April 2005 President's Message
Sheila Stanford
Dear Colleagues,
 By June, the Greater New York Chapter will have a new, three year strategic plan—the result of our January survey of 2000 fundraising professionals, a board retreat, and work by many volunteers. Chapter committees—Professional Advancement, Member Services, Communications, and Finance—and a special taskforce on identity positioning and marketing are hard at work now on selecting final priorities and initiatives for the future.
More and varied opportunities for networking and socializing with colleagues are high on the list of priorities. In all of our surveys you have chosen networking as one of the top benefits of AFP membership. Beyond the affinity tables that bring colleagues together at luncheons, National Philanthropy Day, and Fundraising Day, we are looking into special opportunities for socializing outside of programs, joint activities with other professional and educational groups, and more structured ways of mentoring.
We are all working to the max. Every learning activity the Chapter offers must be more than worth the time. Our committees are finding ways to move up another notch or two: more practical educational content, more focus on the needs of people at different stages of their careers, more insight into trends in the field and society. We have an amazing back list of topics and speakers, too. Year round, we will be presenting the best of the best.
I can’t say enough by way of thanks to the Chapter’s board members and the more than 100 other additional volunteers who have worked so hard over the last past year to shape the plan. Now we need more hands and fresh energy to implement these exciting initiatives. And volunteering is probably the best way to network. I hope you will sign on. Click here for committee descriptions and the on-line registration form.
With best regards,
Sheila Stanford
The Stanford Group, Inc.
This message is part of this month’s newsletter, which is available online. Please click here to read Fundraising News.
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