BYOC: Major Giving in Practice: Leveraging Cultivation Events, Donor-Advised Funds, and Other Key Tools (Thursday, September 17, 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Bring Your Own Coffee (BYOC): Major Giving in Practice: Leveraging Cultivation Events, Donor-Advised Funds, and Other Key Tools

Join AFP-NYC’s Engagement Committee for an intimate, practical conversation about the strategies and tools that drive successful major giving programs. Nicole Epps, Chief Operating & Financial Officer, Brooklyn Org, Meghan Lee, Associate Director, Impact Giving, ACLU, and Mitch Stein, Founder and CEO of Chariot, will share their perspectives on cultivating and engaging major donors, effectively leveraging donor-advised funds, and using events and other touchpoints to deepen relationships and move donors toward greater investment.

Designed as a candid, peer-driven discussion, this BYOC session will give fundraisers actionable ideas they can bring back to their own organizations while creating space to exchange experiences and learn from one another.

Registration is limited to 50 participants and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

AGENDA:

8:00–8:25 AM — Check-In, Coffee & Networking
8:25–8:30 AM — Welcome & Introductions
8:30–9:30 AM — Major Giving in Practice: Moderated conversation
9:30–9:50 AM — Audience Q&A & Peer Discussion
9:50–10:00 AM — Key Takeaways, Closing & Informal Networking

SPEAKERS:

Nicole Epps, MSW, MBA
Brooklyn Org, Chief Operating and Financial Officer

Nicole G. Epps joined Brooklyn Org in November 2023, bringing more than a decade of leadership experience in strategy, management, philanthropy, and community engagement. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff at the Osborne Association, supporting programs for formerly and recently incarcerated individuals and their communities.

Nicole previously served as Executive Director of World Childhood Foundation USA (Childhood USA), following five years as Managing Director. There, she developed innovative child protection initiatives, including the Bedford Stuyvesant Whole Community Child Protection Project and the Care Coin national youth protection campaign. She also established the organization’s first Youth Advisory Council, empowering young people to distribute participatory grants in their communities, and co-led the development and updates of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Out of the Shadows Index, a global benchmarking tool addressing child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Nicole serves on the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect and RAINN’s National Leadership Council. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MBA from the University of Georgia and an MSW from Rutgers University. A Brooklyn native and product of Brooklyn schools, Nicole is proud to serve her community through Brooklyn Org.

Meghan Lee
ACLU, Associate Director, Impact Giving

Meghan M. Lee is Associate Director of Impact Giving at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where she helps lead strategies to engage donors and expand philanthropic support for the organization’s work protecting civil rights and civil liberties. Since joining the ACLU in 2019, Meghan has held progressively senior fundraising roles, beginning as Assistant Director of Mid & Major Gifts before assuming her current position in 2021.

At the ACLU, Meghan has developed particular expertise in donor-advised fund (DAF) philanthropy and innovative approaches to donor engagement. She has helped integrate DAF giving across the organization’s fundraising channels, using data and donor insights to strengthen engagement and increase philanthropic support. She is also a member of Chariot’s Nonprofit Advisory Council, where she contributes her expertise to efforts aimed at advancing DAF fundraising across the nonprofit sector.

Prior to joining the ACLU, Meghan built her career in development and membership at leading cultural institutions. She held leadership roles at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the Asian Art Museum and previously worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, including with its renowned Costume Institute.

Meghan holds a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia College Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Charleston. Her career spans nearly two decades of work at the intersection of philanthropy, donor engagement, arts and culture, and mission-driven organizations.

Mitch Stein
Chariot, Head of Strategy

Mitch is a sought-after strategist, researcher and speaker at the intersection of philanthropy, technology and finance. He previously founded a nonprofit tech marketplace called Pond after a career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs. He's an avid nonprofit fundraiser himself and long-time board member at the NYC LGBT Center.

MODERATOR:

Adam M. Doyno, MPA, CFRE

Executive Director and Chief Development Officer

CUNY School of Public Health Foundation

The Work Behind the Ask: Data, Decisions and Collaborations in Fundraising (Wednesday, October 28, 2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

SAVE THE DATE!

More information and registration coming soon!

The Work Behind the Ask: Data, Decisions and Collaborations in Fundraising

5th Annual Fundraising Fundamentals Symposium

Half Day Educational Event

2027 Chapter Annual Meeting (Thursday, January 28, 2027)

Thu, 28 Jan 2027 13:30:00 GMT

SAVE THE DATE!
Event details and registration coming soon.

AGENDA:

8:30am: Check-in opens
8:30am - 9:00am: Coffee, Breakfast and Networking
9:00am - 10:40am: Program
10:40am - 11:00am: Networking

AFP-NYC upcoming events

BYOC: Major Giving in Practice: Leveraging Cultivation Events, Donor-Advised Funds, and Other Key Tools (Thursday, September 17, 2026)

The Work Behind the Ask: Data, Decisions and Collaborations in Fundraising (Wednesday, October 28, 2026)

2027 Chapter Annual Meeting (Thursday, January 28, 2027)