Education Session Recaps

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to affect the nonprofit world, it’s necessary to revisit principles and best practices. Fundraisers gathered Dec. 9 for roundtable sessions covering a myriad of topics in light of our current fundraising environment. Hosts covered six topics.

Register today for AFP’s National Fundraising Day Series! This annual event has been transformed from a one-day offering to a series of five webinars with optional corresponding community conversations to engage participants virtually. The event culminates on Thursday, October 14th, where participants will have the opportunity to join colleagues in-person for chatter and beverages at Miss Katie’s Diner.

AFP SEWI Superuser here, ready to tell you all about the Best and Worst of this year’s ICON conference. ICON is the annual international fundraising conference organized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. This year, it featured 215 of the best and brightest fundraisers in the business with keynote address by Heather McGhee, New York Times bestselling author of The Sum of Us.

Remember last year when we were all just going to stay close to home and limit contacts for two weeks? If only it had been that simple…

On Thursday, June 17, 2021, we hosted our annual Giving USA panel conversation, however, once again, it was held virtually. Melissa Berliner from Campbell & Company moderated the panel that included Jennifer Mehr, director of advancement at Riverwest Food Pantry, Chuck Rozewicz, chief development officer at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and Rebecca Stoner, director of development operations at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

Did you know that 85-90% of planned gifts come from bequests?

AFP’s virtual program “The Art of the Legacy Ask” explored the importance of a strong legacy gift program.  Ligia Pena, CFRE, explored how non-profits should be promoting their legacy gift programs, and how a legacy gift ask is different than a major gift ask.

More than 30 attendees gathered on March 25 to learn how to track and use metrics through the following roundtable opportunities.

If your strategic plan is collecting dust, then your potential is as well. During the AFP SEWI “Visioneering Your Organization” webinar watch, area AFPSEWI professionals discussed the importance of strategic planning to lead to the success of both their department and their organization.

AFP members tuned in on January 28 for a webinar where diversity-focused fundraisers shared case studies and discussed the importance of and opportunities provided by, inclusion in the charitable sector.

The funding community throughout Wisconsin “really stepped up” in an inspiring way to meet the extraordinary challenges facing the nonprofit community in 2020, according to Tony Shields, President and CEO of the Wisconsin Philanthropic Network.

A:  Ethical fundraising - Ethics is essential to fundraising because everything we do pivots on public trust.  During its Ethics Month, AFP illuminates our path to the highest standards of practice. Reflect on these resources from AFP Global and learn more about Ethics Awareness Month.

Do white women have a responsibility to initiate in conversations about race? On October 6, AFP Global’s webinar confronted this question with a compelling webinar and a candid conversation among participants.

Giving USA webinar recommends how to fundraise in the “new normal”: Giving USA is the longest running annual report on charitable giving that provides estimates for sources of giving and amounts received by type of organization. On June 18, 2020, over 70 fundraisers joined this year’s data presentation and panel discussion virtually.

As our world faces current challenges it is important to know that, due to thoughtful partnerships, our community is “Greater Together”.

Some days I am ready to throw my computer out the window if I see one more grant application ask me to provide my organization’s mission, history, and goals in 500 characters or less...

Just as real estate’s motto is “location, location, location” it would seem a good motto for the small shop should be “balance, balance, balance.”

It’s as much about saying “no” as it is about saying “yes”. Members who attended January’s AFP Educational Luncheon heard from experts in the field on marketing strategies to make the most of their limited time and resources.

Back by popular demand, AFPSEWI’s annual round table event brought opportunity for our members to ask questions on the trending topics of the fundraising profession. Nine Seasoned Professionals led round table discussions and when asked after the event: What is one rule to live by/important piece of advice you have to offer on your topic? What challenges/themes did you notice amongst your guests? What advice can you offer? Here’s what some of our experts had to say:

Our October educational luncheon speakers affirmed the importance of sharing our organization's mission impact with funders and other stakeholders. The panel offered sound advice on the question of how best to report impact...

More than 450 community leaders gathered at AFPSEWI’s National Philanthropy Day celebration at the Pfister Hotel on November 12, hoping to be inspired by this year’s honorees. Those receiving the six awards did not disappoint, as affirmed by some of the outstanding quotes from their words of thanks:

Nationally, individual giving fell last year while corporate philanthropy was up 5.4 percent, according to Giving USA. That made AFP’s September 26 educational luncheon a particularly timely one. Consultant Joanne Ray’s insightful “Strategies for Mutually Beneficial Corporate Partnerships” set pens flying as the crowd of 80 attendees scribbled valuable notes.

Charitable giving in the United States reached $427 million in 2018, according to the 2019 Giving USA Report released last month. Giving by individuals declined to 68% of the total, suggesting that nonprofits will need to shift their fundraising strategies to rely increasingly on the growing corporate and foundation sectors. A group of local nonprofit leaders, however, has challenged this statistic, arguing that the reported drop is an artifact of the way the report was run.

What happens when you are sitting across from a donor and they do not seem like themselves? You find him repeating the same story in quick succession or she forgets her order at the restaurant you go to on every visit. Your donor may be suffering from dementia. But what does that mean for your role as a fundraiser and your donor’s relationship with your organization?

So what makes a campaign transformational? Over 60 fundraising professionals gathered for the AFP educational breakfast to hear from two dynamic campaign fundraisers and find out.

More than 100 members and guests joined us on February 28 to peer Inside the Minds of Wisconsin Grantmakers to learn about giving trends and issues that matter most to funders across the state.

Deanna Singh enters every room with an impressive resume, built through a mix of intention and serendipity. She is charismatic and engaging as well as down-to-earth and grounded by her family.

Ask and you shall receive! Per member request, the December Luncheon was dedicated to small group discussion on a myriad of topics.

“I have attended hundreds of these during my tenure as AFP President and yours ranks at the top! It was very well done, the awardees were outstanding and I think the audience really enjoyed themselves. Congratulations to your AFP Chapter for an outstanding National Philanthropy Day event.” - Paulette Maehara, CFRE

October luncheon recap: Michael McNeely asks “Does your organization treat a first time contribution as a contribution -- or as “the initiation of a sacred bond?”

Positive vibes and heart are key to an artful ask

Tony Shields, President & CEO of Wisconsin Philanthropy Network (formerly Donors Forum) shared an inside look into the work of WPN, along with some insights into how their work overlaps with, supports, and enhances the efforts of AFP Members.

Want to know the latest trends in giving and what they mean for your organization? Check out this recap on the expert analysis and local perspectives that may help inform your fundraising strategies and programs.

Fundraisers nationwide have sounded alarms about how the Trump Administration’s new tax law will affect philanthropic giving. But at least three local experts don’t seem overly concerned.

See why one attendee said "Great session! I left inspired. It also helped me think about specific changes I can make to improve my EI."

What’s your top stewardship practice or vignette? Attendees at AFP’s February educational luncheon were invited to share theirs. The results, below, are a great reminder of the peer wisdom available through fellow AFP members…

A Lunchtime Two-fer: Can Stewardship Trump Tax Reform? At AFP SEWI’s February 22 educational luncheon, attendees heard expert insight on something we CAN’T control – how the new tax laws might affect charitable giving – and what we CAN control – how sound donor stewardship can help counter potential disruption.

Fundraising ethics, racial equity in development, and the rewards and frustrations of the development profession – all these were examined in-depth via spirited discussions at AFP’s December education luncheon.

If you are one of the hundreds of Milwaukee-area business leaders who advance causes close to your heart by serving on the board of a local nonprofit, here are some tips that might make your efforts even more deeply appreciated…