By Jill M. Scibilia, CFRE Chapter Secretary & Vice President, Development, Phelps Hospital Northwell Health

I have been giving a lot of thought to team-building lately. I am just over 90 days into a new job and so building my formal and informal teams has been especially important to me. I work for an acute-care community hospital that depends on strong and effective teams to fulfill our mission. Because of the critical importance of coordination and communication between the teams that are providing care to our patients, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, and the host of details they manage critical to patient care and safety, the team-work process is systematized and is constantly being evaluated and refined.

Getting to know our clinical and support teams, the high standards they set for themselves and how they support one another has been inspirational to me. It has also helped me to think about teamwork and team-building in a new way.

As fundraisers, we are charged with interpreting how those charged with delivering our organization’s mission do their work and why they do their work. Understanding the how and the why is key to our ability to tell the story, so we can raise money to support our missions.

We can also learn from them and adapt some of the techniques they use in our own work and on our own teams.

Here are some of the team-building lessons I have learned or that have been reinforced for me from my colleagues who serve patients:

1. Be transparent about successes and challenges; encourage and reward team members for sharing challenges and treat them as learning opportunities.
2. Give feedback immediately and in the moment.
3. A team should be a safe space where each team member supports one another.
4. The value of holding a 15-minute standing meeting every day and a team “huddle” when a situation develops.
5. Ensure you have coverage and a back-up plan.
6. The importance of “face-time” and being present.
7. The need for team members to hold each other accountable and to a high standard—and not just relying on the formal leader of the team to do so.
8. The role of gratitude cannot be overstated.
9. Every one of these points has been helpful to our development operations and team-building at my new job.

Ask yourself…are there practices your program/mission delivery teams follow that you can adapt and use on your team or in your own work? Think about it. And if there are, let your program/mission delivery teams know and use it as an opportunity to express gratitude for the work they do every day for your mission.

Gratitude cannot be overstated.

AFP-NYC’s job board has been a hugely popular resource for people seeking to hire fundraising professionals in New York City for almost ten years. As popular as it is, there is always room for improvement. And today we are very happy to announce the launch of the new AFP-NYC Career Center, an upgrade that dramatically improves functionality for employers and recruiters AND brings a host of new services to job seekers as well. 

AFP-NYC Career Center takes your recruiting to a new level! Employers are now able to include open positions in a semi-monthly email sent to all AFP-NYC members and registered job seekers, allowing you to reach both active and passive job seekers by putting open jobs directly into inboxes. Plus, employers are now able to search the anonymous resume bank of qualified candidates. 

And NEW!! Our new AFP-NYC Career Center provides great value to job-seeking industry professionals. Job-seekers can now search the jobs database with robust filters, and set up email alerts for notifications when a job matching the specified interests becomes available. 

And more! Jobhunters are able to post multiple resumes and cover letters for employers to access. When a resume is set as “public,” employers have the ability to view the candidate’s resume with the personal details hidden. When an employer is interested in reaching out to a candidate, the employer completes a contact request form. If the candidate is interested in the company, their contact information is released to the employer. If not, the jobseeker rejects the request and the candidate's anonymity of the candidate.

And last but not least, the new mobile-responsive platform makes accessing the AFP-NYC Career Center effortless across all internet-enabled devices.

We are thrilled to offer these new and robust career services to the fundraising community in New York City! Visit the AFP-NYC Career Center at https://jobs.nycafp.org/ and register your employer or job-seeker account today!

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, Chapter Treasurer & Managing Director, Orr Group

The recent Inside Philanthropy article “Ambitious and Risk Taking.” Explaining The Shed’s Startling Fundraising Success got me thinking about the elements of effective fundraising and if the success of the new cultural center’s fundraising was truly, “startling.”

The simple answer is yes, it is startling that a brand-new organization that has yet to open its doors has raised $488 million against a $550 million goal.  But if you start to peel back what they did, The Shed’s campaign contained all the key elements we all need for successful fundraising growth.

• Their campaign is built on a big idea.  To attract big money, we can never simply articulate to a donor we want to do more of the same.  It is tempting to think that’s what we want or need, but even if essentially, we want our organization to continue to do the same thing, we want the money because we want something in the world to be transformed.  Telling that story and capturing the imagination of donors is imperative and The Shed has done it impressively.  Consistently it is described as new, unlike anything we’ve seen before and transformative for the New York City cultural scene.  I’m actually not even sure what it is but I know it’s those things.
   
• Their campaign has dynamic leadership.  Names like Dan Doctoroff, Jonathan Tisch, Frank McCourt, Diane von Furstenberg populate The Shed’s board list.  A virtual dream team if ever there was one assembled for New York City fundraising.  And even better they are mixed in with new names that while perhaps not as recognizable represent the next generation of New York City wealth and philanthropy.  The leadership of an organization and its campaign communicates the market and sets the tone.  The Shed set a very big tone.
   
• Access to leadership level gifts.  See above.  For a campaign to succeed you need access to prospects with the ability and affinity to make a gift (or gifts) that total 10-20% of the campaign total.  With the aforementioned board and the people these board members can access, this is a campaign built on access to such individuals.

The Shed’s success has been startling, or I might say remarkable, but it contains lessons for any and all fundraising campaigns.  Whether raising $100,000 or $1 billion the elements The Shed’s campaign contained and activated are the same we need to replicate, which is obviously the result of a lot of hard work and coalition building before the campaign was ever launched.

If you have ideas or suggestions for our AFP chapter please always feel free to contact me directly at cshelley@orrgroup.com.  If you’re interested in my thoughts on fundraising and news in the sector, sprinkled with the occasional picture of my kids, please follow me on Twitter @craigshelley.

Thank you for everything you do.

AFP-NYC recently sat down with the Emerging Leaders Committee Co-Chairs, Juliana Weissbein and Jace Prokupek, to learn more about their motivation to rebrand.

AFP-NYC: What was the main motivation behind renaming your committee from the ‘Young Professionals Committee’ to the ‘Emerging Leaders Committee’ and what do you hope to convey with the new name?

Juliana: We constantly got questions from AFP members about age criteria to attend our events. Of course, all AFP-NYC events are open to everyone and we never have any types of attendance requirements. Nonetheless, we understood the confusion.

Simply put, including ‘Young Professional’ in our committee name was confounding. ‘Young Professionals’ signifies a very specific type of fundraiser. We commonly heard feedback from people that using this term causes our network to think that serving on the YP Committee or attending our events are only possibilities for folks who are ‘young’. Additionally, this term does not include fundraisers who may be older in age but new to the industry. While our committee constantly communicates that we want to attract fundraisers of all ages and stages in their career, we felt keeping our YP name caused an unnecessary battle that would be eradicated with a name change. Additionally, we hope this name change will increase membership at our programming and attract a more diverse crowd.

AFP-NYC: Great point. So what type of AFP members do you hope to attract to your events? Is there any age limit to who can attend your events or join the Emerging Leaders Committee?

Jace: The goal of the Emerging Leaders committee is to steward and create content geared towards those who are new to the fundraising industry. The mission and activities of our committee have not changed. The purpose of the Emerging Leaders Committee is to create a strong community of individuals new to the fundraising industry within the NYC Chapter of AFP and the philanthropic and non-profit community in the greater New York City area by providing professional development opportunities, networking events and cultivating a deeper sense of engagement within the Chapter and its activities. We feel that ‘Emerging Leaders’ still signifies our committee’s purpose but takes the emphasis off chronological age.

AFP-NYC: What is your committee looking forward to in 2019?

Juliana: There is so much to look forward to! Each year we host three networking happy hours and three professional development events. This year we are excited to be collaborating with other AFP-NYC committees to increase our impact and diversify our content. Specifically, we have a Spring Happy Hour coming up on April 4th where attendees will be able to meet our committee members!

Most importantly, the Emerging Leaders committee is thrilled to be formally working with the IDEA Committee to ensure we are setting the gold standard for how professional membership associations welcome, embrace, and engage people of all backgrounds and perspectives into the association and in the fundraising field as a whole, thus making the fundraising community better equipped to fund social-good works, ultimately, fully serve our country’s and our world’s needs.

AFP-NYC: How can AFP-NYC members learn more about what your committee is up to?

Jace: The best way to stay up to date on our activities is by signing up for the emails at AFP-NYC as we routinely blast out invites. Our chapter calendar, Facebook or Twitter are great places to follow as well. 

And of course, we are always happy to answer questions too! Feel free to reach out to us at jace.prok@gmail.com or juliana.weissbein@gmail.com

By Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC Chapter President

January is officially National Mentoring Month, a campaign to promote youth mentoring in the United States. It was inaugurated in 2002, and is spearheaded by the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Many leading nonprofit organizations hold local campaign activities in communities across the country, including media outreach and volunteer recruitment.  

A major feature of the special designation is the Thank Your Mentor Day, in which you’re reminded to thank and honor your mentors. The National Mentoring Month campaign encourages you to contact your mentors directly to express appreciation and reminds you to pay it forward yourself by becoming a mentor. 

While the National Mentoring Month designation is primarily focused on mentoring youth, I think it has some very valuable lessons for people of all ages.  I did take the time to contact four individuals who were great mentors in my life.  We had a great time catching up, reminiscing about the past, and talking about the future.  The conversations left me and my mentors feeling energized and uplifted.  I would encourage you to do the same.

I would also encourage our AFP Chapter members to be sure to reach out and find great mentors for themselves.  You’re never too experienced or new to the profession to not have a great mentor or mentors.  I believe the network available to you is one of the most impactful benefits of AFP. 

You are exposed to great leaders who you can learn from, enjoy being with, celebrate success with, and share stories. I encourage you to come to our events, professional advancement sessions, Fundraising Day in New York, and leave having met a person who could be your great next mentor.

Click here to learn more about AFP-NYC's Menotring Progam.

By Susan Fields, CFRE

According to National Philanthropy Trust almost $19 billion in grants were made in 2017 to nonprofits both nationally and internationally through DAF’s. What began in the early 1990’s primarily as a product of community foundations seeking to service major donors has now become the domain of large financial corporations such as Schwab, Vanguard, Fidelity and large nonprofits such as the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, National Christian Fund, and United Way Worldwide who have their own internal Charitable Gift Funds.

Ten FAQ’s Regarding Donor Advised Funds

1.   WHAT IS A DONOR ADVISED FUND?

A DAF is an investment account in which a donor places money with the primary purpose of contributing funds to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. The investment can be in the form of cash, stocks or other forms of assets such as real estate which can remain in the fund for an indefinite period or be immediately contributed to a qualified charity. The advantage to the donor is that he/she can receive a tax deduction in the year in which the investment is made regardless of whether the funds were passed on to a charity at that time. Of course, all funds contributed to a DAF are irrevocable.

2.   WHAT BENEFITS DO DAF’S PROVIDE TO THE DONOR?  

The major benefit to the donor is the ability to create a space in time between the investment of the funds and the time that the gift is made to the charity or charities. In essence, it is a quick and easy way to establish a charitable fund which can grow tax-free over time—meaning that more money can eventually go to the donor’s nonprofit/s of choice. Donors can also set up recurring gifts to charities within the fund. In some cases due to a huge unexpected influx of income a donor may deposit a large sum of money into the fund during one year with the result of funding philanthropic giving for many years to come.

3.  ARE THERE OTHER REASONS THAT DONORS CHOOSE DAF’S?

It’s uncomplicated! Let’s say a donor decides to give $5,000 a year to charity but hasn’t determined where to contribute the funds. The donor can deposit $15,000 and receive one tax receipt for that entire gift—which might be in a year when they need the deduction due to a financial bonanza--and can make grants to as many charities as he/she desires in the future. DAF’s avoid the necessity for paperwork and also allow the donor to remain anonymous if they wish. Many DAF Sponsors (Vanquard, Schwab, Fidelity, etc.) provide the service of researching potential grantees to make certain that they are reputable nonprofits.

4. CAN A DONOR’S FAMILY BECOME INVOLVED IN MANAGING A DAF?

Most definitely! The person setting up the DAF—can select family members to serve as “Successors” to carry on the tradition of giving. In fact, a DAF is similar to a family foundation without the cost and complexity of managing such an entity. It allows the donor with his/her family’s input and involvement to make financial decisions that could easily set in place long-term habits of giving that could be highly beneficial to many charities going forward. If ongoing contributions are made to a DAF it is highly possible that it could become like an endowment where the income from the investment would support various charities in perpetuity.

5.  HOW CAN FUNDRAISERS BENEFIT FROM DAFs?

If possible, fundraisers should learn which of their donors make gifts through DAF’s. This may be difficult when donors choose to remain anonymous. In most cases, checks from DAF Sponsors such as Fidelity or Vanguard include the name of the donor that made the grant. It is important that this be recorded in the nonprofit’s database so that DAF donors can be cultivated to make recurring and ever-increasing gifts. The nonprofit should also advertise on their website and in their publications suggesting that donors make contributions through DAF’s if they have them. Keep in mind that such donors might also be open to planned gifts made though this investment tool.

By president-Elect Steve Jacobson

As we head into the heart of the year-end giving season, it occurred to me how much pressure fundraisers are under to meet their goals.  After all, next year’s budgets often depend on successful year-end fundraising campaigns.   So, while we appreciate the stress, angst and anxiety that fundraisers have this time of year, we often tend to forget about the people in the back office that make it all happen.  The folks that we couldn’t do without.  I’m talking about those unsung heroes: the men and women in Advancement Services/Development Operations.

Did you ever stop to think about how many transactions your Advancement Services team processes each day during peak season?  And, as we know, it’s not just about the volume.  It’s about all the pieces that they have to get just right.  They are the ones to make sure that the gift is coded with the right fund designation, the proper appeal, and the correct campaign.  But that’s not all.  Is there an address change?  How about a matching gift?  Is there a soft credit to be applied?  They take care of it all!

And our Development Operations teams know all of the ins and outs of what’s allowed and what’s not.  Can I pay off my personal pledge with a check from my family foundation? No!  I volunteered 200 hours this year at your nonprofit; can I get a gift receipt for my time?  No!  But, of course, our Dev Ops teams are great at saying “no” with a smile and a gentle explanation (no matter what they’re really thinking!).

As this year winds down and we give thanks to our donors, let’s also set aside some time to thank our Advancement Services/Development Operations folks who work so hard, who do so much and who make the rest of us look so good.  

To welcome in 2019, please join us for AFP-NYC’s Annual Meeting, being held on Friday, January 18, at 8am at Chelsea Piers.  Not only will you have an amazing breakfast provided by world renowned Abigail Kirsch, you’ll hear from leaders in philanthropy who will speak frankly about what the future might look like and its impact on our profession.  We will also have the distinct pleasure of honoring AFP-NYC past president, Mark Hefter, with the Chamberlain Award, in recognition of Mark’s longtime service to the chapter.  I look forward to seeing you there!

By Jill M. Scibilia, CFRE

I recently made a career move after fifteen years at the same organization.  I loved my job and the mission of the organization I served. I had a wonderful team, a strong partnership with the CEO, and the organization has an incredible board and deeply committed volunteers.

So this was not a decision I made lightly. During my discernment process, I sought the advice of some trusted development colleagues and friends.  You know who you are.  I am deeply grateful for the counsel and encouragement each one of you gave me.  Thank you.

Here are some of the pieces of wisdom you shared:

1. Own the fact that you don’t know what you don’t know. 
2. Select the job based on the leader, the mission and the culture of the organization.
3. Don’t say yes until you fall in love with the job and the mission you will be advancing.
4. Don’t be afraid to explore a different sector within philanthropy (for example if you are in youth development, consider higher education, healthcare or the environment). 
5. Make sure your values align with those of the leader of the organization.
6. Seek an opportunity that will take you outside of your comfort zone.
7. It’s time for you to do this and if you start to get cold feet, call me.
8. Own the fact that you don’t know what you don’t know.

One of the best reasons to be involved in AFP is that it helps us build a network of trusted colleagues. We listen to one another. We are honest with one another. We learn from one another. This means we are better able to serve our sector and our respective missions. Being in the right job at the right time makes a huge difference. As fundraisers, we know we are most effective if we are in love with the job and mission we seek to advance.

I accepted a position I felt called to pursue, and I am excited and energized by the opportunity.

Thank you for being a part of our AFP Community and for all you do to make the world a better place.  Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season.

By Veronica Bainbridge, Chapter Board Member

I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving!  As fundraisers, we think a lot about giving thanks. AFP’s Donor Bill of Rights affirms the expectation of appropriate acknowledgement and recognition. It’s good manners to thank your supporters, and in some cases it’s a legal requirement (above a certain level).

But we all seek ways to ensure that donors truly feel thanked beyond the print or pixels of the basic acknowledgement. Philanthropy is a choice, and our donors don’t have to choose us.

I just read the new report by The Philanthropy Centre called Learning to Say Thank You, which concludes that an investment in building out acknowledgements can pay real dividends.I use the terms deliberately. Donations are investments, with a return expected in the form of mission accomplishment and social good. And it’s becoming increasingly important to share your impact – which is also their impact – with your donors in creative and compelling ways.

Our business calls for the development of authentic relationships supporting a financial goal. The better the relationship, the more accurately you can project future revenue.

Here are some thoughts on ways to thank donors in order to enhance their experience, build your relationships with them, and thus help sustain the vital work of your organization.

• Credit them. You may already publish a list on your website or in your annual report, but your executive director or Board leadership can also thank donors in a speech at your next event. Print and e-newsletters should always state that donations make your work possible. When it comes to major gift prospects (whatever that means to you), perhaps you can turn a particular project element like a catalogue or research publication into an opportunity to inspire and recognize an increased contribution. Bonus – when you publicly credit donors, it helps convey the message that your cause relies on philanthropic investment.
• Value them. Make it clear to your donors that you don’t just think of them as sources of money. “Saw this and thought of you” strikes a great note if you know a donor well enough to send something (even just a link to a news story) related to their personal interests. If they are attending an event or program, can you greet them personally or ensure that they get special treatment when they show up? Or perhaps a subset of donors gets a note of thanks from your staff or beneficiaries. It doesn't have to be something costly to pull off, but those unexpected moments of appreciation can truly resonate.
• Delight them. It might not be why they signed on, but if you can make your donors’ experience exciting or enjoyable, it adds real value to the relationship. It’s also fun to create memorable experiences for others – whether it’s an introduction to an artist or insight from an expert, access to somewhere special or private, a call from a Board member, or just a great party which makes them feel proud to be on your team.
• Enlighten them. Particularly if your work involves advocacy, you will be thinking about turning donors into ambassadors. I always find it rewarding to learn and share the details of exactly how the work solves a problem or serves a need, and also how decisions are made within the organization. This ensures you’ll be in close communication with program staff – which gives you a chance to build your culture of philanthropy – and means you'll be well-informed in conversations about major gifts. 
• Empower them. While you will always need to ensure the integrity of your organization’s vision and protect the expertise of the program staff, is there a way that you can include donors in decision-making that relates to the mission and core activities? A group of educated major supporters might vote on where their contributions are directed, or a survey might make your community feel involved.

Lastly, don’t forget to join AFP in 2019 for professional advancement events which will provide even more ideas for stewardship. Thank you again for all your hard work!

By Susan Fields, CFRE

Almost everyone who has worked in a business setting will agree that organizational culture is enormously difficult to change. Because culture is a complex mixture of deeply-embedded beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, it often contains elements which are both subtle and illusive. So when we speak of creating more diverse and inclusive practices in staffing our organizations, it is important that nonprofit leaders understand the nuances and steps in implementing change.  

If your nonprofit is seeking to recruit and retain a more diverse professional staff, it might be worthwhile to consider the following ideas, concepts, and strategies:

1.  There is a distinct difference between diversity and inclusion in a work environment. While the former refers to the wide range of human differences your workplace brings to the table, the latter is the practice of welcoming and valuing these various perspectives and abilities in a way that encourages equal participation. If certain groups feel they are regularly excluded from contributing their experience and abilities, it is likely that they will seek employment where there is greater opportunity for professional growth and advancement. 

2.  Diversity comes in many forms. When we use the term diversity, we often think of racial and ethnic differences, however, there are many combinations of characteristics that make all people unique. In fact, even a seemingly homogenous work environment contains a wide variety of other differences including: gender, sex, education, intellect, religion, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disabilities, personality styles, and unique skills and talents.

3.  Determine your goals. Is your nonprofit seeking to become more diverse or does it need to become more inclusive of the diversity that already exists within its workforce? Once you have decided which category your organization falls into, it will be necessary to garner the support of your board, current staff members, and other individuals who play key roles in your organization. This will require providing solid data regarding the benefits of “stepping up” your nonprofit’s efforts to become more diverse and/or inclusive. 

4.  Make a commitment to change.  At this stage the board will probably decide to appoint a special committee to spearhead the project which might require the assistance of a consultant to examine the current organizational culture and feasibility for change. Whether your workplace has a “family style” manner of operation or is a corporatized environment will determine how long the process will take as well as the obstacles that might stand in the way. 

5.  Create a plan. Instead of attempting to overhaul the entire culture of your organization, begin with measurable changes related to empowerment for all employees. Examples might include reorganization of office space, encouraging team projects, broadening participation in meetings, increasing access to information, simplifying the decision-making process, and opening opportunities for all employees to move to higher levels of responsibility. 

6.  Expect and embrace resistance. People do not like or appreciate change, especially when it requires that they share power and privileges. Ironically the harder organizational leaders “resist the resistance”, the more difficult moving forward will become. Conversely it is more likely that staff members will embrace the evolution of their workplace once their concerns have been addressed. Incorporating change gradually is also key in gaining staff support and allowing for alterations as the process moves forward.