By Craig Shelley, CFRE, Chapter Treasurer & Managing Director, Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI)

I love fundraising.  I get up every morning (ok, most mornings) excited to go to work.  I meet interesting people, I know my work matters and makes the world a better place.  I have fun.  I never miss the opportunity to tell my kids how important those factors are when it comes time to choose their life’s work or, as is more often the case, their life’s work chooses them.

But sometimes, I worry.  Am I doing enough?  Are we doing enough?  On the aggregate the world is a better place than it was 20 years ago and philanthropy certainly is among the reasons why.  But daily I know we all see inequities, things that make us mad and things that make us wonder if on some level and in some important ways we’re slipping backwards.  And then, annually, I see the Giving Report and note that despite our best efforts giving in the United States hovers at about 2% of Gross Domestic Product.  Now reports are saying the numbers of actual donors are decreasing.  Shouldn’t we be doing more, growing philanthropy more aggressively, making the world even better?  Yes!  But how?

I don’t have the answers to those questions, but I do believe AFP has a role to play in our discussing them.  Learning from each other, pooling our mental resources and collective experiences seems to be our best way to do more.  Our chapter is the perfect conduit for us to do this.  Come to an event, join a committee, write an article for this newsletter, suggest a topic for a professional advancement seminar, volunteer for Fundraising Day in NY.  Join the discussion and help make our profession better and in doing so help make the world better.

If you have ideas or suggestions for our AFP chapter please always feel free to contact me directly at cshelley@oai-usa.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.

By: Leigh Page, Director, Orr Associates, Inc.

Nonprofits launch fundraising campaigns for many different reasons: to build or expand facilities, grow the endowment, enhance programming, or execute on a new CEO’s grand vision. Or simply because they feel due for a campaign. Regardless of the reason, there are important campaign planning questions an organization should consider to improve its chances of reaching or exceeding its revenue goal.

1) Does your organization have a compelling campaign case for support?

The most successful campaigns have a case for support that clearly tells the story of urgent need and potential positive impact. Many organizations face stiff competition for fundraising dollars, therefore it is critical for your organization to differentiate your unique value.

When developing the case, consider: why should donors support this campaign and why now? Creating a sense of urgency can prompt your best prospects to act in a big way. To determine whether a case conveys a message that resonates, test it with stakeholders with varying degrees of buy-in. Feedback from trusted board members, mission experts or potential new donors will help you craft a case that truly resonates.   

2) Will your board and volunteer leaders enthusiastically support a campaign?

A successful campaign starts and ends with leadership support. It is imperative that an organization secures board campaign support from the onset. Not only will you need your board and volunteer leadership to provide financial support, they should also be willing to open doors, make connections, host events and publicly advocate for the campaign.

3) Does your organization have the staff to support a successful campaign?

Campaigns require accelerated effort from executive leadership and development staff. When planning for a campaign, be sure to think through the increased activities and time the campaign will demand to be successful. You will need to do additional prospect research, recruit new volunteers, and train and manage them.  You will need to develop new marketing collateral and effectively steward existing and new donors. Most campaigns take place over 3-5 years, with the greatest and most important effort happening up-front. Consider partnering with external fundraising counsel in the initial 1-2 years of the campaign to finalize the campaign plan, secure the largest gifts, and successfully launch the quiet phase.

4) Will your prospects and donor base give to a campaign?

This question requires honest reflection about your organization’s relationship with its donors.  One way to discover how your donors are feeling about the organization and a potential campaign is to ask. Conducting a series of interviews, often through a feasibility and planning study conducted by outside counsel, is a great way to understand how your donors feel. This process with help the organization understand stakeholders’ overall attitudes towards the organization and its mission, the proposed case elements, and their willingness to support the campaign financially and with their time.  

5) Do you have a realistic goal and timeline for your organization’s campaign?

Seek answers to this question by reviewing your donor prospect pipeline and developing a gift table with an estimate of the number of donors and gifts you will need to achieve your goal. To populate the gift table, use information like past giving data, research tools, and feedback from the feasibility and planning study (if available) to determine how many donors you have at each gift level. Next, determine a moves management plan for each major gift prospect and set a date range for requesting and securing each gift. Finally, think about how many staff and volunteers you will have during the campaign to visit donors and make requests.

If you answered “no” to any of the 5 questions, there is work to be done. Often, organizations need a campaign readiness period of 6-18 months to be fully ready to launch the silent phase of a campaign. Your due diligence and preparations now will pay off in the end, when you are celebrating campaign success!

By Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC President

I am often asked about the qualities I look for in hiring development professionals. In fact, as Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at Pace University, I’m in a hiring phase right now. I have spent my whole career in this crazy and wonderful industry, starting back when there were few university programs to train fundraising professionals and donor databases were on index cards! Despite all the changes that have come to our profession since then, I still believe now what I believed then—that the most important quality for success in development is enthusiasm.

I look for those who come in every day excited about the work, the organization, and their co-workers.  Effective communication skills are also critical. Gifts are closed, donors are stewarded, and presentations are made by talking. Sure, we write and print a great deal, but at the end of the day this is still a face-to-face business—donors are motivated through conversations with gift officers. I look for staff that can communicate effectively one-on-one, in small groups, and in large groups. The first test might be how well they translate their education, experiences, and background (even those with no fundraising experience) into a value proposition for the organization.

Of equal importance is resilience. I ask how they celebrate the successes and overcome the disappointments. And how, after overcoming the disappointments, they can redirect the project and reverse the outcome.

Lastly, I strongly believe that whatever our educational or professional backgrounds and experiences are, a commitment to lifelong learning is a key indicator of someone who wants to grow and perform at a higher level. That’s the great benefit of AFP. The Professional Advancement programs at AFP offer an affordable and accessible platform for continuing education. It not only helps us learn and grow, but it also prepares us for what’s next in our careers. 

As Board President, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to all of the AFP volunteers who work diligently to put together a calendar of excellent professional advancement sessions. Truly, our volunteers are essential to the growth and success of AFP as an organization and to our collective success as development professionals. 

I look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming Professional Advancements and wish our members great success in their careers and future endeavors.

By Susan Fields, CFRE

As fundraisers we all know how important special events can be in building relationships for our organizations. Although notoriously labor intensive, properly strategized they are invaluable in building enthusiasm for your nonprofit’s mission. In addition, they can raise a great deal of money, upgrade existing donors, and forge a stronger bond with volunteers, board members, and the surrounding community. The most important step in launching a special event is gaining the support of your board and putting together a team of dedicated volunteers who will provide the work and contacts necessary to produce an event that is both a “friendraiser” and a fundraiser.

Following these SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR MOBILIZING YOUR VOLUNTEERS AND BOARD should go a long way in assisting your nonprofit in organizing events that are sustainable and increasingly successful.

1. Clearly define the role of your committee. - Unless your non-profit is run entirely by volunteers, it is most likely that the planning of your special events will be almost entirely staff driven with volunteers and board members primarily responsible for fundraising. Among a myriad of other tasks, it is the role of staff to make this expectation clear to potential volunteers and follow through by assisting them in soliciting both personal and staff-assigned prospects for support.

2. Determine the purpose, goals, and budget of your event prior to the first committee meeting.  Appointing event co-chairs and including them in planning alongside staff is a perfect way to set-up a team dynamic with volunteer leadership running the meetings and acting as advocates for the strategies set up in collaboration with staff. This will provide your committee with a predictable structure to work within as well as the confidence that they will receive professional support in succeeding in their role as fundraisers. 

3. Provide committee members with the tools they will need to fundraise.  Consider yourself as a patient and encouraging personal coach. Provide your volunteer team with “sales kits” including sample letters, emails, event invitations, brochures, a list of sponsorship opportunities, talking points, etc. Training sessions in how to solicit a gift along with role-playing sessions can be invaluable in overcoming the discomfort many volunteers have in asking for money. Staff may even consider writing personal letters tailored to the needs of specific volunteers in communicating with prospects.

4. Keep meetings interesting, informative, accessible in terms of time and location, and on track!  Because cross discussions peripheral to the purpose and goals of the event can boondoggle your meetings, prepare the agenda with the co-chairs prior to the meeting with the opportunity to discuss “other matters” as the last item on the list. Meetings should not exceed an hour and be at a time and location that is most user-friendly for your committee. Some organizations have replaced meetings with in-person conference calls; however, keep in mind the culture of your volunteers, as some groups actually look forward to face-to-face meetings as a form of socialization and active involvement.

5. Consider your committee and its co-chairs as a valued “sales force” that requires support and reinforcement. Send them regular emails updating the progress of ticket sales, sponsorships, journal advertisement sales, and anything new and interesting. Don’t hesitate to make a phone call to check in on how they are doing, congratulate them on a successful ask, or to give them support when they may be feeling discouraged. A volunteer stewardship event following the “big event” is an effective means of expressing appreciation and maximizes the chances of members remaining on the committee.

6. Consider your board as an extension of the event committee.  Encourage one or more members to join the team so they can advocate for the event at board meetings. In many organizations the Advancement Director reports  directly to the board and encourages members to purchase tables and provide contact lists for event gift solicitations.  Also consider holding a “kick off” evening hosted by the board inviting former sponsors, committee members, and other major players in your nonprofit and community. 

7. Utilize your volunteers and board on the evening of the event. Remember—it’s not over once you have filled the room, printed the journal, and exceeded your fundraising goals. Assign volunteers and board members to welcome guests at the door, “work the room” visiting tables, and network to learn who might be attracted to supporting your organization in the future. These tasks also instill a sense of pride and ownership on the part of the board and committee.

By President-Elect Steve G. Jacobson

AFP-NYC is the Smorgasburg of Fundraising!  What?  For the uninitiated, Smorgasburg is an outdoor food festival in Brooklyn that is open on Saturdays and Sundays from April through October.  But Smorgasburg is much more than a seasonal food fair.  It is billed as the largest weekly open-air food market in America, where you can try food from over 100 local vendors.  Want some Ethiopian wat?  Yes, you can find it there.  How about some Himalayan shabaley?  That’s there, too!  Donburi bowls from Japan? Canadian butter tarts?  You get the idea…

But, what on earth does exotic food have to do with fundraising and AFP?  Well, it dawned on me the other day that the NYC chapter of AFP is the fundraising equivalent of Smorgasburg.  We at AFP offer a little bit of everything related to fundraising.  We are, in a way, a one-stop shop for all your fundraising food needs.

Many of you might know us as the force behind Fundraising Day in New York, our annual June education and networking event that serves up content to about 1,800 fundraising professionals.  With 11 tracks of education, spanning from Advanced Fundraising to Web, Tech, and Social Media, Fundraising Day is truly a smorgasbord of fundraising education.  Some attendees come looking to gorge on best practices for legacy giving, but, in the end, decide to nibble on special events.  We offer it all.

But our wide-ranging options of fundraising entrees don’t end with Fundraising Day.  Our chapter has a deep and extensive menu of professional advancement opportunities. On Wednesday, September 5^th, we are hosting a Lunch & Learn Webinar, in which noted nonprofit management consultant, Robbe Healey, will focus on strategies you can digest to help your board fundraise with ease and confidence.  Join us for lively pre-and post-webinar discussions sandwiched around the webinar.

On October 11^th, we will be presenting a panel discussion, Diversity in Fundraising: Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Professionals.  Come to hear more about the value that a diverse team brings to an organization’s bottom-line.  You’ll also learn how specific Diversity/Equity/Inclusion strategies, when used in conjunction with acquisition and retention initiatives, can increase stability in your organization’s workforce.

And, did I mention the November 8^th event on Donor Advised Funds?  Of course, all of this should serve to whet your appetite for the National Philanthropy Day Breakfast, coming up on November 19^th.  On behalf of the AFP-NYC board, I hope to see you there!

By Jill Scibilia

It’s the last gasp of summer…admittedly, I will be headed out on my summer vacation the day this article hits.  When I am back it will soon be Labor Day and the beginning of one of the busiest times of the year.  Well, all seasons are busy now—even the summer as our Chapter Treasurer Craig Shelley pointed out in the last issue.  But let’s just say that fall is special.  

Sometime after Labor Day—the exact day shifts a bit each year—everyone who was gone all summer: volunteers, board members, donors and other friends suddenly come back with a loud “We’re here!”  And those who were here say, “We’re still here!”

I don’t know about you, but my e-mail in-box overflows.  My calendar is filled with board, volunteer and committee meetings and staff planning meetings.  My “to-do” list includes a long list of folks who wanted to reconnect in the fall or with whom I am trying to make a connection.  

You may think I’m crazy, but in the midst of the busiest times of the year, I have learned that adding a meeting or two is helpful to me.  I have found connecting with development colleagues to be even more important in busy times.  It doesn’t have to take as much time as you might think, and like me, you may find that you earn the time back. Whether it is meeting someone for coffee, attending a session or joining a committee meeting, I feel re-charged.  And this means I can give more to the mission and donors I serve.   

Here are some suggestions for your Fall Calendar:

• Take an hour and schedule a coffee or grab a drink with a development colleague from another organization sometime in September.  No agenda: just connect.
• New to the field or to NYC and looking to make connections with colleagues?  There is no better place for doing this than AFP.  If you have not already joined AFP, I encourage you to do so.  It is one of the best investments you can make in yourself and that your organization can make in you.  There are countless ways to get involved and to connect.
• Join one of our committees.  It is a great way to meet and collaborate with other fundraisers, to build your network and to give back to the profession. 
• Attend one of our professional advancement events to learn and exchange best practices.  We have a fabulous line-up this fall.  Check out the next two sessions:
  • October 11th:  Diversity in Fundraising
  • November 8th: Pulling Back the Curtain on Donor-Advised Funds
• Join us on National Philanthropy Day on Monday, November 19th.  Don’t miss this special celebration of a day set aside to recognize the great contributions of philanthropy—and those people active in the philanthropic community—to the enrichment of our world.

Check out our events calendar to learn more.  

Enjoy your last bit of summer and I hope to see you at one of our events this fall.  The work you do and your voice and engagement in our fundraising community matters.  Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place.

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, Chapter Treasurer & Managing Director, Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI)

In the summer of 1991 DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince set the expectation that the summer was the time to sit back and unwind.  They lied to us.

If there ever was a time where the summer slowed down for fundraisers it has been long forgotten.  And I think that’s ok.  The needs we fundraise for don’t shut down in the summer nor does the interest of our donors.  For some causes and donors, I’d actually argue the summer is the time of greatest need and opportunity.  We have an obligation to use the summer to connect with donors and attract philanthropy just like we do the rest of the year.  The challenge is how do we do so while still carving out time for ourselves and our families.

Unlike Will Smith, I don’t want to set any false expectations so let’s be clear I do not have a magic solution that will allow you to hang out at the Jersey Shore all summer yet still actively raise funds.  My only suggestion is to maximize the time you can when you are at work.  Stack up the donor meetings you can during the days you are working.  That prospect with a home in Brick, NJ? Perhaps you can arrange a visit during your drive down to LBI on a Friday killing two birds with one stone.

I know it can be daunting balancing the needs of the missions and donors we serve as well as those of our families and our own internal need to relax and recharge.  My only advice is to relax and as a mentor told me long ago remember that we aren’t doing brain surgery.  By and large our work will always be there tomorrow.  But I’d simultaneously remind us all the urgency of our work.  Every day we don’t raise the funds needed to advance the missions we work on is another day the challenges we face go unsolved.

So, happy summer.  Enjoy it.  But don’t entirely sit back and unwind.

If you have ideas or suggestions for our AFP chapter please always feel free to contact me directly at cshelley@oai-usa.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.

By Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC President

I am often asked about the value proposition of membership in AFP. I hear that it is easier to attend several of our excellent Professional Advancement sessions and Fundraising Day in New York than is to join. And of course, we need to do what works best for us and our organizations. However, I would like to share two points for your consideration.

First and foremost, AFP is a community. A community of philanthropy professionals and partners that support our work. This was on full display at the June 22 Fundraising Day in New York. It was so affirming and refreshing to be with nearly 2,000 others who share common experiences, understand the challenges I face every day, and can serve as friends and mentors to pick me up when I’m down and congratulate me when I succeed.

There is value in being part of something big, part of the AFP community. I also believe that, for the many professionals from small and mid-size development shops, being part of a community provides opportunities to build lasting friendships, hone our skills and best practices as development professionals, and learn about the exciting work that our colleagues are doing across the fundraising world.

It is also a powerful statement by my employer that they value my professional development and want to invest in my growth. When an organization covers the cost of an employee’s AFP membership and activities, it sends a signal that they see that employee as an asset and as an integral part of their philanthropic strategy. Beyond compensation and benefits, there is no greater commitment an organization can make in you than being committed to your continued learning and connecting you with thought leaders in your field.

If you’re engaged with AFP, whether through attending Fundraising Day or other Professional Advancement programs, thank you—and please keep coming! If you’re already a member, thank you for being a vital part of our community. And if you’re just thinking about joining, please know you’ll be welcomed with open arms!

By President-Elect Steve G. Jacobson

Were you one of the 1,777 people who attended Fundraising Day in New York, our chapter’s signature event, on June 22nd?  If you were, you were able to choose from 11 different tracks of superb educational content.  Our speakers represented some of the brightest and innovative thought leaders in our industry.  And they came from such forward thinking development shops as NYU Langone Health, the ACLU, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Human Rights Watch (just to name but a few…).

But perhaps you didn’t come for the 43 stellar educational sessions.  Maybe workshops were your thing – a bit more hands-on training to take back to your organization.  Yes, we had an afternoon chock full of those, too.  Oh, and did I mention career mentoring?  Perhaps you were one of the 80 or so participants who received career advice from some of the top development professionals that New York has to offer.

Or maybe it was something else that led you to come to Fundraising Day?  It certainly could have been the inspiring keynote address given by Kendra Sinclair, the Partnerships Manager for Social Good at Facebook.  Or the Top Ten Tweets of 2018, presented tongue-in-cheek by industry guru John Winkleman. Or was it the to-die-for chocolate mousse dessert that our longtime host and partner, the Marriott Marquis, served to top off an exquisite luncheon?

For me, Fundraising Day is all of this – but it’s a whole lot more.  It’s about being surrounded by people who do what we do.  People who understand what we do and why it’s so important. There’s an incredible energy that you feel.  Whether it’s due to first-timers who are so excited to be a part of a tremendous event or seasoned professionals who are keen to share their vast knowledge and experience, you just feel it. And, I can assure you, as someone who has just experienced his 27th Fundraising Day, it never gets old.

But our chapter’s work doesn’t end with Fundraising Day.  We have some truly great professional advancement programs planned for the second half of this year.  And we know how to have fun, too!  Please join us for AFP NYC’s Summer Happy Hour on Thursday, July 19th at 6:30pm at the Royalton Park Avenue.  And don’t forget to register for our next professional advancement event, Event Hidden Treasures: Mobilizing Your Board and Volunteers Before, During and After the Event on

Thursday, July 26th at Scandinavia House.  See you there!

By Jill Scibilia

Fundrasing Day Matters 

Today is Fundraising Day!  One of my favorite days of the year.  Today, more than 2,000 of us are gathering for what I think is the best one-day conference devoted to our work on the planet.

I have a confession to make.  I attended my first Fundraising Day several years into my fundraising career.  It was much further into my career than it should have been.  There are many reasons for this and excuses I could give you, but the truth is that I did not invest enough in myself and my own career development early in my fundraising career. 

There was always a pressing matter, a reason I told myself it would not possible, mixed with an endless list of to-dos (I have always been good at making lists).  The biggest barrier I felt was the time commitment.  It would mean time away from my endless lists…time away from the “face-time” I felt I needed to put in at the office with my colleagues or with donors and board members.

Then I attended my first Fundraising Day (now several years ago) at the recommendation of a trusted development colleague.  And I realized I had been thinking about it the wrong way.   I realized I needed to invest in myself.  I needed to put the oxygen mask on first, so that I could bring my best self to my mission and the people my organization serves.  I owed it to them and I also owed it to myself.   

I was thinking about the Fundraising Days I have attended over the years and here is a partial list of what this one day has helped me to accomplish:

• I have learned what I do not know
• I have learned what I already know and felt affirmed that I was “on-track” or not the only one.
• I have met development colleagues who “get me.”
• I have identified external resources that could help my organization get to its next level.  Sometimes organizations need outside counsel.  I have found Fundraising Day to be a great place to evaluate multiple options that might match with what my organization needs at the time. Whether it is campaign counsel, communications solutions, direct response options, event firms or new venues to try for events…it is an excellent place to make these connections.   
• I also found a new staff member when we needed additional staff capacity.  Two years ago, I ran into a trusted development colleague at Fundraising Day. She gave me a personal referral and her referral is now a key member of our staff team. 

The biggest takeaway I get from Fundraising Day every year is a sense of pride in our profession and what we collectively do to make the world a better place. Because you do.  For all those attending Fundraising Day today, I hope you walk away with that feeling of pride in all of the ways you make NYC and the world a better place. 

I also encourage you to join me in thanking everyone who made Fundraising Day Possible this year: the incredible Volunteer-Run Fundraising Day Committee, our Speakers, our generous Sponsors, our Partners who run the event and our Hosts at the Marriott Marquis.   

Whether or not you attended Fundraising Day this year, please know that the world you do and your voice and engagement in our fundraising community matters.  Thank you.