Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)

09/23/2021

Nurturing a community for the greatest impact

When asking about a nonprofit organization’s impact, you may receive an answer that refers to the number of people served or other programmatic outcomes. Derrick Feldman, founder of the Millennial Impact Project, discusses that while those answers are just fine, a nonprofit’s impact should be more comprehensive and focused on community nurturing.

Feldmann argues that the most significant impacts a nonprofit can make come through the community it builds — a community that includes the people affected by an issue and those who want to act alongside the nonprofit to effect change by contributing their dollars, voice, or time....

09/23/2021

AFP/Korn Ferry Affinity Group Meeting

Join Korn Ferry on Oct. 7 at 2:00 p.m. EDT for the next AFP Emerging Leader Affinity Group Meeting. This session will cover how to use professional interviewing as a tool to both attain a job and investigate possible opportunities.

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/3lRj5V2

09/23/2021

10 Steps to Better Mobile Donation Forms

Looking to ramp up your online giving? You can start by eliminating unnecessary fill-in-the-blanks, using tappable buttons for giving levels, utilizing auto-complete tabs and more.

Hopefully, your donation form is already mobile-friendly, but here are 10 tips to make it mobile-friendlier from online fundraising pros.

09/23/2021

Applications are open for AFP members to serve on the 2022 Nominating Committee! The Nominating Committee determines the members selected for the board of directors, who, in turn, influence key decisions the organization makes in the years ahead. This is your opportunity to impact AFP's future by helping to choose our future leaders! The submission deadline is Oct. 11.

Visit https://bit.ly/3o1M3Ew to learn more and submit your nomination.

Applications are open for AFP members to serve on the 2022 Nominating Committee! The Nominating Committee determines the members selected for the board of directors, who, in turn, influence key decisions the organization makes in the years ahead. This is your opportunity to impact AFP's future by helping to choose our future leaders! The submission deadline is Oct. 11.

Visit https://bit.ly/3o1M3Ew to learn more and submit your nomination.

09/23/2021

AP Perspectives—The View From Skookumchuck Road: Strings Attached | Association of Fundraising Professionals

When developing your list of contacts, volunteers and supporters, how do you identify possible connections? In this week’s AP Perspectives, Gene Scanlan, Ph.D., discusses how to expand your list of potential donors by tapping into your already existing network.

One way to pass the time when you’re at home is, of course, watching television. I like the police procedural dramas, such as “Midsomer” (those poor people who live in that crime-ridden county), “Endeavour,” “Lewis,” and others. In many of these shows, the police headquarters has a cri...

09/22/2021

Winspire Conference - The Future of FUNDRAISING is Now

On Oct. 14, The Future of Fundraising is Now—Winspire's virtual conference—will feature some of the best-known movers and shakers in the nonprofit world. 👏

Dan Pallotta will be the keynote speaker, and AFP President and CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, will join other notable names for impactful sessions about supporting and nurturing nonprofit leaders’ professional and personal growth. Topics focus on navigating a post-pandemic fundraising environment, building a solid media voice and more.

09/22/2021

Calling all emerging leaders and young professionals! 👏

Join host Kishshana Palmer, CFRE, top fundraising presenters, and fellow emerging leaders on Oct. 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET, for an exciting half-day conference geared toward helping you develop your skill set and advance your fundraising career! We’ll cover topics related to virtual stewardship and donor engagement, how to craft a strong development plan and much, much more!

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/3AB68oI

Calling all emerging leaders and young professionals! 👏

Join host Kishshana Palmer, CFRE, top fundraising presenters, and fellow emerging leaders on Oct. 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET, for an exciting half-day conference geared toward helping you develop your skill set and advance your fundraising career! We’ll cover topics related to virtual stewardship and donor engagement, how to craft a strong development plan and much, much more!

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/3AB68oI

09/22/2021

Direct Mail To Get Slower — Just In Time For The Holidays

The United States Postal Service will implement new service standards for First-Class Mail and Periodicals starting on Oct. 1. The new service standards mean more mail will likely be delivered via ground transportation, with mail traveling long distances being the most impacted.

Direct Mail To Get Slower — Just In Time For The Holidays

09/22/2021

On the Job: Good Practices to Develop Confident Emerging Leaders | Association of Fundraising Professionals

Developing effective donor cultivation strategies is learned over time and through practice. In this article from the April 2021 issue of Advancing Philanthropy, Suhailah Waheed, AFP’s 2020 Emerging Leader of Impact, shares tips to help young professionals and individuals new to fundraising build meaningful relationships with donors.

The 2019 Compensation and Benefits Survey results will be released later this summer. I received an early copy, and as an emerging leader*, a few of the results caught my attention: Forty percent of young fundraising professionals reported that their workplace offers programs or approaches to assist...

09/22/2021

Want to Know What Your Major Donor is Thinking? Try This Question! -

Want to know what your major donor is thinking? Ask them one simple, open-ended question to start the conversation and raise more money.

Want to find out what your donor is thinking? Try this question, it's our favorite golden question to ask donors.

09/22/2021

Skystone Partners Prize for Research on Fundraising and Philanthropy | Association of Fundraising Professionals

Each year, the AFP Research Council awards the Skystone Partners Prize for Research to the author of a book that contributes substantially to the knowledge and understanding of fundraising or philanthropic behavior. Authors of published works on fundraising and philanthropy are encouraged to submit a book or monograph, and prize winners will receive a cash award of $5,000 and be honored at AFP ICON. The submission deadline is Friday, Oct. 1.

Each year, the AFP Research Council awards the Skystone Partners Prize for Research to the author of a book that contributes substantially to the knowledge and understanding of fundraising or philanthropic behavior. The Prize for Research is made possible by an endowment from Skystone Partners to en...

09/21/2021

Calling all emerging leaders and young professionals! 👏

Join host Kishshana Palmer, CFRE, top fundraising presenters, and fellow emerging leaders on Oct. 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET, for an exciting half-day conference geared toward helping you develop your skill set and advance your fundraising career! We’ll cover topics related to virtual stewardship and donor engagement, how to craft a strong development plan and much, much more!

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/3AB68oI

Calling all emerging leaders and young professionals! 👏

Join host Kishshana Palmer, CFRE, top fundraising presenters, and fellow emerging leaders on Oct. 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET, for an exciting half-day conference geared toward helping you develop your skill set and advance your fundraising career! We’ll cover topics related to virtual stewardship and donor engagement, how to craft a strong development plan and much, much more!

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/3AB68oI

09/21/2021

Record $1.7 Billion From Vanguard’s DAF Donors

For the third year in a row, donors to the Vanguard Charitable donor-advised fund distributed another record number of grants to charities. For the year ending June 30, 2021, donors recommended $1.7 billion in grants to more than 50,000 charities.

Record $1.7 Billion From Vanguard’s DAF Donors

09/21/2021

Boards of directors are our generous volunteer leaders who sometimes have little experience with or knowledge of the practical realities faced by professional executive staff.

On Sept. 29 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, join small shop veteran Amy Wolfe, MPPA, CFRE, to discuss how to successfully navigate and manage a board of directors, including understanding the different types of boards, developing foundational documents, and creating systems that set realistic expectations for volunteers and staff alike.

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Xq6EqG

Boards of directors are our generous volunteer leaders who sometimes have little experience with or knowledge of the practical realities faced by professional executive staff.

On Sept. 29 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, join small shop veteran Amy Wolfe, MPPA, CFRE, to discuss how to successfully navigate and manage a board of directors, including understanding the different types of boards, developing foundational documents, and creating systems that set realistic expectations for volunteers and staff alike.

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Xq6EqG

09/21/2021

[ASK AN EXPERT] Is An Investment In Wealth Screening Useful Before A Capital Campaign?

Thinking about wealth screening as you prepare for a capital campaign? Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, dives into what you should know about this donor tool and what you should consider before making the investment.

Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today's question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants advice on whether or not it's useful to

09/21/2021

AFP LEAD—AFP’s annual leadership conference brought to you by the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy—will be in-person Oct. 18-20 in Indianapolis! 🤩

New sessions have been added, including “But We Never Left: How the Return to Work Will Affect the Way We Lead” and “Prioritizing Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace: The Time is Now for Nonprofit Leaders.” Join us for these engaging sessions, and enjoy our keynote speaker, Dr. Tyrone McKinley Freeman—award-winning scholar, professor and author from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Register! ➡️ afplead.org

09/21/2021

Community and Diversity: From Borderlands to Belonging | Association of Fundraising Professionals

It’s not easy trying to exist between two cultures, yet this is exactly what Marco A. Corona, director of development and donor engagement at Education Leaders of Color, has experienced as a Latinx in the U.S. In this article from the October 2020 issue of Advancing Philanthropy, he discusses his personal experience with feeling like he didn’t belong and the vital role allies play in ensuring that everyone—people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community—can have a sense of belonging.

Above Photo Credit: rrodrickbeiler “Tú eres un gringo.” It translates to mean, “you are a gringo.” These were the loving words regularly said to me by my cousins during my visits to México. To them, I was the furthest thing from a Mexican. At home in the United States, as much as I was ful...

09/20/2021

Making IDEA Personal | Association of Fundraising Professionals

In today's Monday message, AFP President and CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, discusses the power and impact of having a desire to engage in Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access, and how making IDEA personal creates greater change within yourself and the communities we serve.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated this year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and we started on Wednesday with an insightful and passionate piece by Armando Zumaya. I encourage you to read it if you haven’t already. Armando provides some great data and a powerful argument about the work we all need to...

09/20/2021

Donors Say They’ll Continue To Increase Giving

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, donors remained committed to supporting charities. According to a new survey from Fidelity Charitable, 27% of donors said they gave significantly more in 2020 than in previous years, and more than 9 in 10 donors said they planned to give the same or more in 2021.

Donors Say They’ll Continue To Increase Giving

09/20/2021

One of AFP’s cornerstone programs, The Fundamentals of Fundraising, has been overhauled and is ready for you!

The Fundamentals of Fundraising eCourse 2.0 is specifically designed for fundraisers with up to four years of experience and provides an overview of skills, techniques and program planning. Take the course at your own pace and earn 16 #CFRE education points along the way!

Explore the course! ➡️ https://bit.ly/2VWOLQ3

One of AFP’s cornerstone programs, The Fundamentals of Fundraising, has been overhauled and is ready for you!

The Fundamentals of Fundraising eCourse 2.0 is specifically designed for fundraisers with up to four years of experience and provides an overview of skills, techniques and program planning. Take the course at your own pace and earn 16 #CFRE education points along the way!

Explore the course! ➡️ https://bit.ly/2VWOLQ3

09/20/2021

3 Surefire Ways to Build Your Resilience and Fundraising Confidence

Fundraising requires confidence, especially when it comes to dealing with rejection So, how do you build your resilience? Get OK with hearing “no,” and not being afraid to ask for help.

Being a great fundraiser requires resilience to get past the "no's". Here are three wonderful ways to build your resilience as a fundraiser.

09/20/2021

The Faculty Training Academy—AFP’s train-the-trainer program that helps ensure the quality of our educational programming by providing formal training to prospective instructors of AFP's professional development programs—is coming to you in a virtual format.

Beginning TODAY at 12:00 p.m. EDT, join Dr. B.J. Bischoff for a four-day training in adult education principles, learning styles, classroom management and more.

Visit to bit.ly/3gQTdHk register now—it’s not too late!

The Faculty Training Academy—AFP’s train-the-trainer program that helps ensure the quality of our educational programming by providing formal training to prospective instructors of AFP's professional development programs—is coming to you in a virtual format.

Beginning TODAY at 12:00 p.m. EDT, join Dr. B.J. Bischoff for a four-day training in adult education principles, learning styles, classroom management and more.

Visit to bit.ly/3gQTdHk register now—it’s not too late!

09/17/2021

Calling all emerging leaders and young professionals! Save the date for AFP’s upcoming AFP IDEA: Emerging Leaders Virtual Workshop! 🤩

Join host Kishshana Palmer, CFRE, and fellow emerging leaders on Oct. 26 at 11:00 a.m. EDT, for an exciting half-day conference geared toward helping you develop your skill set and advance your fundraising career! We’ll cover topics related to virtual stewardship and donor engagement, how to craft a strong development plan and much, much more!

Stay tuned for more information. 💻

Calling all emerging leaders and young professionals! Save the date for AFP’s upcoming AFP IDEA: Emerging Leaders Virtual Workshop! 🤩

Join host Kishshana Palmer, CFRE, and fellow emerging leaders on Oct. 26 at 11:00 a.m. EDT, for an exciting half-day conference geared toward helping you develop your skill set and advance your fundraising career! We’ll cover topics related to virtual stewardship and donor engagement, how to craft a strong development plan and much, much more!

Stay tuned for more information. 💻

09/17/2021

Boards of directors are our generous volunteer leaders who sometimes have little experience with or knowledge of the practical realities faced by professional executive staff.

On Sept. 29 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, join small shop veteran Amy Wolfe, MPPA, CFRE, to discuss how to successfully navigate and manage a board of directors, including understanding the different types of boards, developing foundational documents, and creating systems that set realistic expectations for volunteers and staff alike.

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Xq6EqG

Boards of directors are our generous volunteer leaders who sometimes have little experience with or knowledge of the practical realities faced by professional executive staff.

On Sept. 29 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, join small shop veteran Amy Wolfe, MPPA, CFRE, to discuss how to successfully navigate and manage a board of directors, including understanding the different types of boards, developing foundational documents, and creating systems that set realistic expectations for volunteers and staff alike.

Register! ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Xq6EqG