Town Hall: Technology Trends That Are Shaping Fundraising

Event Description:

Over the last few years, innovative technology has revolutionized fundraising, making the interactions between staff, volunteers, and donors more personalized, intelligent, and effective than ever before. It has also allowed nonprofits to find global audiences for their work by reaching potential donors worldwide. With so many opportunities available, how can you know what technology is the right fit for your organization?

Join CNM and technology experts as we break down available fundraising technology and trends! We will be discussing topics ranging from mobile donations, crowdfunding, artificial intelligence, CRM software, cryptocurrency, and more! Join us to learn how your organization can harness this emerging technology to do more good!

Featured Presenters: 

Dr. Charlie Apigian is a Professor and the Executive Director of the Belmont Data Collaborative at Belmont University, where he coordinates and promotes data initiatives across the university and the Nashville community by developing a diverse community of scientists, organizational managers/leaders, faculty, and students who will bring a moral, ethical and social compass to their use of data analytics.  He also serves on several non-profit boards including Project Maslow and Special Kids.

Courtney is a native Nashvillian who attended the University of Tennessee. Prior to joining United Way in 2011, she worked for the Country Music Hall of Fame in events management. During her time with United Way, Courtney led large volunteer events, corporate campaigns, and new business before stepping into the Chief Development Officer role in April of 2020. She and her husband Will have two kids, Clay (3) and Eliza (1).

Ross Buntrock brings with him over 20+ years of experience as an attorney in the technology and communications sector. His passion for philanthropy and developing technological solutions inspired him to launch Generous in 2019 in Nashville, TN. Generous is a full-service donation solution that provides charitable giving opportunities for donors while empowering businesses to grow their bottom line and engage their customers through charitable giving.

Since 2019, Shannon Lapsley has served as the Sr. Director of Development with YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, developing and leading fundraising and branding strategies, overseeing events, and corporate sponsorships. Her development team has transitioned multiple in-person events to become virtual throughout the pandemic, increasing sponsorships, exposure, and funds raised. Before joining the YWCA, Shannon was the Director of Development at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Community Relations Manager for Major and Minor League Baseball teams.

For over 12 years, Felicia Terry has been partnering with nonprofits, organizations, and educational institutions to select, implement and maximize their CRM and donor management systems. As the Principal Specialist of Nonprofit Software Specialists, LLC (NPSS), she directs all consulting engagements from initial concept to final execution and understands the impact a CRM system has in moving an organization’s mission forward. Prior to consulting, Felicia served nonprofit organizations for over 13 years in development including annual giving, capital campaigns, and membership.

Special Needs, Accommodations, and Event Questions:

We strive to be open and inclusive with our special events. Please contact Kathryn Swanton (Manager of Marketing and Special Events) at 615.259.0100 x3130 or kathryn@cnm.org if you require any accommodations, special requests, or have additional questions.