Ashley Thompson
AFP Alabama Membership Chair

“Membership has its privileges” is an old advertising slogan that was made famous in the late 1990's by American Express. The implication was that certain things such as exotic vacations, multi-course gourmet meals and such were only available to card holders.

While American Express no longer emphasizes the privileges associated with being a card holder, being a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals definitely offers benefits only its members can access.

As the Membership Chair for the Alabama Chapter of AFP, I’d like to thank you for becoming a part of the world’s largest community of charitable fundraisers. You already know membership to AFP has its privileges, but I thought I would take a minute to remind you of some of your membership benefits.

One of the newest and most exciting benefits offered with AFP membership is AFP360° .  AFP360° is an online career builder and management tool provided to all AFP members through our partnership with Korn Ferry and its Advance program. The Standard set of services in AFP360° is provided free of charge to members.

Through a partnership with the American Association of University Women (AAUW), all AFP members can now participate in the Work Smart program, a negotiation workshop, free of charge.  AAUW Online Negotiation Workshops provide negotiating tactics that participants can feel free comfortable with and teach them that negotiation is a conversation, not a confrontation.

In addition to these benefits, AFP continues to offer a menu of opportunities:

Networking

  • Six chapter meetings a year, featuring speakers and panels to highlight best practices for fundraisers from all size organizations.
  • Monthly networking opportunities.
  • Member discounts on monthly educational programs and chapter conferences. (Members can purchase tickets to the Educational Conference with Penelope Burk at a discounted rate. See below for more details.)
  • Annual scholarship to attend AFP ICON and annual scholarships for a one-year chapter membership.
  • Chapter website, newsletters, and job postings.
  • Job postings online.

Professional Development and Member Discounts


For a full list of member benefits, click here .

AFP Global does not take any dues increase lightly (as evidenced by not increasing dues in 10 years), but in order to continue providing valued benefits and add to them, global membership dues have increased. On July 1st, national membership dues increased by $30 per year, while our local Alabama chapter dues remain at $75. The increase is effective for new members who join on July 1st or later, and for current members who have a membership renewal date of July 31st or later.

Thank you so much for your commitment and membership to AFP. Please be sure to log into the AFP Global website to access all the privileges provided to you.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Best,

2019 Educational Conference
With speaker Penelope Burk
Donor-Centered Fundraising
September 13th, 2019
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
900 Arkadelphia Road
Early-bird tickets: $50 for AFP members | $75 for non-members

AFP Alabama is thrilled to welcome Penelop Burk as the guest speaker for our 2019 Educational Conference! Ms. Burk has provided years of research-based guidance to the nonprofit industry.

Ms. Burk will speak on " Donor-Centered Fundraising ," her breakthrough strategy that sustains donor loyalty and raises more generous gifts by bringing fundraising in line with donors’ modern-day requirements. Defined by two decades of research with thousands of donors and fundraisers, donor-centered fundraising is the only statistically-supported fundraising philosophy with the power to bring donors and not-for-profits together to achieve substantial growth.


Penelope Burk’s career in the not-for-profit sector began in communications and market research in the arts in the early 1970’s and expanded into fundraising and senior management for prominent human services organizations over the next decade. She founded Burk & Associates Ltd. in 1990 and Cygnus Applied Research, Inc. in 2003.

Penelope Burk’s unique advantage in the fundraising industry is her evidence-based approach. While her professional experience in the sector spans 45 years, her publications and training programs are all the product of research with donors. Ms. Burk is the author of the best-selling industry standard, Donor-Centered Fundraising. First published in 2003, the book is currently in its eighth printing. In 2013, Ms. Burk published the companion book, Donor-Centered Leadership, a critical resource for Boards of Directors, Chief Executive Officers and Advancement Directors on how to implement Donor-Centered Fundraising and manage fundraising staff for optimum productivity.

In the last 20 years, Penelope Burk and her innovative firm, Cygnus Applied Research, Inc., have conducted surveys and research studies with more than a quarter million American donors. She has reached back into their lives to find out about the first time they gave, what motivates their philanthropy now, what their greatest and most frustrating experiences in giving are, and what their dreams are for their philanthropic future.

Early-bird tickets are $50 for AFP members and $75 for non-members. After September 1st, tickets will increase to $75 for members and $100 for non-members. Lunch will be provided. Book signing to follow the conference.
August Chapter Meeting

Mark your calendars for our August Chapter Meeting! The meeting will be August 14th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. We'll hold the meeting at St. Vincent's Bruno Conference Center.
National Philanthropy Day

Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination for National Philanthropy Day ! Click here to purchase your individual ticket, table, or VIP table for NPD.
This month's Youth in Philanthropy spotlight is on Hannah Fiveash and David Watts.
Hannah Fiveash and David Watts were two students with an idea.

As freshmen at Spring Valley School – a private, nonprofit school that provides individualized curriculum for students in Grade 2-6 who have learning differences – Hannah and David realized there were many students in their class who were unable to afford their class trip.

That’s when the idea for the Student Store came into their minds!

During their senior year, when Hannah and David became President and Vice President of their student council, their dream was finally able to become a reality. Initially opened as a shop at the front of the school cafeteria, the store was well-received by students. But Hannah and David knew it could be much bigger.

They moved the store from a singular location to a mobile store using a cafeteria cart, which was met with an overwhelmingly positive response by their classmates. After just three months in operation, the store had raised $2,500 toward the funding of their annual class trip!

David and Hannah graduated from Spring Valley School in May of this year, but they made sure to establish a succession plan to ensure the store continues running and benefiting other students at the school.

To nominate an individual or group for an upcoming Youth in Philanthropy Spotlight, contact Morgan Hargrove Emahiser, CFRE at mhargrove@ccr-bhm.org .
Ty Williams is the Director of Development
and Community Affairs for Restoration Academy ,
a nonprofit based in Fairfield, Alabama.

Mr. Williams is also a past president of the AFP Alabama Chapter. He was the first African-American
to hold that honor for the Alabama Chapter. 

Tell us about your organization and your role as the Director of Development and Community Affairs.
Restoration Academy is a private, urban Christian school located in Fairfield that has been fortunate for the past 30 years to be able to provide a Christ-centered education to children from at-risk home environments. I have been blessed to serve for nearly 20 years as the Director of Development and Community Affairs.

Since starting in 2001 as a one-man development shop, I have been fortunate to see our efforts grow through our number of donors and gifts each year. I am now blessed with an amazing and talented team that has impacted our efforts tremendously. This has allowed me to be blessed and to focus on helping our donors make more than a financial contribution and make a true connection with the students and our ministry.

How long have you worked in fundraising?
Restoration Academy was my first and only job in development. Prior [to this position], I was fortunate to serve on a few nonprofit boards that I feel prepared me for the task ahead of me in building a development program.

Why did you decide to become an AFP member?
Since I was basically new to my development role, I was able to seek out a mentor from one of our board members. I was introduced to [fellow AFP Alabama member] Monty Hogewood, who introduced me to AFP.

How have you benefited from being an AFP member?
It was through my initial introduction to AFP that I was able to meet and learn from some of the greatest philanthropic and development leaders in our community. I have been able to grow both professionally and personally through these relationships. This has, in turn, truly benefited Restoration Academy and my role as Development Director.

Tell us a fun or random fact about you!
I am just blessed to have a wonderful and supportive wife (Catherine) and three amazing children (James, Chaney, and Chase), all of whom are now in college but grew up during my time with AFP. They were my initial volunteer development staff who helped with everything from mailouts, phone solicitations, to set-up for special events. Also, I have officiated youth, high school, and adult sports (basketball and football) for nearly 25 years.