2026-2027 Advancement Roundtable
Partner Event
Join advancement leaders at EAB’s flagship in-person roundtable series for the release of our 2026 advancement research. This partner-only experience convenes senior advancement leaders for candid, executive-level dialogue focused on the latest best practices, innovative research, and data to drive tangible, on-campus impact.
Participants consistently highlight the roundtable’s unique ability to deliver both strategic insight and meaningful peer connection:
- “This roundtable reinforced the importance of data-driven decision making and gave me new strategies to streamline our work and focus on areas where I can have the greatest impact.“
- “This experience gave me practical takeaways I can bring back to campus, from refining our strategy and differentiating our campaign to making smarter decisions about where to invest.”
- “In a time of constant change, this meeting helped me step back, rethink our processes, and focus on where we can have the most meaningful impact moving forward.”
Event Details
Audience: Sessions are limited to chief advancement officers. Registration is limited to one attendee per institution.
Please note: The February 2-3 session is recommended for institutions with fewer than 35 advancement FTEs. The February 9-10 session is an Advancement Leadership Team Session, open to advancement leadership team members and limited to two attendees per institution.
For travel planning: Each meeting will begin at 12:00 p.m. on the first day and conclude at 12:00 p.m. on the second day. EAB will host a dinner for attendees following the first day of presentations. Agenda details are forthcoming.
Expand each session below for information about meeting location, hotel accommodations, and reservations.
October 13-14, 2026 – Washington, D.C.
Meeting Location
EAB
2445 M Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
202-747-1003
Hotel Accommodations
Park Hyatt Washington, D.C.
1201 24th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
202-789-1234
Reservations
$419/Room
Call 888-591-1234 and mention 2026 Advancement Roundtable to access our preferred rate, or book online
Please reserve by September 21, 2026
Please make your reservation at your earliest convenience as space and rates are subject to availability. For alternative hotel information, contact us at [email protected].
January 27-28, 2027 – Houston, TX
Meeting Location and Hotel Accommodations
Blossom Hotel Houston, Curio Collection by Hilton
7118 Bertner Avenue
Houston, TX 77030
832-734-8888
Reservations
$159/Room
Call 832-734-8888 and mention 2026 Advancement Roundtable to access our preferred rate, or book online
Please reserve by January 5, 2027
Please make your reservation at your earliest convenience as space and rates are subject to availability. For alternative hotel information, contact us at [email protected].
February 2-3, 2027 – Washington, D.C.
This session is recommended for institutions with fewer than 35 advancement FTEs.
Meeting Location
EAB
2445 M Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
202-747-1003
Hotel Accommodations
The Westin Georgetown Washington, D.C.
2350 M Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
202-429-0100
Reservations
$309/Room
Call 202-429-0100 and mention 2027 Advancement Roundtables to access our preferred rate, or book online
Please reserve by January 11, 2027
Please make your reservation at your earliest convenience as space and rates are subject to availability. For alternative hotel information, contact us at [email protected].
February 9-10, 2027 – Washington, D.C. – Team session
This is an Advancement Leadership Team Session, limited to two attendees per institution.
Meeting Location
EAB
2445 M Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
202-747-1003
Hotel Accommodations
The Westin Georgetown Washington, D.C.
2350 M Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
202-429-0100
Reservations
$309/Room
Call 202-429-0100 and mention 2027 Advancement Roundtables to access our preferred rate, or book online
Please reserve by January 18, 2027
Please make your reservation at your earliest convenience as space and rates are subject to availability. For alternative hotel information, contact us at [email protected].
Agenda
Day One
The Growth Engine: Fundraiser Productivity, Leadership Discipline, and Division-Wide Change
12:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:00 p.m.
The Science of Fundraiser Productivity: Capacity, Performance, and Growth
What separates high-performing fundraising teams from those struggling to grow? Drawing on more than a decade of fundraiser productivity data, leaders will examine staffing models, portfolio design, incentives, accountability, training, and retention to identify the structures and expectations that drive campaign success.
3:30 p.m.
From Insight to Action: The Six Attributes of a Thriving Fundraising Division
Even the best advancement strategies can lose momentum without the leadership habits, decision processes, and operating conditions needed to execute them. Participants will explore what thriving fundraising divisions do differently and how to create the focus, urgency, and alignment required to translate research-backed practices into lasting campus change.
5:30 p.m.
Dinner
Day Two
The Modern Advancement Enterprise: Engagement, Intelligence, and AI-Enabled Impact
8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00 a.m.
Reimagining Alumni Engagement: Turning Connection into Institutional Impact
Alumni engagement can no longer be measured by affinity alone, especially as teams face tighter resources and rising expectations. Leaders will examine how the modern engagement division can deepen alumni relationships, meet evolving alumni needs, increase development outcomes, and influence broader institutional priorities through the right staffing models, responsibilities, programs, and partnerships.
10:30 a.m.
AI in Advancement: A Practical Workshop for Productivity, Capacity, Results, and Decisions
AI is quickly changing what advancement teams can accomplish, but the greatest value will come from knowing where and how to apply it. Participants will work through practical advancement use cases across individual productivity, organizational capacity, personalization, predictive decision-making, and better results, while developing a repeatable way to evaluate AI capabilities today and revisit new opportunities each year.
12:00 p.m.
Adjournment