It’s the coldest time of the year, so our Midwestern friends all know what that means – it’s time to head to snowy Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Great Rivers 2019!

We are honored and excited to announce that we are presenting two sessions on the first day of the 2019 Great Rivers Conference, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Our first session, Growing and Diversifying RUM: What You Need to Know, will be from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19. We’ve created this session in recognition of the fact that as workplace giving continues to decline system-wide, many United Ways feel pressure to find other avenues to grow their total resources under management (RUM) through methods such as planned giving, grants, and special events. In this session, we will discuss why it is so difficult to grow RUM using these methods within the confines of a typical United Way’s business model. We will also highlight how best to leverage the relationship between RUM growth, measurable impact, investing intentionally, and simple calls to action.

Our second session, Your Marketing Challenges Require More Than Marketing, will be from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19. Through this session, we are inviting you to join us for an honest conversation about the common marketing challenges facing United Ways today that will never be solved by marketing alone. We will dissect why it is difficult for people to understand what United Ways do and investigate why it is impossible to create a simple United Way message.

If you’re not planning on attending Great Rivers, we’d encourage you to think again (and not just because we’re going to be there). Conferences offer unparalleled opportunities to network with other United Ways throughout the system. With increasing competition for donors’ attention, changing donor demographics, and evolving donor expectations, it is now more important than ever to share resources and best practices with one another. If your United Way struggled during campaign this year or had a rough go with partner agencies, consider your attendance at Great Rivers 2019 as an investment into a stronger future. It’s entirely impossible to leave a Great Rivers conference without having learned something that will help your United Way to operate more smoothly, remain relevant in the community, or grow your total resources under management.

Early bird registration for the conference ends this Friday, January 18, so you should register soon to receive the discounted rate! The conference begins Tuesday, February 19 and runs until Friday, February 22.

We look forward to seeing you in Milwaukee!