News/Blog

by Thomas E. Moore III
Executive Director, American Friends of the Louvre

It’s been nearly four months since I began my tenure as the Executive Director of American Friends of the Louvre and, as my first executive director role, it has been an incredible period of learning and growing into a new kind of leadership.  

Successful leaders often demonstrate attributes like compassion, a deep connection with their teams, and the ability to balance group needs with their individual aspirations. For emerging leaders looking to grow their skills, particularly leaders of color, I strongly advise embracing qualities and skills that may not always be recognized as conventional strengths. For example, being perceived as ‘different’ may have taught you how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. In leadership, you can harness that feeling to adapt quickly, overcome difficult experiences, and see innovative solutions. 

by Lamont Wray, Jr.
Director, Individual Giving
Food Bank for New York City

Food insecurity is not a fleeting problem reserved for the holiday season or a recent issue stemming from the pandemic. It's a longstanding challenge that has plagued communities for decades, and its impact intensifies. Factors such as the reduction of SNAP benefits, escalating rent costs, rising food prices, and the migrant crisis have exacerbated the situation, pushing many families and individuals into dire straits.

By Jonah Nigh
Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement
The New School

I love New York City because it is a city of doers. People are fast, smart, ambitious, and unsettled by the status quo. Whenever I visit family in the Midwest or West Coast, it takes about 48 hours before I get twitchy and start to feel like a corvette in a school-zone. Frankly, it’s not a city to me unless I need to regularly jump over bags of garbage, dodge an Elmo, or completely dissociate during “showtime” on the A Train.

By Craig H. Shelley, CFRE
President, Association of Fundraising Professionals, New York City Chapter
Partner + Chief Growth Officer, Orr Group

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as our Chapter’s President over the next two-years.  It’s a humbling opportunity to help ensure New York City fundraisers have the community and resources we deserve.

As I’ve prepared for this unique challenge, I’ve thought a lot about our profession.  I am, as I always have been, inspired by the impact fundraisers make in the world and appreciative to those who have dedicated their lives to what is often a thankless and always difficult profession.  AFP has a unique opportunity to support your work and provide a community of peers you can learn from and commiserate with.  I look forward to working with our board and officers and all of you to realize that promise.

By Jill M. Scibilia, MBA, CFRE
VP, Development, Phelps Hospital, Northwell Health 
AFP-NYC Chapter President 2022 and 2023

We are now at the end the year when there is an abundance of generosity, gifting, and gratitude.

I am taking the opportunity today to express my gratitude to the Association of Fundraising Professionals – NYC Chapter. It has been a great honor to serve as your chapter president. My term has now come to a close. Here is some of what I learned along the way.

By Mindee H.Barham

As we come to the end of the year, I have been reflecting on my time with the AFP-NYC chapter and my gratitude for my AFP community – my colleagues, peers, and friends. And I am particularly grateful for the dedicated group of fundraising professionals I’ve met over the past 6 years as a Board member and as a co-chair of the Professional Advancement Committee (PAC).  While I am stepping down as co-chair at the end of this month, I will remain on the committee, and I’d like to share what this group means to me and to our NYC community of fundraising professionals.
 

By Mary Whitrow, Content Marketing Manager, iWave

As the year comes to a close and year-end giving campaigns are in full swing, nonprofits are particularly focused on engaging with their donors and ensuring support for their mission and cause. We have all heard about (and experienced) the effectiveness of storytelling and know that it is a powerful tool that can captivate and engage donors. But what makes a story compelling? Here are seven storytelling techniques that can drive donor engagement in year-end fundraising and create a connection that inspires action and in turn, brings about meaningful impact.

By Pazit Levitan, EdD, CFRE

Fundraising in a crisis differs from typical fundraising because the circumstances and challenges necessitate unique, and more urgent, approaches and considerations. Whether the crisis is a war, a humanitarian emergency, a global pandemic or a natural disaster, we need to respond quickly, leading with confidence, inner strength and flexibility. Here are four key insights guiding me as I engage in emergency fundraising:

By Mike Esposito, CFRE 
AFP-NYC Emerging Leaders & FDRNY Steering Committee Member
Director of Growth and Strategy at Hudson Ferris 

As 2021 drew to a close, I found myself at a crossroads in my fundraising career. I had been fundraising for a nonprofit organization for four years and was unsure of what my next step would be. I asked around and was introduced to the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)-NYC and the Emerging Leaders Committee (ELC). I am incredibly grateful that I found AFP-NYC’s ELC, as it has allowed me to access a diverse network of members, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.

By Rafi Kronzon: CEO, Altourage

Nonprofit organizations are becoming more reliant on technology to accomplish their missions. From fundraising efforts to program delivery, the role of IT in nonprofits has grown significantly. However, with the growth of technology comes the need for a robust IT and cybersecurity strategy to safeguard sensitive data and ensure the organization's continued success.

In this article, we will explore the essential components of a successful IT and cybersecurity strategy for nonprofit organizations, emphasizing the unique challenges and considerations that set them apart from for-profit entities.