The Grantmaker’s Guide to bbcon 2024

If you are a grantmaking organization, there are more reasons than ever to be excited about this year's bbcon, happening September 24-26, in Seattle. With 11 sessionsdedicated to the work you do as grantmakers (twice as many as last year), plus extra networking opportunities to learn from each other, you won't want to miss Blackbaud's annual user conference. And did you see? The actor Sheryl Lee Ralph will be on the main stage!

This year's bbcon has more sessions for grantmaking organizations than ever before, featuring ways to improve your application process, strengthen your data management, and preparing your organization for the future. Here is what you can expect from the 2024 bbcon grantmaking lineup.

Optimize Your Application Process: Crafting a Seamless Experience

You've probably heard that we launched our new modern applicant and grantee experience this year. Whether you've been updating your forms or waiting for the next grant cycle, we have several sessions to help you streamline your application process, saving time for both you and your applicants.

In his session, Change Up Your Questions: Exploring What You Ask Your Grantees and How, Marshall Ginn of Capital Philanthropy will show you how to find a balance between knowing enough about an organization and reducing the burden on potential grantees. During the session, he will explore guidelines and filters you can use to assess the questions you're asking, how those questions are asked, and in what format. He'll also help you examine components of your process, including site visits, grant reports, and decision-making conversations, to ensure that grantees are engaged equitably and respectfully.

Want a better look at the new applicant experience? There are two sessions with Blackbaud experts to help you dig into the new functionality. Ryan Turner and Nick Mills will lead Boost Efficiency with Conditional Logic in Blackbaud Grantmaking.

Using conditional logic will reduce the number of application forms you need to manage as a funder, while saving time for applicants.

Blackbaud University favorites, Chrissy Haskell and Henry Wiencek, will guide attendees through the advancements made to the Blackbaud Grantmaking Online Application tool in 2024 in their session, Tips from the Experts. Henry and Chrissy will demonstrate building an applicant-friendly form and share suggestions to keep your online application management processes organized.

Data Management: The Key to Effective Grantmaking

As a database manager, you know the importance of accurate, well-organized data. You also know how hard it is to maintain your accurate, well-organized data when you have multiple inputs and system roles. If good data governance gets you excited, or if you know your organization could do better but you don't know where to start, here are a few sessions for you.

Blackbaud's Rebecca Williams and Brenda Noiseux will lead Data Privacy in Grantmaking: Balancing Collection and Retention where they will help you apply a data privacy lens to the information you ask from grantees. This added layer of understanding can help you streamline your data collection, reduce the burden on your grantees, and help you be a good steward of their data.

Creating a strong due diligence process can help mitigate risks and potential fraud. In her session Due Diligence in Grantmaking: How to Minimize Risk through Strong Internal Controls, Elizabeth Gousse Ballotte from PKF O'Connor Davies explains the best practices for selecting your grantees and establishing strong internal controls. She will also touch on creating a whistleblower policy and key tips on how to handle complaints.

It's hard to maintain accurate data when your fundraising, fund accounting, and grantmaking systems have duplicate data or track information differently. With so many needs, it can be hard to know what data should be stored where. Blackbaud Solutions Consultants Katherine Liles and Lauren Smithman will break down one solution in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT + Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT + Blackbaud Grantmaking: The Sum is Greater Than the Parts. With these three powerhouse solutions, you have a complete organizational ecosystem. Katherine and Lauren will share how these pieces work together to help you raise the most money, make impactful granting and funding decisions, and report the full impact back to your donors.

The Future of Grantmaking: An Exciting Road Ahead

It's an exciting time to be a grantmaker. Not only because there are so many ways to make an impact, but also because technology is making it easier to understand your community and meet them where they are.

Audrey Kidwell from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy will share her experience leading change management efforts at her organization. In her session, Our Journey to Become Better Grantmakers: Insights from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy,

Audrey with explore how CDP explored building trusting relationships with grantee partners, narrowing the power gap, considering equity, establishing application and reporting requirements that minimize burdens, and supporting local organizations working closest to disaster-affected populations.

It's more important than ever to center your grantmaking on equality and do it in an intentional and mindful way. In Operationalizing DEI in Grantmaking, consultant Lekisha Middleton will lead an impactful session on embedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into grant-making practices as the legal and societal landscape continues to shift globally. You will leave with a clear understanding of DEI principles and practical steps you can take to operationalize these concepts within your organization.

AI continues to be a hot topic across philanthropy. Product Managers Brenda Noiseux and Meg Radman will share the trends they are seeing with AI in philanthropy, Blackbaud's approach to incorporating trustworthy AI, and what's on the horizon for new AI-enabled tools in Blackbaud Grantmaking solutions. Check out their session, The Future of Grantmaking: Navigating AI Trends in Philanthropy.

All these great sessions have you ready to talk through the possibilities with your fellow grantmakers? Join us for an exclusive GrantmakersNetworking Breakfast where you will have a chance to discuss important topics and trends affecting the grantmaking industry with your peers.

Main Stage Can't Miss

Don't forget to look at sessions outside of fund accounting for some other fantastic opportunities for learning and connection.

If you are like most organizations, you-or your staff-have been incorporating AI-powered tools into your daily processes. And if you are like most organizations, you're wondering if you are taking the right approach to this new technology. Holly Herbert, the Director of Data Intelligence for Blackbaud will explore ways to empower your employees to engage in Generative AI innovation safely and with intention. Her session, Amplifying Employee Impact Through Generative AI, will help you future proof your talent while driving impact.

And definitely don't miss the main stage conversation with Sheryl Lee Ralph. Sheryl stars as "Barbara" on ABC's current smash hit Abbott Elementary, and she's a passionate advocate for education. She is the founding director of DIVA (Divinely Inspired Victoriously Anointed) Foundation 501(c)(3), created in memory of the friends she lost to HIV/AIDS.

Can't Make It to Seattle? Join Us Virtually!

Even if you can't make it to the Emerald City in person, you can still register for virtual bbcon. You'll get access to a number of the great sessions and learning opportunities. You can learn more and register for both in-person and virtual bbcon at https://www.bbconference.com/2024/.

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