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Your Chicago Chapter News

Welcome to the AFP Chicago August Newsletter

Latest Events & News


The 2019 Board of Directors Needs You!

The AFP Chicago Committee on Directorship invites the development community to submit nominations for the Board of Directors for one year terms beginning January 1, 2019. Strong leadership is a hallmark of AFP Chicago and we seek highly motivated and committed members for board service. Applications for 2019 board service are due August 22, 2018.

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 International. AFP Chicago is strongly committed to embracing the diversity that makes up our greater Chicagoland community.

Please click here  for more information on service responsibilities, criteria, and the application process. Applications are due August 22, 2018!



Development Day Chicago
Friday, September 14, 2018
Renaissance Chicago Downtown
1 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601

REGISTRATION RATES:
Members - $275        Non-members - $350

Learn, Grow, Change, and Rethink!  Take full advantage of this opportunity to learn from the best, and join other fundraisers as they gather together to catch up with the latest developments and stay ahead of the curve! We have assembled sessions to creatively address industry topics, which will encourage frank, open discussions that will impact your work and provide take-home materials to improve your personal work and professional environment.  We're offering four different focuses for learning. You get to pick what you want to learn!

Check out one of the four focus areas, Executive Leadership!  Enhance and improve your leadership thinking and practices with fresh, actionable andinspiring executive-level content which you can immediately apply! 

Brave Voices: Creating a Culture of Courageous Conversations

Leading Without Formal Authority: Persuasion & Influence

Developing Grit:  How to Bounce Back from Adversity, Challenge and even FAILURE!

Click here for more information and register today!

More Education Offerings for 2018 - Register today!


Exclusive Members Only Event!
FREE Pop-Up Program: Planning a Multi-Channel Development Strategy
Wednesday, August 29 | 7:30AM - 8:30AM

Two Locations ~ You Pick Your Location!

  • NORTHERN SUBURB: Panera at 1853 North 2nd Street, Highland Park, IL 60035 
  • SOUTHERN SUBURB: Panera at 10553 S Cicero Ave, Oak Lawn, IL 60453

Join us for a Pop-Up Program to share tips on how to create a sustainable multi-channel fundraising strategy.

The facilitator is prepared to share her approach and techniques for Planning a Multi-Channel Development Strategy.  The techniques which will be discussed are as follows:

  •  Audience - review of your audience, timing, and themes and to ensure these are considered prior to any development strategy implementation. Test and re-test themes, formats, and signers to see what works best. 
  • Email - do an email series where the nonprofit takes a deep dive into one topic and includes information that donors cannot easily find on the organization's website.
  • Mail - test different looks, shapes, and sizes. Donors respond to reason, logic, and emotion.
  • Social media - use a lot of videos and utilize social ambassadors. 
  • Why donors give; what they give to; how they give; and who they give in response to needs to be considered and reflected in the development strategy. This will also help draw out themes and segments.

Register Today!



Exclusive Members Only Event! 
FREE Pop-Up Program: Data, Data, Data
Wednesday, September 19  | 7:30AM - 8:30AM
Panera at 832 S Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville, IL 60048 

Join us for a Pop-Up Program to discuss how to measure and evaluate your data for greater fundraising success. The facilitator is prepared to share her approach and techniques for utilizing data. The techniques which will be discussed are as follows:

  • Know and track the following metrics at any organization: number of donors, donor giving ranges, acquisition rate, retention rate, percentage of donors increasing their gift, percentage of donors decreasing their gift and email, mail, social media, phoning, texting - performance rates.
  • Examples will be provided as to how to track these methods.
  • Examples will be provided as to how to use segmentation, testing, themes, audience, signer metrics to build a giving strategy.

Register Today!





AFP Chicago Breakfast Workshop Series
Learn and link with other fundraisers!
The Fundraising Effectiveness Project: Debunking the Myth of Efficiency
Friday, October 19 | 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Kellogg School of Management - Wieboldt Hall 340 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611

Program details are coming soon!

Registration fee:
$30 for members - NEW, LOWER PRICING FOR MEMBERS!
$55 for nonmembers  (Or for members after October 15)

Register now! 



AFP Chicago Annual Meeting of the Membership
Friday, December 7  | 8:00 am - 10:30 am
WHERE:  River Roast315 N LaSalle Dr., Chicago, IL 60654

Registration Fee:
$40 for members
$55 for nonmembers 

Details and registration coming soon!


Opportunities and Deadlines

August 22 - last date to apply for service on the 2019 AFP Chicago Board of Directors. Click here to complete an application. For additional information, click here.

September 28 - deadline for October Peer Mentoring program protégé and mentor applications.  Click here to complete an application and for additional information.


Spotlight

Getting Benefits of Peer Mentoring: Informational Interviews
By: Sarah A. Danahy, CFRE

Last month, we covered how to leverage your mentor's network to make new connections. But once you have secured a sit down with another non-profit professional, it's up to you to plan for the ideal informational interview. 

Here are some tips on how to utilize everyone's time to the fullest and make a fantastic impression:

1.  Prepare

  • When asking for the interview, assure your new contact that you will limit your interview to 30 minutes - and keep this in mind when planning your questions.
  • Research the person you are interviewing in terms of their career and their current job.
  • Plan 3-5 questions that are specific to your contact, their organization, and their expertise.
  • Check in with your mentor! They can help you brainstorm other questions, or even practice in advance.
  • If it seems appropriate, provide the questions you intend to ask ahead of the visit so the person you are interviewing can also prepare.

Read Full Story ...


AFP Chicago Welcomes Our New Members

We're happy to have you!

Rachel Bhagwat, NAMI Chicago
Matthew Crossett, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Linda Grizely, The Art of Tenacity, LLC
Myetie Hamilton, EPIC Academy
Yani Mason, Epic Academy High School
Maggie McNally, American Red Cross
Carrie Noe, Youth Outlook
Meredith Odierna, Marklund Charities
Mariam Pera, Archdiocese of Chicago
Jessica Quigley, New Life Centers
Lyndsey Schneider, Illinois Action For Children
Maria Sievert, Heart of the City Sports
Regan Sonnabend, Powered By Action
Hanna Supanich-Winter, Chicago Botanic Garden
Pamela Swenk, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Vanessa Valenzuela, Blessing In A Backpack

 New members as of  July 2018


Fundamentals of Fundraising Course 



Member Resources

 Ethics Resources | AFP International | Update Contact Information (you will first need to login)


Community Links

Grant Professional Association (GPA)

Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN)

North Park University

Axelson Center Professional Development Programs



Do you have a success story to tell us?

Have you recently received an award, written an article, or achieved something outstanding? 

Please let us know - so that we can feature YOU in this newsletter! 
Please contact Pam Williams with your news.


  

  

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