How to Use Your AFP Membership to the Max
by Anne Stern
AFP can help you gain knowledge and skills, build your network of colleagues, enable you to think more critically about philanthropy, position you for career exploration and advancement, provide you opportunities to showcase your expertise, and enhance your pride in this profession.
AFP will help you best when you know how your priorities fit with its services. Here’s how to start.
Set Your Priorities. Look at your career plan. In lieu of that, create a list of up to five professional objectives for the upcoming year.
Understand the AFP context. AFP has a global, long-range vision and strategic plan in place “to advance ethical and effective fundraising” by ensuring that:
- A body of knowledge will drive the evolution of the profession, providing the basis for continuing education and underpinning curriculum development.
- Effective, ethical, accountable fundraising will be recognized as both a profession and as an essential component of support for philanthropy.
- Public policy affecting the fundraising profession will be based upon principles important to AFP and the fundraising profession.
- Through renewed and strengthened partnerships with chapters, AFP will deliver optimal value to members.
- AFP will be a leader in connecting diverse communities, individuals, and organizations that share the value of ethical and effective fundraising.
- AFP will be an effectively governed, efficiently managed, appropriately structured international organization that enjoys a sound and diverse revenue base.¹
These goals are reflected in the array of educational programs and resources as well as the networking and volunteer opportunities available to you through the local Chapter and international organization.
Learn from meeting, listening, and talking to others. In addition to expanding your knowledge and your circle of colleagues, getting together with other members is a chance to communicate your ideas to Chapter leaders and thus help shape AFP direction locally, nationally, and internationally.
Be strategic in your selection of opportunities. If time and funds are limited consider:
- Attending three events each year. Include one, such as Fundraising Day in New York (June 23, 2006), which attracts a cross-section of members.
- Volunteering for a workgroup. Choose from short-term commitments, such as through the Welcoming Sub-Committee, or long-term ones, such as the Governance & Public Policy Committee, to update the Chapter’s strategic plan this year. More information is available through our website and our leaders.
Learn from reading. Our Chapter’s and the international association’s websites abound with news and information, and can accommodate distance-learning interests. Begin your association by checking out this short list:
- www.nycafp.org See “Newsstand” for the latest headlines with links, “Tip of the Month”, and through “Members Only”, the membership directory and the edition of “Fundraising News” including job postings and the events calendar.
- www.afpnet.org At the top of your list should be the “Resource Center” with access to tips and guidelines on techniques for professionals at all levels of experience, as well as connections to other comprehensive sources available, some that can be customized to your needs. (Be sure to read the essays on diversity to finesse your fundraising.) Take a look at “Research & Statistics” on fundraising issues and employment matters and “Member Gateway” with its interactive career planning tool. The “Job Center” enables you to post positions and search for candidates, as well as post your own resume and review opportunities. “About AFP” will link to the strategic plan and other key documents.
Speak up. Voice your concerns and ideas to the people who shape and implement strategies. Let Chapter leaders know the strategies you believe are successful. Keep abreast of changes in office. Your leaders today are:
CHAPTER PRESIDENT
Patricia Moran
pmoran@fordham.edu
CHAPTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sharon Epstein
membership@nycafp.org
ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN
Alphonce Brown, Jr.
ajbrown@napawash.org
ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT & CEO
Paulette Maehara
pmaehara@afpnet.org
Enjoy your membership! Choose to participate and reap the benefits! You are part of a great profession in the best place possible. Here’s to your happy and rewarding career!
¹ Association of Fundraising Professionals: 2004-2006 Strategic Plan, Approved by AFP Board, October 24, 2003
Anne Stern is president of Anne Stern & Associates, a fundraising capacity-building consulting firm based in Chatham, New Jersey.
This message is part of this month’s newsletter, which is available online. Please click here to read Fundraising News. |
