Does Work Location Matter? Unpacking the Data Behind Hybrid Fundraising Performance

As hybrid work becomes the norm, fundraising leaders face a pressing question: Does where gift officers work really impact fundraising success?

Join us for an eye-opening webinar as we reveal the first cross-institutional data exploring the connection between work location and fundraising performance. Drawing on metrics from seven academic medical centers and nearly 200 gift officers, this session challenges conventional wisdom and offers practical takeaways for advancement professionals navigating hybrid environments.

You’ll learn:

• What actually influences dollars raised
• Why flexibility and autonomy may be your secret weapons for retention
• What fundraising leaders need to know now to future-proof their teams

Whether you’re considering your hybrid work policies or just curious about where the industry is headed, this session will give you the insights—and data—to lead with confidence.

Speakers:

Elizabeth Dollhopf-Brown, MBA, Having spent more than two decades in fundraising, Elizabeth has gathered extensive experience in major gifts, grateful patient programs, prospect development, and annual giving. She has seen firsthand how no matter what is thrown at the nonprofit industry—be that challenging economic times or a pandemic—the industry is resilient and strong in its mission of service and support to the world.

Karen Aarestad, PhD, is the associate vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a faculty member in the College of Applied Health Sciences. Her academic research focuses on medical philanthropy.

Dr. Erica Dollhopf is the Associate Director of Research for the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University Indianapolis. Dr. Dollhopf received a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the Pennsylvania State University and an M.A. in American Studies from Lehigh University. She has authored numerous publications on congregations, congregational vitality, and faith-based nonprofits; she was recently awarded the Religious Research Association’s 2024 Outstanding Applied Research Award for her article on congregation vitality in the United Church of Christ. Dr. Dollhopf is currently the president of the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, the research chair for the Faith Communities Today interfaith survey, the secretary of the Religious Research Association, and the co-chair of the 2030 U.S. Religion Census. When not researching, Dr. Dollhopf enjoys quilting, embroidery, and crochet; she also can often be found singing with her church choir, gardening, and walking her dog.