Foundation for Fraternal Excellence

Registration includes programming starting at 9:00 a.m. and lunch on on Monday, August 25, as well as all programming and meals on Tuesday, August 26, and individual access to digital resources from FFE educational programming following the conclusion of the program.

FFE Member Organization Registration Rates:
• Early-Bird Registration, May 1 – June 30: $550
• Standard Registration, July 1 – July 31: $650
• Late Registration, August 1 – 8: $750

Not an FFE member? $200 will be billed to your account following registration. Contact FFE Executive Director Will Foran to join/renew your FFE membership and have this fee waived.

Interested in registering 8-10 from your organization? If you would like information about bundle pricing ($4,250 for up to 10 organization registrants) for your group to attend the Seminar, contact Gretchen Foran and include the number of attendees.

How to Register: Log into FS Central and complete the 2025 NIC Annual Meeting & FFE Seminar form on the Events tab. Select the "Monday & Tuesday - Dual Meeting and/or FFE Seminar" registration type.

Jeff Dubberley, Vice President, Research, Cygnus Applied Research

What truly drives fraternal members and donors to stay connected — and give generously? This session will provide a comprehensive analysis of the 2025 Alumni/ae and Donor Engagement Survey conducted by Cygnus Applied Research, featuring responses from members and donors representing 51 fraternal organizations.

The survey, conducted from March to June, explored members' attitudes, opinions and expectations, and identified key factors that most greatly influence their decision to contribute philanthropically. Through data-driven insights, you’ll discover opportunities to grow supporter numbers and contributions, messaging members and donors find the most compelling, and how fraternities and sororities can forge stronger relationships with members at all stages of their lives.

Whether you're a professional or a volunteer, you'll leave this keynote with actionable knowledge to enhance your organization's fundraising outcomes and build lifetime loyalty.

Dave Lewis, President & CEO, Indy Championships Fund
Sarah Myer, Chief of Staff and Strategy, Indiana Sports Corp

Join Indianapolis leaders Dave Lewis and Sarah Myer for this dynamic and high-energy session built for those who want to lead like a champion. Grounded in the spirit of Indianapolis sports culture, this keynote unpacks the “Final Four” to drive winning results: Trust, Leadership, Vision and Grit. Through real stories, shared experiences (yes, they worked on putting a pool inside a football stadium), and a playbook of actionable strategies, attendees will explore how they can develop their own extraordinary outcomes. This session will equip you to show up, ignite your team, build meaningful relationships and win with purpose. Game on.

Patrick Alderdice and Aaron Parker, Pennington & Company

Curious how your foundation stacks up against others in the interfraternal world? For over two decades, Pennington & Company has analyzed IRS Form 990 filings from fraternity and sorority foundations, turning dense data into actionable insight.

In this year’s State of the Industry session, Patrick and Aaron return to unpack the latest 990 data—comparing current figures with 22 years of historical trends. From asset growth and fundraising totals to grantmaking and program spending, this session offers a comprehensive look at where the industry stands today.

Whether you're navigating challenges or seeking new opportunities, you'll leave with benchmarking tools, trend analysis, and practical recommendations to help your foundation grow and thrive in the year ahead.

Marianne W. Lewis

Do we prioritize today’s needs or tomorrow’s possibilities? Efficiency or innovation? Performing or learning? Our default approach in such situations is to see dilemmas, then make tradeoffs. We focus on the most urgent, rewarded, or comfortable. Yet this either/or thinking is limiting at best, detrimental at worst. This keynote seeks to stretch your thinking, opening a wider array of options. Marianne Lewis has spent the past 25 years studying the traps, opportunities, and navigation of tensions. As a professor and dean, she also lives tensions herself. Both/and thinking involves a shift from a tradeoff to a paradox mindset. Embracing competing demands can enable more generative, creative, and sustainable solutions. Join us to examine how both/and thinking can help you lead and thrive amidst tensions.

The event will take place at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown.

• A room block at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown is available for attendees. NIC/FFE rates start at $184/night + taxes/fees for reservations booked by August 11, 2025.
• In the event the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown room block is fully booked before August 11, attendees will be able to book their stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Indianapolis at a rate of $149/night + taxes/fees. The Courtyard is an 8-10 minute walk from the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown.

Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
350 West Maryland Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46225

Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Indianapolis
601 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Seminar is a part of the Dual Meeting (inclusive of the NIC Annual Meeting of Members and FFE Seminar). Because of this FFE is able to offer an even greater opportunity for fraternal industry peers to grow together.

Interested in learning more about Dual Meeting registration and costs for your team? Read more on the Dual Meeting page.