Thursday, October 15, 2026 12:30 to 1:30 PM CST
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Spertus faculty member Amy Schiffman leads this interactive session.
For many leaders, asking for major gifts is the most daunting part of fundraising—but it doesn’t have to be. This interactive session shifts your mindset from “asking” to strategic partnership, exploring donor motivations, effective messaging, and the essential tools for a successful solicitation. Together, we will demystify the mechanics of the meeting—from setting the appointment and determining the right amount, to navigating objections and following up. Participants will leave with practical experience through real-world role-plays, ready to secure meaningful support with confidence.
With more than 25 years in nonprofit development, Amy Schiffman partners with organizations to develop effective fundraising campaigns, build strong leadership teams, and create tools to visualize and achieve mission impact. Since co-founding Giving Tree Associates in 2008 and launching Evolve Giving Group in 2020, Schiffman has helped more than 300 nonprofits create growth strategies, recruit exceptional nonprofit executives, and raise tens of millions of dollars. Based in Chicago, Shiffman is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a frequent presenter at local and national conferences. In addition to teaching at Spertus Institute, she serves on faculty at the HUC/USC Zelikow School of Nonprofit Management in Los Angeles.
Presented by Spertus Institute and JPro Chicago, Connect & Learn is an online, community-building, professional development series.
Connect & Learn workshops offer participants around the world a chance to join Spertus students and alumni for lively sessions on topics key to Jewish professional life today.
Build skills you can apply immediately to your life and work. Become part of a network of learners and Jewish community leaders. Sessions are online, live, interactive, and collaborative. Each session includes time to connect, network, meet new colleagues, and strengthen relationships. Sessions are free of charge thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.
Programs take place via Zoom.
Connect & Learn is presented in partnership with JPro Chicago.
This program is a Solomon Goldman Lecture, endowed by the late Rose and Sidney Shure.
This series is presented under the auspices of Spertus Institute’s Center for Jewish Leadership, supported in part by a generous grant from the Crown Family.
If you can, we encourage you to make a gift to support this free program and others like it!