Welcoming Our New Members

If your name is not included, please contact Shawn Jezak at shawn@afpchicago.org.

My other responsibilities include:

My professional career aspirations include growing into an experienced development/fundraising professional that is able to successfully implement and uphold community-centric fundraising strategies.

Understanding philanthropy at both a regional and national level is crucial for advancing efforts in all aspects of fundraising. Join us for a discussion on giving in Chicago and the United States, featuring CCS Fundraising’s 2022 Greater Chicago Philanthropic Landscape Report and this year’s Giving USA data, with a deep dive into trends in individual, foundation, and corporation giving to explore how this data impacts philanthropy across all sectors.

Presenters:

Becky Kiely, Assistant Vice President, CCS Fundraising

Phillippa Paisley, Director, CCS Fundraising

Facilitator:

Doug London, Executive Vice President, CCS Fundraising

Who are we looking for? AFP Chicago seeks Directors who are committed to the non-profit sector and to advancing philanthropy in the organizations and communities they represent. Directors are committed to ethical practice, donor rights, and other tenets of AFP Global, and are strongly committed to embracing the diversity of the Chicagoland community. 

What are the responsibilities for serving on the Board of Directors? Board members represent the development profession in the greater Chicagoland philanthropy community and provide strategic direction and leadership for the Chapter. We work closely to creatively develop solutions to support the Chapter’s mission. You will find a full listing of the qualifications and expectations of membership here.

Jennifer Dettloff and Christopher Chantson, Co-Chairs of AFP Chicago’s Peer Mentoring Program, invite you to join a virtual reflective practice group to discuss best practices and skills of being an effective mentor. Attendance will be limited to 10 participants. This will be a cameras-on, participatory session. The reflective practice group is free to attend for AFP Chicago members and nonmembers. 

The AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising Course provides new fundraisers—those with up to four years of professional experience—with an intensive introduction into the building blocks of effective practice. To design this 16-hour course, experienced fundraising professionals evolved AFP’s introductory programs to address the real-world needs and challenges non-profit organizations face every day.

This intensive program will provide an overview of skills, techniques, and program components for individuals with 0-4 years of fundraising experience or a great “back to the basics” for veteran fundraisers.

The course is organized into seven modules:

Do you remember your early days as a nonprofit professional? How did you feel? Confident? Anxious? Both? Something else? Did the idea of making your first solicitation intimidate you or excite you? Fundraising is a hard job. Burnout is real. At some point, we all look at our career path and wonder about the next move.

At those times, did you have someone with whom you could confidentially talk about your career?

Everyone gets help from someone along the way. As I write this message, I can think of at least three people without whose help my career would not be successful. I chose to serve our community of fundraisers as a member of the Peer Mentoring Program to honor the individuals who helped me along the way. Through my participation in the Program, I know that I have helped newer fundraisers overcome anxieties that come with the responsibilities of our roles.

The author Malcolm Gladwell popularized Anders Ericsson’s theory that it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to master complex skills and materials. That means it takes five years of work to become an expert in your field. AFP Chicago needs experienced, caring, professional fundraisers with at least five years of experience to help newer members of our profession navigate the waters of the nonprofit world.

The Peer Mentoring Committee also needs members who value mentorship at any stage of their career to serve with us. Committee members provide support to mentors and protégés as they participate in the program. We review applications, match protégés with mentors, and provide programs for participants to explore skills development for fundraisers with others in their cohort.

No one has all the answers, but – as you gain experience – you become the person your colleagues come to with their questions. And you probably just consider helping them as part of your job because you have skills to share. You are likely already a mentor without even realizing it. No matter your previous mentorship experience, if you are looking for an opportunity to engage with newer fundraisers in our chapter, consider applying your experience and volunteer as a Peer Mentoring Committee member with AFP Chicago.

For more information, please contact me or Peer Mentoring Committee Co-Chairs Jennifer Dettloff and Christopher Chantson. We are happy to share more details on how your mentorship and/or committee service can benefit our chapter and your professional growth. We will consider potential new committee members at any time; the application period for the Fall 2022 class of protégés and mentors will open in early August.

Fundraiser Bill of Rights—Creating Equitable Partnerships^©

Developed by AFP Chicago members Amelia Garza and Jennifer T. Holmes

The Fundraiser Bill of Rights is an independent project of the developers Amelia Garza and Jennifer T. Holmes. The document does not reflect the policies, thoughts, or opinions of any organization with which the developers may have employment or voluntary association.

In years past, the fundraiser/donor relationship has often taken a submissive/dominant role. With a growing shift of this binary toward a community-centric fundraising model, it has become even more vital for charitable organizations to examine the fundraiser/donor relationship and further define the fundraiser’s rights as an equitable partner in creating change for the community.

Read the entire Fundraiser Bill of Rights—Creating Equitable Partnerships^©

Please share this code and list of member benefits with colleagues who are not AFP Chicago members and encourage them to join!

Start your application at no cost on the CFRE website. You only pay when you are ready to submit it. View the application requirements.

Don’t forget our members always enjoy a special 20% discount off CFRE initial certification and recertification.

Have questions or need help getting started? Contact CFRE International at succeed@cfre.org.

AFP Chicago's online job source is available as the go-to resource for not-for-profit job opportunities as well as connect employers to highly skilled development professionals.

Jobs are promoted via email twice per month to over 3,000 fundraisers.

Job posts are available to AFP Chicago members as well as non-members.

Organizations do not have to be an AFP Chicago member to post a job.

24/7 access to job listings through the AFP Chicago website.

AFP Chicago offers on demand workshops! These are previously recorded workshops that offer full CFRE credit. Available to AFP Chicago members and non-members. Visit the AFP Chicago website for more information and to register. Once you complete your registration you will receive a link to watch the recorded webinar.

Complete your demographic information today.

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Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) 

If you have news to share relating to the fundraising industry please email your story and a photo to shelbi@afpchicago.org. Submissions will be subject to approval.