News/Blog

By Craig H. Shelley, CFRE
President, Association of Fundraising Professionals, New York City Chapter
Partner + Chief Growth Officer, Orr Group

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as our Chapter’s President over the next two-years.  It’s a humbling opportunity to help ensure New York City fundraisers have the community and resources we deserve.

As I’ve prepared for this unique challenge, I’ve thought a lot about our profession.  I am, as I always have been, inspired by the impact fundraisers make in the world and appreciative to those who have dedicated their lives to what is often a thankless and always difficult profession.  AFP has a unique opportunity to support your work and provide a community of peers you can learn from and commiserate with.  I look forward to working with our board and officers and all of you to realize that promise.

By Jill M. Scibilia, MBA, CFRE
VP, Development, Phelps Hospital, Northwell Health 
AFP-NYC Chapter President 2022 and 2023

We are now at the end the year when there is an abundance of generosity, gifting, and gratitude.

I am taking the opportunity today to express my gratitude to the Association of Fundraising Professionals – NYC Chapter. It has been a great honor to serve as your chapter president. My term has now come to a close. Here is some of what I learned along the way.

By Mindee H.Barham

As we come to the end of the year, I have been reflecting on my time with the AFP-NYC chapter and my gratitude for my AFP community – my colleagues, peers, and friends. And I am particularly grateful for the dedicated group of fundraising professionals I’ve met over the past 6 years as a Board member and as a co-chair of the Professional Advancement Committee (PAC).  While I am stepping down as co-chair at the end of this month, I will remain on the committee, and I’d like to share what this group means to me and to our NYC community of fundraising professionals.
 

By Mary Whitrow, Content Marketing Manager, iWave

As the year comes to a close and year-end giving campaigns are in full swing, nonprofits are particularly focused on engaging with their donors and ensuring support for their mission and cause. We have all heard about (and experienced) the effectiveness of storytelling and know that it is a powerful tool that can captivate and engage donors. But what makes a story compelling? Here are seven storytelling techniques that can drive donor engagement in year-end fundraising and create a connection that inspires action and in turn, brings about meaningful impact.

By Pazit Levitan, EdD, CFRE

Fundraising in a crisis differs from typical fundraising because the circumstances and challenges necessitate unique, and more urgent, approaches and considerations. Whether the crisis is a war, a humanitarian emergency, a global pandemic or a natural disaster, we need to respond quickly, leading with confidence, inner strength and flexibility. Here are four key insights guiding me as I engage in emergency fundraising:

By Mike Esposito, CFRE 
AFP-NYC Emerging Leaders & FDRNY Steering Committee Member
Director of Growth and Strategy at Hudson Ferris 

As 2021 drew to a close, I found myself at a crossroads in my fundraising career. I had been fundraising for a nonprofit organization for four years and was unsure of what my next step would be. I asked around and was introduced to the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)-NYC and the Emerging Leaders Committee (ELC). I am incredibly grateful that I found AFP-NYC’s ELC, as it has allowed me to access a diverse network of members, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.

By Rafi Kronzon: CEO, Altourage

Nonprofit organizations are becoming more reliant on technology to accomplish their missions. From fundraising efforts to program delivery, the role of IT in nonprofits has grown significantly. However, with the growth of technology comes the need for a robust IT and cybersecurity strategy to safeguard sensitive data and ensure the organization's continued success.

In this article, we will explore the essential components of a successful IT and cybersecurity strategy for nonprofit organizations, emphasizing the unique challenges and considerations that set them apart from for-profit entities.

By Lynsie Slachetka, Owner/Chief Digital Officer, aJuxt Media Group

The clock is ticking on end-of-year fundraising! As we count down not just to a New Year, but a new annual report, tax filing, or budgetary analysis, nonprofit leaders everywhere are bracing for the holiday season, and with it the rush of year-end giving.

According to the 2023 M+R Benchmarks Report, December giving accounts for roughly one fourth (26%) of annual nonprofit revenue! With Giving Tuesday quickly approaching, and print deadlines for annual appeal mailers looming, one thing is for certain: your team can’t afford for the organization’s year-end marketing to fall flat.

In 2020, during the height of the global pandemic, Emily Ades and Mindy Wigutow founded IMPACT 100 NYC, where they envision fostering a culture of communal giving by cultivating a community of women who want their philanthropic donations to do more and mean more. Emily and Mindy have a meaningful history as catalysts for change in their communities. Emily has devoted all her professional endeavors to the field of education and nonprofit management. Currently, she works as the inaugural Director of The Kinnect Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the fashion brand, Kith leveraging the brand to make a social impact and transformative change that helps communities overcome adversity and thrive. Mindy is an attorney with real estate and commercial litigation experience who currently works in Higher Ed admissions inspiring the future leaders in law and community organizing.

By Bre Alexander, Content Marketing Manager, iWave

In the philanthropic world, one day stands out as a nod to hope and giving, pulling on heartstrings and opening wallets – GivingTuesday.

Conceived in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. GivingTuesday caught on and has grown worldwide, inspiring hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

As the aroma of leftover turkey slowly fades, many nonprofit practitioners will find themselves navigating the dynamic landscape of the nonprofit sector during this holiday season.

Once your campaign ends, you're faced with a list of donors, a mix of new supporters and existing friends. The question looms, "Now what"?