2025 Foundation Leadership Forum: Schedule

Browse the Forum schedule below. Please check back for updates as we continue to finalize programming. As you plan your travel, we encourage you to arrive in time to participate in workshops and peer group meetings during the afternoon of Wednesday, January 29, 2025, and stay through Friday afternoon to take advantage of one of the deep-dive workshops taking place 1:15–3:30 PM ET on January 31.

Consistently cited as one of the most valuable sessions of the Forum, this workshop will address the special roles and responsibilities of foundation board chairs. Learn strategies for fostering effective board leadership, forging an effective partnership with the foundation chief executive, troubleshooting common board challenges, and elevating the work of the board and committees.

(This session is intended for foundation board chairs, vice chairs, and chairs-elect.)

While foundation board members often have a wealth of investment expertise, they may lack experience as fiduciaries of a college or university endowment. This workshop, intended for board and staff leaders, will provide an overview of the governance principles applicable to the management of institutional endowments and highlight best practices for high-performing foundation investment committees.

Topics will include:

• How higher education endowments differ from other types of investments and the fiduciary and other standards applicable to the staff and board members responsible for endowment oversight
• Different management structures (committee and consultants, in-house investment office, outsourced CIO)
• The role of the investment committee and the responsibilities of committee chairs, members, and staff
• The investment policy statement
• Aligning investment strategy with the institution’s mission, needs, and priorities
• Best practices for high-performing investment committees and successful endowment management

The interactive workshop will provide ample time for questions and discussion.

CEOs who are new to the role will learn from seasoned foundation leaders about the challenges and opportunities they will encounter, questions they should be asking about the organizations they’re leading, and critical conversations they should be having with their board, institution leaders, and other constituents.

Prospective foundation executives will gain an understanding of the role foundation leadership team members play in supporting, engaging, and leveraging the board. Participants will learn from industry experts about the qualities boards and institutional leaders seek in candidates for CEO and other cabinet-level staff, questions they should ask about prospective foundation leadership opportunities, and practices for successfully navigating search processes.

(This session is intended for senior foundation staff below the level of chief executive who aspire to become a foundation CEO.)

First-time Forum attendees are invited to join this session and learn from Forum veterans about how to make the most of their conference experience and the other services and resources available to AGB member foundations. The session will include:

• A preview of the 2025 Foundation Leadership Forum program, highlighting sessions that may be of particular value for first-time attendees
• A discussion about how to make the most of your Forum experience and put insights to work in future board and committee work
• An overview of AGB member services and resources to enhance board leadership and foundation effectiveness

Peer group convenings provide an opportunity to meet and build relationships with colleagues from similar foundations (or filling similar roles) and learn how they are addressing common challenges and opportunities. Facilitators will canvass the group to identify issues of interest and facilitate discussion among participants. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared to share their questions, innovations, and insights. Peer group sessions, except those focused on specific professional roles, are intended for both board members and foundation staff.

Fueling Positive Change and Democratic Ideals

The 2025 Forum opens with a conversation between Michael Powell and Matthew Lambert reflecting on higher education as an exemplar of democratic values and as an agent for positive and inclusive change, creating better futures for students and the nation. Powell will share insights on governance and leadership from his experience as rector of the Board of Visitors of William & Mary, chair of the William & Mary Foundation, and as chair of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees. Powell will also draw on his experience as president of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, chief of staff of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice and a policy adviser to the secretary of defense.

 Speakers:
Matthew Lambert, CEO, William & Mary Foundation; senior vice president, university advancement, William & Mary
Michael Powell, chair emeritus, William & Mary Foundation; rector emeritus, William & Mary

The 2024 campaign, unprecedented in many ways, presented widely divergent views on higher education, the role of the federal government, and a host of other issues of concern to college and university leaders. This session will discuss the current political climate and public policy outlook for higher education in the early days of the 47th presidential administration.

Giving to public higher ed has been growing for decades, but we could be facing what some are calling a “donor cliff.” Millennials are on track to be the wealthiest generation in history, but younger generations account for a growing share of alumni and disproportionately small proportion of donors and dollars contributed to colleges and universities. Younger donors are also more diverse and may have different approaches to philanthropy than the previous generations that have driven the growth of campaigns and endowments. Our panel will share trends in next-generation philanthropy, ways institutions are working to engage the next generation of donors, and identify questions boards should be asking about their donor pipelines and alumni engagement strategies.

At mid-year, major indexes were up, inflation was decelerating, and investors were bullish. Looking ahead, investment strategists are asking about concentrated markets, the likelihood that stocks may be optimistically valued, uncertainty stemming from global elections and geopolitical crises, the momentum of artificial intelligence and its long-term impact on economic growth, and the impact of changing demographics and infrastructure needs.

In this session, three leading investment strategists will share their perspectives on the market outlook for the year ahead, the primary factors likely to impact returns, and opportunities for long-term investors. The three will then come together for a facilitated discussion and Q&A on the implications for boards and investment committees.

Public faith in the value of higher education has declined sharply, but its fundamental value proposition remains compelling. A commitment to access, affordability, and success for all students is central to the mission of public colleges and universities. This session will explore the ways institutions and foundations are partnering to sustain their efforts to support student success in a fraught regulatory and political climate.