whose powerful life story continues to motivate professionals and communities across the country. As the author of Becoming Ken, he shares his riveting journey from addiction and adversity... Read More →

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session II

Audience All
Area Career Growth/HR

9:00am EDT

Strengthening Your Institutional Fundraising Strategy to Meet the Moment

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

TowneBank Room

Despite significant cuts to public funding, nonprofits continue to mobilize and provide critical community services. There are mission-aligned funding strategies for organizations to pursue, even in difficult times; particularly building meaningful partnerships with values-aligned corporations and foundations. Join this special session with VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment and CIMA Consulting to learn how to diversify your funding sources in ways that are right for your mission, capacity, and the moment.

Speakers

Rebecca Ellison

Director of Advancement, VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment

As the Director of Advancement at VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment, Rebecca Ellison leads efforts to secure resources to further the organization’s mission. Her team’s recent successes include completing a $5.5M capital campaign and increasing institutional fundraising by 10x... Read More →

Marlo Rowland

Senior Consultant, CIMA Consulting

Marlo Rowland, MSW has a decade of experience working with or in-house at 501(c)3 organizations across a diverse range of missions. They have previously worked as a Grant Writer & Manager, and are currently a Senior Development Consultant at CIMA Consulting where they support three... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session III

Audience All
Area Fdns/Corp/Grants

10:30am EDT

Values at Work: Lead from Your Center

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am EDT

TowneBank Room

Participants will be engaged in an interactive workshop to define their personal values and explore how it relates to their team, the university, and beyond. Exercises will navigate how to lead with your values in identifying personal goals, making decisions, and engaging with colleagues in the workplace.

Speakers

Mary Riddick

Senior Director of Development, Medical Philanthropy, VCU

Mary Riddick is a Senior Director of Medical Philanthropy for VCU and VCU Health Systems with over 16 years of advancement experience in nonprofit and higher education. Her career has focused on fostering philanthropic support, and she is passionate about empowering others to achieve... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session IV

Audience All
Area DEI/JEDI

1:00pm EDT

Authentic Leadership

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

TowneBank Room

In this transformative intensive, participants will dive deep into the principles of authentic leadership as inspired by Brené Brown’s groundbreaking research on vulnerability, courage, and human connection. This workshop is designed to challenge traditional leadership paradigms and empower participants to lead with genuine emotion, empathy, and personal integrity.

Speakers

Karen Price Owen

Executive and Life Coach, Karen Price Owen Coaching

With more than three decades of experience in marketing, leadership, and organizational management, Karen Price Owen brings a rare combination of corporate expertise and certified coaching practice to the professionals and organizations she works with.A trained executive coach grounded... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session V

Audience All
Area Career Growth/HR

2:15pm EDT

How to Create a Social Media Strategy for Small Shops

Thursday July 23, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm EDT

TowneBank Room

In a world where social media trends come and go in the blink of an eye, it’s crucial for nonprofits to adopt a long-term strategy to thrive in the ever-changing digital landscape. However, the third sector faces unique challenges in maintaining a long-term social media strategy that drives sustainable impact.
With practical tips and case studies, Julia will demonstrate how to effectively use social media to craft effective calls-to-action that convert fans and followers to donors and long-term supporters. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies, inspiration, and real-world examples of ways that even small nonprofits can market their mission and services on social media.

Speakers

Julia Campbell

Author and Speaker, J Campbell Social Marketing, LLC

Named as a top thought leader and one to follow by Forbes and LinkedIn for Nonprofits, and one of the 30 Nonprofit IT Influencers to Follow in 2025, is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to designing social media and storytelling strategies that help nonprofits share their mission... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session VI

Audience All
Area Development Operations

3:45pm EDT

Fostering Resilience in Times of Change

Thursday July 23, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT

TowneBank Room

In a world of non-stop change and many unknowns, how do we foster resilience in ourselves and in our teams? This lively and interactive session will look at the practical information that we can glean from the research and will include a self-assessment that may be useful to both you and your team. Participants will gain insight into their strengths and also for areas for growth. The facilitators will provide specific and easily implemented recommendations for enhancing your own resilience and the resilience of those around you.

Speakers

James Burke

Co-principal, TEO Consulting, LLC

James (Jim) Burke, PhD, has worked with numerous leaders as a coach, advisor, and confidant. He is an expert in the use of assessment tools to develop high performing leaders, teams, and organizations. Jim teaches and presents widely on a variety of topics including emotional intelligence... Read More →

Linda Pierce

Co-Principal, TEOconsulting.org

Linda Pierce, MBA, has worked in various business sectors including manufacturing, government, higher education, and not-for-profits. In these capacities, she has overhauled and managed the financial capital of organizations and led strategic and operational projects. Linda focuses... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session VII

Audience Mid Career
Area Career Growth/HR

11:00am EDT

From Scenario to Solutions: Navigating Changes in Development

Friday July 24, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT

TowneBank Room

Have you ever felt alone in development, wishing your executive director, development committee, or board were more involved in fundraising? This presentation is designed for development professionals looking to break out of silos and foster true collaboration. Through the power of analysis and scenario thinking, you’ll discover practical ways to engage leadership, present compelling data, and guide your organization from isolation to partnership. Together, you’ll move from analysis to actionable solutions, building a resilient, mission-driven fundraising strategy that everyone owns.

Speakers

Shannon Williams

Managing Partner, Armstrong McGuire

Shannon Williams serves as Managing Partner at Armstrong McGuire where she helps the team of advisors create winning strategies for their nonprofit partners.

Before joining Armstrong McGuire, she focused on both annual and capital development working with independent schools and human service organizations, including the YMCA of the Triangle—one of the top 5 YMCA’s in the country in terms of revenue. Throughout her career Shannon has... Read More →

Friday July 24, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
TowneBank Room

Workshop, Workshop Session VIII

Audience Mid Career
Area Board Relations/Engagement

3:15pm EDT

4:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

10:30am EDT

1:00pm EDT

2:15pm EDT

3:45pm EDT

11:00am EDT

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