The AFP Blog

Here, There and Everywhere

2012-03-07T16:25:00.001-05:00

Andrea and I traveled to Hong Kong to join leaders of our Singapore and Hong Kong chapters, as well as other members of the community.

It’s increasingly clear that the traditional chapter model in North America is not one that fits comfortably in this environment. The alternatives, however, are not clear, and there is a compelling case for market research to help us understand the needs of our communities her better. But we do have some new models and ideas that can be valuable, and one of them is the new organizational membership model.

It's a striking example of how similar many of our chapters are, regardless of where they are located. Hong Kong, like St. Louis, Edmonton or many others, has a significant number of smaller, grassroots organizations addressing social issues or community initiatives. These organizations need to protect their investment in AFP and have needs in addition to those of their staff. So we'll be working on a modified model of organizational membership categories that can be of benefit to fundraisers and nonprofits around the globe.

What's also clear is the impact that each of us can have by sharing our knowledge and experience with our fellow fundraisers. I hear this constantly from chapters all over North America and around the world. That’s one of the reasons we’ve introduced AFP2P, our new online networking community.

But there’s more we can do. One of our plans is to develop a travel register so we can introduce AFP member who are visiting certain countries and regions to chapters in the area. So let us know of your travel plans so that if you are able to, we can connect you to the local fundraising community during your visit. It’s a great example of shared benefits that strengthen the whole profession.

Providing a Social Network for Young Fundraising Professionals

2012-02-22T18:35:00.001-05:00

I talked about our new membership categories in a recent post, but some recent news had me thinking more about our Young Professional category.

You may have seen the report from Johns Hopkins’ Center for Civil Society that nonprofits added jobs at a rate of more than two percent annually over the past decade, while for-profit jobs were cut by 0.6 percent each year on average over that same time. The nonprofit sector is now the third largest type of private employer in the United States, accounting for nearly 10.7 million workers in 2010 and behind only retail trade and manufacturing.

At the same time, read any survey of young people these days, and you’ll see that jobs are, far and away, their number one concern. Consider too the growing number of degree and certificate programs in fundraising and nonprofit management, and that fundraising has been named a couple of times to lists like U.S. News & World Report’s Hot Jobs for the Future.

Add it all together with the newer generations’ interest in engagement and philanthropy, and I think we’ll see a lot of young people join the profession over the coming years. That’s why we created the Young Professional category, and the influx will help keep the profession vibrant with new energy and perspective.

But we’ll need to welcome them, just as other fundraisers welcomed us when we joined. Whether it’s offering a few kind words of advice, providing tips on a particular project or a serving as a mentor, I hope you’ll get involved and help our new fundraisers. Just as we need them to keep the profession strong and growing, so too do they need us—to get them started on their fundraising journey.

Mind the Gap

2012-02-01T16:11:00.001-05:00

There is an interesting piece in the Chronicle of Philanthropy by Mark Rosenman about the growing wealth gap between large and small charities.

I agree with a lot of what Mark is saying, but I think there’s always been a large stratification in our sector. Fundraisers used to talk about the 80/20 rule—that is, 80 percent of your funding coming from 20 percent of your donor base. And with a lot of organizations, that ratio is now more often like 90/10.

Similarly, we’ve often used that sort of ratio for understanding where charitable dollars go—in other words, about 80 percent of all charitable funding going to the largest 20 percent of charitable organizations. Again, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the ratio is now closer to 90/10.

AFP serves the entire profession and sector, and as such we have members in both large and small organizations, and from across all subsectors. There is a core of knowledge and training that a fundraiser from any kind of charity needs, and over the last 50 years we have worked hard to provide those basics.

But each kind of organization also brings different perspectives and nuances that AFP has to address too. These differing needs become even more important during difficult economic times with increasing competition for the charitable dollars. That’s why we’ve developed new membership categories for large and small charities, and are developing programs for small-shop fundraisers, as well as resources for specific sub sectors.

Given the grassroots nature of many charities, the stratification of resources in our sector isn’t going anyway anytime soon. So we have to address the varying needs of different fundraisers. AFP has been doing so in earnest, and with new technology such as our website and powerful new database, will continue to do so in even more effective ways.

If there are specific needs that you and/or your organization would like to see AFP address, post here or send me an email (awatt@afpnet.org). I’d love to hear from you.

Bringing Fundraising to Life at the AFP International Conference

2012-01-23T16:19:00.003-05:00

I’m a big advocate for technology—at AFP we strive to integrate technology into our programs and services so they are accessible—anywhere, anytime. Our use of communications is changing rapidly; I’m scheduled to give a presentation in the next couple of weeks via Skype, a new approach for us.

But in terms of learning, sharing and creating a sense of community, nothing compares with a live gathering of fundraisers, which is why I’m so excited about AFP’s International Conference on Fundraising, April 1-3, 2012, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

There will be some amazing speakers, including Scott Harrison, founder and president of charity: water, and hockey legend and philanthropist Wayne Gretzky. You’ll find inspiration and innovation from distinguished speakers such as Claire Diaz Ortiz, author of Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time and How to Fundraise on Social Media, and Lisa Shannon, author of A Thousand Sisters: My Journey into the Worst Place on Earth to Be a Woman.

On Monday, April 2, we’ll present the NextGen:Charity Experience, in the style of the popular TED-conference presentations, featuring rapid-fire messages (all under 18 minutes with no PowerPoints) from game-changing leaders and innovators across all industries. All geared to nonprofits.

These amazing speakers, the 140-odd educational sessions, hundreds of vendors and our extraordinary Awards for Philanthropy honorees, ensure that the conference will cover every conceivable aspect of fundraising and provide new ideas and inspiration to all participants.

For me, though, the beauty of the conference lies in the community it brings together. Live meetings are, well, alive. They are two-way and multi-dimensional. The experiences are as diverse as the people involved.

I think networking is an overused word. What really happens at the AFP International Conference on Fundraising is connecting—ideas and people coming together in new ways. A major gift officer having coffee with a direct mail veteran, a development director from a grassroots advocacy organization chatting with the CEO of a national nonprofit: These are the connections made at AFP, and they are what keep us strong as a community.

And those connections are important, because we face a difficult fundraising environment. Our previous State of Fundraising Surveys and the most Nonprofit Research Collaborative studies show that we’re still slowly recovering from the impact of the recent recession. Fundraisers are trying to keep up with technology while addressing the demands of a new generation of donors and dealing with increasing competition for the charitable dollar.

All of these issues—and more—will be addressed at the conference—through speakers, sessions and the impromptu conversations and connections created by attendees. I hope you’ll join us there.

Learn more by visiting http://conference.afpnet.org and come join the largest—and most comprehensive—gathering of the fundraising community!

Engaging Donors by Providing Options

2012-01-12T21:22:00.001-05:00

One of the ideas we’ve discussed a lot this year is stewardship: the need to engage our donors on their terms.

Donor retention levels are low because—in large part—we’re not practicing good stewardship. We’re taking our supporters for granted. We’re generalizing and categorizing without understanding them, trying to provide them with information or give them any options.

Now, there’s further evidence we have to take our blinders off.

In a new study by Campbell Rinker and Dunham+Company, one out of two donors age 60 and older had given an online gift at some point. In addition, the typical donor age 60 or older had given nearly 30 percent more gifts online than those under 40.

Think about that. We’re constantly told that older people are not interested in giving online. But have you asked your older donors that question?

Now, the study also found that 85 percent of older donors who have not given online said they were not willing to consider giving an online donation. But that only underscores my point: We HAVE to get to know our donors, and one way we do that is by giving them options. It’s quite likely that some of the older donors who gave online probably never thought they’d ever give online either, but with a little education and hand-holding, they tried it.

Giving options. Providing education. Keeping an open mind. Those aren’t radical ideas. They’re just good stewardship, the lynchpin of our profession.

Reaching Out to New Communities

2012-01-06T15:42:00.000-05:00

The AFP Board of Directors recently voted to approve two new membership categories for our association.

The first is critical—a membership for young professionals under 30. We need to support the first generation coming into the profession as their chosen career. Our new Young Professionals category gives us a vehicle to listen to the needs of this cohort and engage them in ways that they identify with. Seventy-five dollars is a more accessible investment for them, and it’ll allow them to experience the benefit of being part of the AFP community.

The second is a category of membership for small shops. Charities with an operating budget of one million dollars or less can now join AFP through the Small Organization individual membership. That’s a big plus for them—in terms of cost and keeping the membership at the charity when a fundraiser leaves—and a big plus for AFP—allowing us to directly engage with the charity and learn more about what they most value from membership as well.

Introducing new membership categories allows us to explore new ways to engage the profession and ensure we are better able to represent every individual involved in fundraising.

Thank You!

2011-12-30T14:34:00.002-05:00

Nine months ago, I became president and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Hundreds of conference calls, countless media interviews, 81 chapter visits, 50-plus speeches, ten new partnerships, two board meetings, and a Leadership Academy later, I am more convinced than ever of the critical importance of the fundraising community and AFP’s role in advancing philanthropy and ethical fundraising.

I heard it at chapter meetings when members told me what they needed from AFP in order to be successful.

I felt it at National Philanthropy Day celebrations when donors talked their stories and how they were inspired to give and get involved.

I saw it in the faces of fundraisers from around the globe who thanked AFP for providing expertise and resources.

I experienced it when meeting with our partners and their desire to change the world, working with AFP and the charities and fundraisers we represent.

And I read it in articles every day about the growing problems our world faces, and how the philanthropic sector—not government or the business sector—is best prepared to address these challenges.

And the mainstay is fundraising. Our profession—and our association—is the key to addressing the challenges of the future.

Nonprofits can’t raise money ethical and effectively without well-trained and knowledgeable fundraisers. And fundraisers can’t raise money ethically and effectively without the education, networks, resources and support systems that AFP provides.

Your work is awe-inspiring. What you accomplish every day to improve your community is awe-inspiring. Working together we can address the larger problems that our world faces.

I’m proud to represent you and—along with the AFP staff, board members, chapter leaders and partners—will do everything I can to help you reach your goals in 2012 and beyond.

Thank you for your work as a fundraising professional. Enjoy the New Year, and I wish you the best in your professional and personal lives.

Expertise and Dedication Around the World

2011-11-28T00:18:00.001-05:00

Jennie Thompson, board member of the Resource Alliance, was a guest of AFP at our recent Leadership Academy in Montreal. Jennie told me during the Academy she had seldom encountered such an extraordinarily dedicated group of individuals from such a wide range of backgrounds—international nonprofits, large institutions and grassroots organizations—people coming from all over North America, as well as Latin America, Europe and South East Asia.

I value that comment very highly, coming from a leader of an organization that has worked with charities from around the world for many years. It’s a distinguishing feature of both organisations.

Andrea McManus and I had the privilege of being guests of the Resource Alliance at its International Fundraising Congress (IFC) in late October. It had been some years since I attended IFC, and it was an extraordinarily valuable experience—so many participants from so many backgrounds, coming together to learn from one another. As always, the breadth and depth of knowledge was incredible, and the increasing numbers of younger delegates adding an enthusiasm and drive that was compelling.

Both experiences drive home a key point: fundraising expertise is found all over the world. North American expertise is recognized and valued, but there are amazing and ground-breaking campaigns and innovations happening all over the world from which we are increasingly drawing inspiration and benefit. Our international connections make the entire profession stronger by bringing together the best ideas that are happening in every corner of the globe.

National Philanthropy Day®

2011-11-22T12:00:00.001-05:00

I’ve had the opportunity to celebrate National Philanthropy Day® (NPD) with many of you this year.

I’ve never left any NPD celebration without feeling inspired by the stories I’ve heard, the people I’ve met and the feeling of fellowship and community as the philanthropic sector comes together. We reenergize ourselves and our organizations, and remind the public why philanthropy is so critical to our society.

But this year, NPD takes on even more importance.

Very few of us have experienced a more volatile economic climate than this one. At the same time, governments around the world are about to impose the most severe cuts in funding we have seen in a generation. Cuts that will impact all of our lives and the lives of those we serve.

As government pulls back, demand for our services will grow exponentially. There has never been a time when the commitment of all of us has been more critical. Individually, each of us is a change-agent; collectively, we’re a movement for change.

NPD reminds us of what we can achieve together. Because it will be up to us, together, to ensure that the needs of our communities and our society are met for now and into the future.

Communicating Across the Miles

2011-11-07T13:25:00.001-05:00

I just spent a great two days in the Bay area, attending the Golden Gate Chapter’s National Philanthropy Day celebration and holding a couple of very informative town hall meetings with that chapter, as well as the California Capital and Yosemite chapters.

Andrea McManus and I have met many chapters this year through these town hall meetings. It’s helped us understand your environment, the challenges and opportunities you face, far better. It’s also helped us focus our plans to serve you.

One of the big themes that has come out of these meetings, nearly everywhere we’ve gone, is how chapters want—and need—to be talking with each other more. We’re missing out on great opportunities when chapters in close proximity to each other are not talking with each other on a regular basis.

But it’s more than just geography. A lot of the larger chapters I’ve visited want to speak with chapters their own size about various issues. And I’m hearing that membership chairs or education chairs want to stay in better contact with each other.

We have Like-Sized Chapter Meetings at our International Conference and Leadership Academy, but it’s clear those opportunities are not enough. We’ll be working at AFP IHQ to develop some models on how we can keep chapters and chapter leaders better connected. In the meantime, let me know how we can help develop and nurture chapter connections!

Bill Drayton and the Next Generation

2011-11-01T23:09:00.001-04:00

I had the great privilege of joining a conversation between Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka, and the 2011 NGen Fellows of Independent Sector yesterday.

I won't walk you through the details, but there was a thread running through the conversation which we all need to hear.

Ashoka is about change. All of us have to develop the skills needed to adapt to evolutionary change on an ongoing basis. If we don't, we become irrelevant in this world.

All of us have the capacity to be change agents, to be entrepreneurs. Nowhere is this more essential than in our community of fundraisers.

We can choose to learn and adapt, to adopt the global community of fundraisers as our community, and in doing so evolve and change. But to do that we need two qualities: empathy, an understanding and sympathy for others that recognizes the many different routes to success, and humility, a recognition that our way is not the only, nor even the right, way to achieve change.

For many of us this is a hard lesson to learn. For the next generation of fundraisers it's instinctive—hardwired into their systems. Let's have the humility to learn from them.

If you haven't already, check out the Ashoka website and get to know Bill Drayton. When you have, you'll wish you'd done it many years ago.

A New Level of Advocacy Success

2011-10-28T21:45:00.000-04:00

Our general counsel Jason Lee blogged about lobbying and advocacy recently, and I want to emphasize how close we are to reaching a new level of success with our government relations programs.

Consider our recent past achievements: extension of the IRA Rollover, changes to the Form 990 and protecting the tax deduction, plus executive compensation, National Philanthropy Day® and stretch tax credits in Canada.

We’ve hit the nail on the head with these issues, and new platforms such as Engaging Networks advocacy tool open up new possibilities, making it easier to participate and helping us reach out to new audiences.

We cannot let this opportunity pass. In an increasingly challenging fundraising environment, we have to make legislators, regulators and the public understand the impact of what we do.

Fundraising is the engine that drives philanthropy. The billions of dollars raised from individual citizens, leveraging against the support of foundations and corporations, can achieve change and social impact in a way that governments cannot.

Don’t forget either that when they give, our donors are voting, in a way, as well. Their charitable gifts are expressions of support for the causes and principles they hold dear. With hundreds of billions of dollars raised every year, there are a lot of people “voting” for philanthropy.

These are messages our elected representatives need to hear. Advocacy can have just as big an impact as fundraising, but we have to get engaged. The opportunities are there; we simply have to take them.

The Charitable Deduction - Fundraisers Must Speak Up or Lose Out

2011-10-26T18:33:00.002-04:00

This week, I’m pleased to welcome Jason Lee, J.D. - AFP's general counsel, to the blog. I’ll be inviting others to comment in the future as well, and if you ever have something you want to say, let me know!

During Monday night’s World Series game, a colossal mistake cost the St. Louis Cardinals the game when the team’s pitching coaches couldn’t hear the correct instructions from their manager, Tony LaRussa. To avoid that costly mistake, LaRussa simply needed to speak up and make sure that his staff heard him loud and clear.

There’s a lesson here: we have to speak up in order to preserve the charitable deduction. We have to tell Congress—loud and clear—to protect the deduction.

The federal government is looking everywhere for dollars to offset the deficit and that includes raiding the itemized deduction, including charitable deductions. How much money are we talking about?

If the Obama Administration’s proposal is enacted, more than $3 billion per year, according to a recent study reported in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

We expect high income donors to adjust their charitable giving to offset their lost tax deductions. Expect to receive a $9,000 gift as opposed to $10,000, as noted by Martin Feldstein, an economics professor at Harvard University, in this article.

In addition, replacing the itemized deduction with a 15 percent nonrefundable tax credit would result in nearly $8 billion lost in charitable giving annually.

AFP is fighting to preserve the charitable deduction from all these proposals, but we need your help. It’s time to SPEAK UP.

You represent a key voice that must be heard. Our partner, Engaging Networks has generously allowed AFP to use their online platform. You can contact your Members of Congress with the touch of a button. Click this link to send an electronic letter to your House member and two Senators of your state.

Make your voice heard and help preserve the charitable deduction. Unlike the World Series, this isn’t a game.

Leadership, Community and Academy

2011-10-24T05:58:00.001-04:00

Leadership and inspiration are critical to fundraising. We work to bring a community together—in support of programs and causes that will create a world that all of us want to live in.

Leadership Academy captures the best of AFP. Dedicated individuals, all supporting their fundraising community—and the communities they live and work in. We expanded that community in Montreal as the board approved two new chapters: the Capitulo Puerto Vallarta – Riviera Nayarit Chapter located in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and the AFP Aloha Collegiate Chapter located in Honolulu, Hawaii.

You’ll be hearing about many of the ideas and actions from these meetings later in this blog and on the AFP website. But their importance truly lies in what we achieve together. Over the four days we spent together, senior leaders gathered —some for the first time—to address the needs of our chapters and members through the dialogue, the face-to-face, that impacts change.

These conversations shape the future of AFP and of our profession. I hope you’ll keep them going so that they spiral out to our chapters, and ultimately, all of our members.

Leadership Academy should not be missed. For those who took part, thank you. If you’re a chapter leader, plan to attend next year’s Academy in Houston. It’s where we shape the future of our community.

Salutations de Montréal!

2011-10-12T10:19:00.001-04:00

This week, we’re headed to Montreal and the Leadership Academy, our annual gathering of chapter leaders from around the world.

The Academy is one of my favorite AFP experiences because it’s a great opportunity to talk with our senior volunteers in a more relaxed atmosphere, away from the pressure of our constant work flow and daily deadlines. The diverse perspectives, the give and take, the informal discussions that take place outside the meetings and sessions—these are the real strengths of the Academy and where ideas are spread and relationships get built.

This year, the theme for the Academy is communication, and it couldn’t be more timely. With so many organizations trying to speak at the same time, how do we differentiate ourselves and ensure our messages are heard? What’s the best way to connect with people? And in challenging economic times and reduced budgets, how do we best communicate the AFP value proposition and the reasons for becoming (and staying) an AFP member?

These are questions that need to be continuously asked and answered as society and our environments change. We won’t find all the answers in Montreal, but I have no doubt we’ll generate some solid and innovative ideas that will guide our path in the future.

I’ll provide a complete update and give you my perspective about how the Academy went next week. And if you’re attending this year’s Academy and reading this, feel free to comment on how you think it’s going (and tweet using hashtag #afpmeet)!

Fundraising in South Africa

2011-10-03T23:42:00.002-04:00

(L-R) Zani Kunz, Alan Hutson and Selloane Mashinini

For many years, South African charities have relied on the government for a significant amount of funding. It’s a different picture today – fundraising has become an important social force in the country. AFP has worked with the South African Institute of Fundraising (SAIF) over the last few years – we’ve learnt a lot about the challenges they’ve faced.

Earlier this year, the SAIF held its 10th biennial convention, A New Dawn in Fundraising. AFP was represented at the conference by Alan Hutson. We gave bursaries to Zani Kunz from Children’s Eco Training and Selloane Mashinini of Ikageng Old Age Relief Centre.

Children’s Eco Training focuses on hands-on environmental education for the youth in the Hoedspruit and Acornhoek areas of South Africa. Its goal is to teach children how to conserve and inspire them to appreciate nature in all its intricacies. Ikageng Old Age Relief Centre was established in 1984 for the purpose of addressing basic living needs for the elderly, including, coal supplies in winter months and basic medical requirements.

The need and the demand for charitable services is a constant, wherever you are. Period. Protecting the environment. Assisting the elderly. Names may change, but the issues do not. It’s why AFP is committed to serving fundraisers around the world. Sometime in the near future, you might just be participating in a webinar or session led by Zani and Selloane. We’re all united by challenges, issues and opportunities, and we can all learn from each other.

Ready to Hire

2011-09-23T10:17:00.001-04:00

Excellent column in Forbes on Monday about the nonprofit sector being ready to hire again in the U.S. and encouraging people to consider a job with a charity. Optimism continues to build after giving increased a little in 2010, and charities seem ready to set new goals with additional staff in place.

Definitely good news, even though growth is far from spectacular. Giving’s going to take a while to recover the heights of 2007, and we seem determined to talk ourselves into a double-dip recession.

I hesitate to tell the media to “get a grip”, but we’re in a distinctly different place from the dreary days of 2008 and 2009 and hopefully we’ve see the worst of it. Johns Hopkins University just released a study showing nonprofits jobs grew at a faster rate than for-profit jobs over the last decade, and the sector is now the third-largest in the United States. Given all that, perhaps it’s no surprise that we’re leading the way in hiring again.

Is your organization going to be hiring again soon? Fundraising positions, or other positions, or both?

Changing the World

2011-09-15T08:57:00.002-04:00

I’ve taught students at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota since 2007. This year was my last time teaching a course on the globalization of philanthropy in St. Mary’s Master’s program.

I listened to two compelling student presentations while I was there: one on the impact of hyper-philanthropy and the other on the inter-generational transfer of knowledge and experience in the women’s movement.

The first argued that hyper-philanthropy—massive amounts of money given in a very-short time frame or through a single gift—not only strengthens philanthropy’s impact, but also, conversely, flattens it. That’s a sobering thought—that generosity on the scale of Gates or Buffet creates a system that’s more monolithic and reduces the multi-layered texture and diversity of philanthropy.

The second thesis highlighted the real challenge we face in transferring the knowledge and experience of Baby Boomers to Gen-X and the upcoming generations. Our experience has been an extraordinarily rich one at a time of massive change. The speed of change is increasing exponentially and unless we are careful, the less tangible aspects and achievements in our community will be lost. As fundraisers, we tend to focus on the monetary aspect of the inter-generational transfer of wealth, but equally important is the knowledge, experience and perspective we can pass on.

A lot to think about.

Warning Signs You’re Defending the Status Quo

2011-09-07T17:21:00.003-04:00

This is a great post from Seth Godin on warning signs you’re defending the status quo.

When confronted with a new idea, do you:
Consider the cost of switching before you consider the benefits?
Highlight the pain to a few instead of the benefits for the many?
Exaggerate how good things are now in order to reduce your fear of change?
Undercut the credibility, authority or experience of people behind the change?
Grab onto the rare thing that could go wrong instead of amplifying the likely thing that will go right?
Focus on short-term costs instead of long-term benefits, because the short-term is more vivid for you?
Fight to retain benefits and status earned only through tenure and longevity?
Embrace an instinct to accept consistent ongoing costs instead of swallowing a one-time expense?
Slow implementation and decision making down instead of speeding it up?
Embrace sunk costs?
Imagine that your competition is going to be as afraid of change as you are? Even the competition that hasn't entered the market yet and has nothing to lose...
Emphasize emergency preparation at the expense of a chronic and degenerative condition?
Compare the best of what you have now with the possible worst of what a change might bring?
Calling it out when you see it might give your team the strength to make a leap.

I think that hits the nail on the head.

How many of us get excited about a new idea, then start to have doubts as we think about it more? With all the changes occurring in fundraising and philanthropy, we can’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. These are some great questions to consider if we’re uncertain about change or find ourselves backsliding on a great new proposal we loved at first.

You’ll also find a lot of interesting marketing ideas and discussions at Seth’s Blog.

Different Organizations, Different Impacts, Common Roles

2011-08-30T16:42:00.002-04:00

This week, I’m pleased to welcome Andrea McManus, CFRE, the chair of AFP, to the blog. I’ll be inviting others to comment in the future as well, and if you ever have something you want to say, let me know!

Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of attending the Institute of Fundraising’s (UK) annual conference in London. Part of the great experience I had there was meeting with leaders of different fundraising organizations from around the world.

AFP is the largest fundraising association in the world by membership—30,000 or so—but consider this perspective: IOF has about 5,500 members in comparison, but through the reach of its membership accounts for 85 percent of all donations raised in the UK!

The Ukrainian Fundraising Association has fewer than 20 members, and they operate in a giving environment that is very different from what most of us face. But their members are regarded as the undisputed leaders in the profession there, and they also achieve significant impact despite their fewer numbers. Think about that—not even 20 members but nevertheless helping to lead the development of fundraising in that country.

We may have different numbers and resources available to us, and our cultures may dictate different solutions and perspectives.

But what we have in common is the critical role we play in the development of fundraising in our communities. And we accomplish that through the same principles and ideas: a commitment to professionalism and ethical fundraising.

We can learn a lot from different fundraising associations, and that’s one of the reasons why Andrew and I are reaching out to our sister organizations around the world. One size doesn’t fit all, but we can study other situations, learn how they have impact and take those lessons back to AFP.

The same is true for fundraising in general. Our colleagues from across the globe have a lot to offer, if we’re willing to listen and look on their situation—and the incredible impact they have—with new perspective.

Engagement Works!

2011-08-22T22:56:00.001-04:00

Just a couple of weeks ago I blogged about the debt ceiling compromise and how the sector needs to get engaged with government. In my last post, I mentioned that we have to include government and other stakeholders when we talk about how to grow philanthropy.

Now we have further proof that good things can happen when we DO engage.

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs had issued a proposal to require charities to offer donors the opportunity to specify which programs they want to support. In addition, charities would be required to tell donors that if they didn’t specify exactly how their money was to be used, their contributions could be used to cover administrative and fundraising costs.

Urging donors to restrict gifts can damage a charity’s ability to fulfill its mission and fund programs and administrative costs. The proposal also sends the message that fundraising and administrative costs are disreputable and could potentially create more bureaucracy and higher costs for charities.

However, just recently, the Division announced that it would be not be pursuing this policy. You can bet this change was due in large part to the response of the sector concerned with how this proposal would have affected legitimate fundraising. AFP submitted comments to the Division, as did a variety of other organizations.

There’s no guarantee of victory if we engage. But we have no chance if we never get involved. Our strength is the number and diversity of our organizations and members. If we all engage, we stand an excellent chance of “winning” these legislative and regulatory battles. Thanks to everyone who got involved with this proposal.

More about Summits

2011-08-15T22:50:00.001-04:00

I promised to return to the Growing Philanthropy Summits held in Washington, DC and London this July.

Our main goal was to develop practical recommendations and outcomes to—as the summit indicates— grow philanthropy. From this perspective, we were very successful. We came up with a range of tactical proposals—32 in all!—to kick philanthropy into a higher gear. There are some very good ideas that AFP and others will be pushing to implement.

But we were also had the opportunity for strategic-level discussions: ways to bring everyone involved in philanthropy together, and what fundraising (and fundraisers) can do better to support philanthropy.

And here is where I think we fell short: strategy, positioning and analyzing HOW to reach our long-term goals. Not only did we fall short at the summits, but I find that the profession and the sector fall short in these areas all the time.

We need to remember that fundraising is NOT synonymous with philanthropy. Fundraising enables people to practice philanthropy. Fundraisers encourage philanthropy but we have to understand that the act of giving is just one aspect of a much broader engagement achieving impact in our communities.

In addition, growing philanthropy is an exercise in communication. We have to be inclusive, engaging the broad philanthropic community, including donors, funders, lawmakers and regulators. We won’t get very far if we start by excluding the majority of the players from the conversation. And we have to be engaging, to reach out, facilitating discussions that our audiences can understand, connect with, and be inspired by.

We need hard substance and great ideas that can actually grow philanthropy. But the summits also have to be presented symbolically, strategically—as a partnership between ALL parties involved in the philanthropic process. If we don’t think about strategy and positioning, then no one is going to listen to us, no matter how good our proposals are.

I’m excited about the summits, but there’s some work to do yet. I’ll keep you posted as we move forward.

Donor-Centered Fundraising

2011-08-12T08:22:00.001-04:00

Michael Rosen, CFRE, has written an interesting piece on his blog about his five most popular posts. The five posts tackle slightly different subjects but all focus on one common issue: donor-centered fundraising.

I’m not surprised – at all. Technology is growing and fundraising is becoming more specialized, but the heart of our work remains the same: respect for the donor and good stewardship.

You’d think that was simple but we all know how easy it is to forget during the hustle of our daily life. We’ve got to be able to step back at key moments of the day and ask ourselves, is this really good for our donors? Are we being good stewards of their expectations, their time and their money?”

Stewardship is something we have to emphasize and make time for. Because fundraising is about making and strengthening connections—being a good steward.

I’d like to know more about how you “practice” stewardship in your organization? Is it something you schedule or talk about with your staff and colleagues? Is it just ingrained into your operations, or do you consciously think about stewardship?

Debt Ceiling Deliberations

2011-08-05T23:04:00.000-04:00

The dust has settled and we finally have a debt ceiling agreement. Fortunately, despite some discussion in Congress, the charitable deduction wasn’t affected.

But the battle is hardly over, and we have two key reasons to be concerned. First, the so-called Super Committee created as part of the agreement has the authority to examine all sorts of revenue and spending proposals. You can rest assured that the charitable deduction will be part of that discussion at some point.

Second, the agreement has set a precedent for future debt ceiling votes. From now on, it’s quite likely there won’t be a debt ceiling vote without other spending and revenue measures added to the bill. Which means the deduction and perhaps other giving incentives could be up for debate at any time.

We have our work cut out for us. Fortunately, we’ve helped to develop a strong coalition of nonprofits working together to educate Congress on the importance of the deduction. But we’ll need your help as well—to contact your members of Congress when the time is right.

We’ll keep you posted with our government relations alerts when action is needed, and I encourage you to get engaged in the legislative process through AFP International and your chapter!

Expanding the AFP Community

2011-08-02T17:39:00.000-04:00

AFP’s greatest strength is its community. Inclusive, diverse—there’s no other association that has members from so many subsectors and causes in organizations around the world.

The networking, expertise and the perspective you gain from your colleagues—it’s what sets AFP apart. And we’re always happy to welcome members into the AFP community.

At our recent meeting in July, the AFP board approved the creation of three new chapters, including the Columbia University Collegiate Chapter New York City; the Alabama, North Chapter located in Huntsville and the Alberta, Southern Chapter located in Lethbridge.

Congratulations to these new chapters and thanks to their sponsoring chapters for working with them through the process. You offer so much to the world of philanthropy. I know you’ll find your AFP experience a great one.

Strategic Dialogue in the Blazing Heat

2011-07-29T22:15:00.002-04:00

A heat index of 118 and failed air conditioning wasn't the ideal environment for our board meetings last week in Arlington, VA.

But despite those challenging working conditions, we enjoyed some great dialogue on a number of strategic issues that will position AFP well for the future:

• the structure and function of the association;
• our international strategy to engage with fundraisers and partners around the globe;
• the implementation of a three year business plan and
• a strategic plan for the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy and ways in which the association and foundation can work closely together to leverage their relationships and skills base for the benefit of our community.

We got so much done in part because we spent nearly an entire day in informal, strategic discussions focusing on the future while spending much less time simply reporting out in our formal business meeting. It was my first board meeting, and I thought it was a great approach. Due credit goes to Andrea McManus, our chair, for emphasizing open dialogue and collaboration, and her fellow board members for providing such tremendous input and insight.

I’ll keep you posted on these developments and as always, please comment if you have any questions about these or any other AFP projects.

What Did You Say?

2011-07-21T10:46:00.001-04:00

Go online to any charity website. Go online to the AFP website. Look at the landing page and tell me whether, once you’ve read it, you have a better idea of what that organization is, what it does and what makes it important to the communities it serves.

There are some outstanding examples; they tend to belong to the campaigners where words represent their capital. Most of us would have to admit that the sites we own, the sites we visit, would be lucky to be graded a straight “B”.

Yet now, when governments around the world are cutting support for nonprofits; corporations and foundations are facing huge challenges and individuals are facing the worst financial insecurity for generations, there has never been a greater need for us to communicate our passion and the vital role we play to all our audiences.

It’s a sound-bite world. Attention spans are short. People won’t click through five tiers of a website to find what they want.

We shouldn’t fight that but work with it. Be honest, transparent and above all else, compelling. Life’s too short to mess around.

We’re looking at changing around the homepage of the AFP website. Seen any websites that have impressed you right off the bat? Let us know!

Get Involved with the FEP!

2011-07-18T16:33:00.001-04:00

I ran across this great blog from Kirsten Bullock at the SOFII website about our Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP). If you’ve read some of my earlier posts, you know I’m a strong proponent of solid data to advance the profession and help us make our case in the public policy and education arenas.

It doesn’t get any more solid than the FEP. Not only does the FEP provide great data for the sector, but the baseline measurements it provides to you can help identify areas where you need to improve.

Kirsten makes the case as well as I could, so if your organization hasn’t gotten involved with the FEP yet, I strongly encourage you to do so soon. The more organizations that participate, the better the data will be and the more use you’ll get out of this great resource.

More Rankling in Canada

2011-07-15T14:07:00.001-04:00

As a follow-up to Monday’s post, I want to highlight a truly balanced response by Mark Blumberg to the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s (CBC) story on fundraising costs.

Mark’s post is as comprehensive as I’ve seen and leaves no stone unturned. If only reporting on fundraising costs and other charity issues was as clear and showed such insight, the public would be a lot better educated.

Unfortunately, the CBC has swiftly moved on to another issue. This time, it’s charitable sector salaries, with the CBC making a big uproar about 18,000 charitable employees making more than $80,000 annually. If you use their own numbers, which include an estimate of about one million people working in the sector overall, then you’ll find that less than two percent of all charitable employees have a salary of $80,000 or more!

I’m not sure what there is to be outraged about here. Like any other sector, charities pay salaries based on talent, expertise and experience. Unless your notions about charities remains firmly rooted in the 1930s, I think most people understand that these sorts of salaries are pretty typical.

I’m glad to see several comments in support of the sector on this one and wondering why the CBC is trying to make a big deal out of this. Like fundraising costs, charity salaries can be an emotional issue for donors that can require some education. We seem to be further along the curve for salaries than we do fundraising costs.

Rankled Over Rankings

2011-07-11T16:24:00.001-04:00

Another charity ranking system is out, this time in Canada: the MoneySense Charity 100 (not currently available online but the 2010 version is here).

It takes a very small sample of 100 out of the more than 85,000 charities in Canada and attempts to take the dozens of factors that affect fundraising costs and compact them down into one all-encompassing, objective letter grade.

As AFP has said many times, such rankings are arbitrary, biased and in the end, tell a donor nothing about how good a charity is at fulfilling its mission or how effective it is.

Fundraising cost is an important issue, but a ranking system like the MoneySense Charity 100 does nothing to identify charities that are really good at fundraising or making change in our society. It contributes nothing to public understanding about what it takes to keep the show on the road, or what it takes to achieve impact.

The Canadian Broadcasting Company has also entered the fray with a recent article on fundraising costs.

Fundraising cost is a powerful and emotional issue for most donors, but it’s also very complicated. A responsible commentator tries to achieve a balanced tone – we all know that public education about costs is badly needed.

The CBC article is especially frustrating because it doesn’t attempt to explain why the organization’s fundraising costs are increasing and barely touches on why its priorities might be shifting. It simply implies that funding for research is dropping because of increases in fundraising activities without exploring the strategy behind any changes.

Even more telling are the hundreds of comments, many of which indicate the high degree of cynicism and lack of understanding the public has about the issue.

We will continue to come out strongly on this issue because being quiet or waiting to speak to donors in small groups isn’t going to work. Many people have already made up their mind about fundraising cost, and we’re not going to change them without being heard.

Have an idea about how best to respond to these types of article? Love to hear from you?

“Don’t Waste a Crisis”

2011-07-07T17:35:00.001-04:00

If you know me, you’ll know that I believe in data – knowledge applied effectively. You must have noticed how, in the press, on air – any place that we discuss who we are and what we do – we all resort to collective descriptions of “the sector” or “the community”. The problem with this reference is that, while we are one community, we are all unique. And that’s a challenge to communicate.

There is no one size fits all, and yet every mechanism we have to communicate what we do pushes us in that direction—the Form 990, the Canadian Form T3010, an op-ed or annual report— it’s too complex to explain simply in a limited number of words.

We can’t afford to duck the issues of our time: fundraising costs, ethics, donor control, privacy. We are in times of great stress for us and for the communities we support.

But there’s no better time to learn the skills we need to communicate who we are, what we do and what it takes to keep the show on the road. And we can’t afford to be quiet either. There’s too much at stake, and we have to make our voice heard to have any impact.

In the words of Rahm Emanuel, “Don’t waste a crisis.”

Growing Philanthropy

2011-06-27T07:16:00.003-04:00

A group of people with one thing in common—a passionate belief in the power of non-profit action—met in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. The Growing Philanthropy Summit was the first of two gatherings (the second to be held in London in July) that came together to discuss what we could do to kick-start growth in philanthropy.

We pride ourselves on our commitment to philanthropy and the strong tradition of community engagement here in North America. But growth has stalled—look no further than the recent Giving USA figures, the latest Nonprofit Research Collaborative and AFP’s past State of Fundraising Surveys. Given a choice between maintaining our standards of living or our levels of giving, many of us will opt for the former. That’s understandable.

So what’s to do? We looked at our knowledge base, at trust and confidence and at the relationships between individuals and the causes they support. We recognized that all of our assumptions are being challenged by the speed of change—and reacting to that change—that we all live with.

So we committed to explore ways of improving the knowledge base – bringing consistency and free access to it. We discussed how we might up our game in communications skills and above all, that we HAVE to listen to the individuals who support us, understand how they want to engage and utilize what’s working for them. It doesn’t sound new, does it? But how many of us can honestly say that we’re doing it.

There’ll be more to come in July after our second summit. What do you think—are we on the right track?

A Long Road Ahead

2011-06-21T08:46:00.001-04:00

The Giving USA Foundation has released its 2010 giving figures, and there’s not a lot of good news.

Giving bumped up by two percent. But after historic drops in 2008 and 2009, a little increase was expected. The results are certainly in line with what we found with the Nonprofit Research Collaborative 2010 report earlier this year.

But it’s not the short-term results of 2010 that I’m focused on so much as what lies ahead. We’re not seeing any signs of exceptional growth in 2011. And as Giving USA noted, it will be five or six years until we get back to pre-recession levels of giving if philanthropy continues to grow at two percent annually.

Is that likely? No one knows with any certainly what sort of economic growth will have over the next several years, but if you listen to economists, the outlook is pessimistic. Flat growth, or slight increases at best. There’s no reason to think, at this point, the next economic boom is anywhere close.

We’ve been saying this for a year or so now but it bears repeating: we’re in a new world. The start-and-stop growth of the last decade is going to look pretty good compared to what we’ll likely face over the next several years.

But this is why we get all the training, isn’t it? Times like this are precisely why you join AFP and engage in continuing education, network with colleagues and stay updated on latest trends and innovations. I believe these challenges are going to bring out the best of us. It’s easy (relatively) to raise funds in a strong economy. Times like these are when we prove our worth as a profession.

The Power of Community

2011-06-16T08:36:00.001-04:00

One thing really struck me as I returned to DC from New York Fundraising Day and Planet Philanthropy in Jacksonville, Fla.—the power of AFP as a convener.

Both events represented what’s best in AFP – volunteers, giving their time, dedication and passion to their peers. Drawing together everyone in their communities for the benefit of all.
It’s always a privilege to join in these events. I don’t think we say often enough how much we enjoy it. You can’t beat fundraisers for working hard and having a good time while they’re at it.

We sit at the heart of the philanthropic community – at every level. Our chapters bring together fundraisers, grant-makers, CEOs and board members at all their meetings, providing an opportunity for dialogue, inspiration and fellowship.

Similarly, the work with our sister associations around the world enriches our own experience. While our partners in the fundraising and philanthropic community (e.g., Venture for Philanthropy, Resource Alliance) don’t represent fundraisers in the same way, they play a critical role in defining the space we occupy.

Convening is another key way of emphasizing our value proposition. At the same time, we don’t have to describe ourselves as “first” – we are one among many. But we are a leader in initiating those conversations, in proactively reaching out and offering support and advice – and where we can, influence.

We are a community – and a powerful one – that embraces the globe. We should celebrate that.
I’d love to hear examples of how your chapters are bringing together your local community on projects and initiatives related to fundraising and philanthropy.

Travels

2011-06-13T08:36:00.001-04:00

I’m in the middle of chapter visits. Last week I was in the Big Apple for the AFP New York Fundraising Day. I’m now in Jacksonville Monday and Tuesday to join the Florida Caucus at its “Planet Philanthropy” conference.

These events represent different facets of the best that AFP can offer. What they have in common is that they offer fundraisers knowledge, understanding and above all, human capital.

I firmly believe in what Nathan Hand commented on in my last blog post about the next generation of fundraisers. There are so many organizations now and so many ways practitioners can obtain knowledge nowadays. We have to shift the value proposition of AFP to community. That is, networking and personal engagement and support.

And that’s what AFP can offer. When you walk into a room, filled with fundraisers from every background, you see the greatest strength of AFP: the individuals who make up one of the greatest networks of fundraisers anywhere – whose knowledge and understanding of the world they live in is second to none – and there to be freely shared.

Regardless of the medium, it’s that sense of shared community—the people of AFP—that makes our association so valuable. It’s what keeps me coming to work each day.

The "Next" Group

2011-06-08T17:37:00.001-04:00

We need to inspire the next generation of donors; it’s critical to AFP and the future of philanthropy. We’re working with the Case Foundation on the 2011 Millennium Donors Summit, and our Youth in Philanthropy program provides education and awareness to students about the importance of giving and volunteering—engaging in a “hands-on” way.

But there’s another “next” group we have to focus on too: the next generation of fundraisers. They’re as different from earlier generations of fundraisers as Millennial donors are to the Baby Boomers. The mission of engaging young people with the profession is so critical that we added it as a goal in our strategic plan for 2011-2013.

Our collegiate chapters are one of the fastest growing programs here at AFP; it shows there’s significant interest in fundraising among young people today. But an article from Nonprofit World about attracting and recruiting young fundraisers reminded me that we’re facing a whole new set of challenges.

These fundraisers are just entering the workforce and seeking meaningful jobs that match their life-expectations: work flexibility, employee-centered facilities and creative communications –ways to engage with their organizations. And while many of us “fell” into fundraising, this generation already has significant education and training in nonprofit management and WANT to become fundraisers.

It’s a good challenge to have, but it’s forcing us to rethink our messages and operations. AFP is looking at new ways to engage the next generation of fundraisers, and I’d be interested in your experiences. What have you found resonates with the next generation? Or if you’re part of it, what’s most important to you when you look at new jobs and opportunities?

One and Done?

2011-06-03T15:39:00.003-04:00

Interesting piece in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Prospecting Blog on Smile Train and their new donor approach—make a gift and the charity won’t ask for another gift ever again.

I think it’s a great example of stewardship, ensuring that the donor-charity relationship gets off on the best foot possible. And with more charities ramping up their fundraising efforts, this method is sensitive to increasing donor concerns about too many solicitations.

Some will argue that this sort of approach hamstrings the charity right from the start. The whole aim of fundraising is donor cultivation, and not allowing any more solicitations prohibits potentially a lifetime of giving.

But I believe many donors will respond favorably to Smile Train’s idea and appreciate their sentiment while allowing the organization to continue to solicit them. I think the positive responses will outweigh the donors who decide not to be solicited ever again.

What I am worried about is how they are implementing this approach. It’s not quite as simple as “give and we’ll never solicit you again.” The donor has to make the conscious decision to mail in the reply slip asking the charity to not solicit him or her again. This may set up different expectations between the charity and the donor, which could lead to problems.

But overall, I think it’s a very engaging idea and I wonder if other charities will use it as well. What do you think about this approach?

Economic Governance—Data Driven Impact

2011-05-26T13:47:00.002-04:00

“Why would he be talking about economic governance in the AFP Blog?”

It’s a fair question. I went to the Asia Foundation’s launch of a new book discussing the measurement of economic governance at the local level in Asia yesterday.

It’s looking at the impact of the Asia Foundation’s Economic Governance Index. It’s relevant to us because key constituents in this debate are the financially active nonprofits and social enterprises—our shops, in short. The value to them of hard data, detailing the economic environment in which they sit, is a critical tool allowing them to pack a punch in their debate with government. Without hard, demonstrable facts to share they would not have achieved changes to regulation, changes to the operating environment or changes to public opinion.

Look in our own back yard. How often do we still find ourselves in that boat? Threats to the charitable tax deduction, scrutiny on investment in “overhead”—without the data to back up our arguments we’ll continue to look and sound self-interested.

Initiatives like the Fundraising Effectiveness Project or the National Research Collaborative are critical tools for us to use in dialogue with our own Boards and in public debates. We need to engage with them now, or, in their absence in Canada, develop them soonest. If we don’t, we’ll be in the same boat, lacking the same paddle, in five years’ time.

Angela Earns Her ACFRE ... Are You Next?

2011-05-23T17:04:00.002-04:00

Many congratulations to Angela Seaworth, our newest member to earn the Advanced Certified Fund Raising Credential (ACFRE). Angela is the director of the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Rice University in Houston, and is the 91st person to earn this impressive achievement.

Everyone should consider working towards the CFRE and ACFRE. As Angela said, “The ACFRE credential shows commitment to fundraising as a true profession.” She couldn’t be more right, and that applies to the CFRE as well. Certification is how we show the public that we are serious about ethical fundraising—that we are credible, and we are working in a field driven by established principles, ethics and best practices – all valued by employers, our donors and the public.

You might want to consider this: those fundraisers with credentials earn significantly more than those without, something we’ve seen for many years in our annual Compensation and Benefit Reports. And we’re seeing more and more job ads with “CFRE preferred” as part of the description.

Earning the CFRE and ACFRE are significant accomplishments, but they’re certainly not impossible. There is nothing stopping you from beginning this process as soon as you are eligible.

I hope you will!

Congress and the Charitable Deduction

2011-05-16T09:58:00.004-04:00

I received another call from a reporter yesterday about whether or not Congress is going to change the charitable deduction.

We’ve heard this before but this time the threat is very real. In previous go-rounds the proposal was attached to polarizing legislation that wasn’t likely to pass—first a healthcare reform package and then an ambiguous deficit reduction plan. This year, the cap has been applied to legislation regarding the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Fixing the AMT is a very popular idea in Congress, so it’s a potential runner.

The President continues to mention his support for this proposal – very publicly. Plus, there are two independent bodies that recently have suggested changes to the deduction as well: The Debt Reduction Task Force of the Bipartisan Policy Center and the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

It’s clear the deduction is in play. We’re working to educate Congress about the true impact of what they’re proposing—painting a picture of what it would mean to communities around the country and what tax dollars would have to be applied to pick up the deficit when charities cannot deliver. I’d like to hear what you have to share about the impact on projects close to you.

Take ten minutes out of your day, contact your Members of Congress and tell them to support the charitable deduction. Congress needs to hear from you because this is not a hypothetical argument. This is a battle we cannot afford to lose.

Industry Partners Reflect the Profession

2011-05-10T11:02:00.003-04:00

Met with our Industry Partners Council a couple of weeks ago. The council is made up of representatives from for-profit firms that serve the profession. It was fascinating to talk with them because their experiences often underscore what members are seeing in their communities.

Take Rich Tolsma, for example, who leads Rich Tolsma Productions, a video and multi-media firm. He’s reporting a strong sense of urgency about projects that were delayed because of the economy, but now need to be worked on very quickly. He’s seeing more programs now designed specifically for the Internet, when in the past putting materials and resources online was often an afterthought. There have also been more projects focused specifically on donor stewardship: “We’ve never seen more charities developing videos and materials with the express purpose of thanking current donors and showing impact.”

Debbi Barber, CFRE, the president of Grizzard Communications Group, a nonprofit marketing and fundraising agency, talked about how different the current trends and priorities are compared to past years. Clients are now focused on social media and networking, requiring a new set of skills and operations that are far different from the traditional fundraising work.

And if you need a great example of how much the sector has changed, there’s Adam Roth and Streamlink Software. Adam, president of the Streamlink, noted that his firm, which provides charities with web-based grant and board management software that increases operational resources, capacity and efficiency, couldn’t have been in existence a few years ago.

Any of these sound familiar? Changes in our profession affect our business partners too, and they can provide invaluable perspective and insight. Definitely looking forward to our next meeting.

Pheasants and Fundraising in the Heartlands

2011-05-06T12:27:00.003-04:00

As you can see from the picture, I had a great time at the Mid-America Conference in Kansas City. I was expecting a Jayhawk, or even a Cardinal, being in Missouri. But that’s actually a pheasant. Ringer, from South Dakota, alternatively known as Rob Timm.

There were some great sessions. A fascinating presentation on how NOT to stifle creativity and another emphasizing the global operating environment and the speed and flexibility of response that it requires from us.

I met with Chapter leaders from across the region to hear how their environment was changing – and how AFP can support them in that. The challenges of speed of response, access to resources and delivery of service seem to be common to all. It was the first of many such conversations over the next few months. I’ll be reaching out to you—but I need you to reach out to me and tell me about your challenges. Working together, we can meet them.

It was a great conference – and a great meeting. Thank you all for asking me to visit you in the Heartlands.

Off to the Heartland

2011-05-02T13:27:00.004-04:00

I’m off on my first official chapter travel today as president and CEO, starting with the Mid-America Conference in Kansas City. It’s a great four-day event that brings together fundraisers from across the region. The chapter has been kind enough to invite me to speak for just a few minutes at the conference, and I’m really looking forward to the whole experience. I’m also excited to be able to meet with chapter presidents from across the area and discuss how their chapters are doing and what AFP International can do better.

If you’re going to be at the conference, please feel free to come up and say hi. I’d love to talk with you and hear about how your fundraising is going and how AFP can best help you.

If you’re not going to be at the conference, why not take a few minutes this week and think about who would make for an outstanding board leader for AFP? Nominations for the AFP board are due July 29, and it’s critical that AFP have the best, most effective volunteer leaders. I hope you’ll consider nominating someone. We need both established, experienced leaders and new faces to keep our community fresh, dynamic and ready for tomorrow’s challenges.

Have a good week, and I’ll report back later this week from Kansas City.

Giving vs. Impact

2011-04-27T22:32:00.003-04:00

Have you seen the discussion lately about how much giving dropped during 2008 and 2009? IRS data shows that giving dropped by far more (as much as 20 percent) than previously identified by Giving USA, the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College or anywhere else.

I’m sure this doesn’t come as any surprise to you. 2008 and 2009 were some of the toughest years ever for fundraising. The Nonprofit Research Collaborative’s surveys (incorporating AFP’s State of Fundraising Survey), as well as the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, all point to significant decreases in giving then.

But whether or not giving dropped 3, 10 or 20 percent, let’s remember the real issue. Giving is about supporting impact, delivering services and achieving objectives. A downturn in giving wouldn’t matter if demand was also decreasing. But it’s increasing dramatically! Which means that a flat rate of giving is cause for concern, and a slight drop in giving could be devastating.
I’m pleased that researchers are examining and improving their models. That’s important, but it’s not the end game.

Fundraising is all about impact. We have to paint the pictures that demonstrate the impact of fundraising and philanthropy. We all have our own stories of how difficult 2008 and 2009 were, and the impact that we still made despite those challenges. And THAT’S what we need to focus on.

Thanks

2011-04-27T13:13:00.003-04:00

Right now I'm glad for the feedback and suggestions - also for the commitment to ongoing support regardless of the decisions that we take - I'll hold you to that pledge!

Seriously, I appreciate such an early opportunity to get these thoughts. I'll be on the road and visiting many of you over the next few months, starting next week at the Mid America conference in Kansas City. I want to hear from you - listen to what's important to you - and build the partnerships we have together. We need to understand the world you live in to allow us to support you better. I'm looking forward to it - I hope you are too.

Andrew

The Blog

2011-04-25T16:28:00.002-04:00

So, one month in I wanted to dive into the blog, so welcome back. I say "welcome back" but it's AFP's blog more than "mine"—so maybe it's your blog, posted by me? I want to use this space to give you a sense of what we’re doing here in Arlington, Va., as well as what’s taking place in the profession. But it’s going to come from a shared perspective—from you, me, AFP members and fundraising practitioners.

There’s a lot happening out there—you know that as well as I do. Even in my time serving fundraisers–just under twenty years–fundraising's evolved tremendously, becoming a worldwide phenomenon that’s an integral part of many people's lives.

Our goal is still the same: to reach out to our supporters in the community. But now technology lets us reach out instantaneously to thousands of supporters, who in turn can raise funds and awareness on our behalf. At the same time, fundraising is becoming more specialized—which tends to happen to established professions—and that brings risks of dividing members.

AFP bridges those divides and celebrates the diversity in our profession. Whenever you take on new responsibilities, change jobs or need a colleague to talk to, we're there for you. Whatever your specialty, position or level of experience, we all believe in common principles, values, ethics and a desire to change the world through philanthropy.

So wherever you are—AFP is your community. Whatever your needs or concerns, I promise you that your voice will be heard.

The blog's just one piece of that. I'll be posting here and I hope you’ll join me. I want to hear from you, whatever's on your mind—your concerns. It's our AFP and it's our profession – a great one that we all share.

Send me your thoughts on what we should call this shared blog of ours. If I choose your idea, you'll win my gratitude and a share of the blog spotlight....

Andrew