By Craig Shelley, CFRE, President-elect, AFP-NYC Chapter; Managing Director, Orr Group

 

I’m not sure if we’re in a lull between pandemic waves, onto some next phase of normalcy or are finally into the “new normal” we’ve all heard so much about.  Whatever this is, I know I’ve found the recent abundant opportunities I’ve had to see people in-person to be energizing.  Among other things it’s helped to remind me of the great potential and benefit our AFP chapter brings.  We have so many opportunities for fundraisers to come together and now that we can do so live and in-person, I’d really encourage you to take advantage.

 

One great upcoming example is our Small Shop Think Tank, a four-part series focused on practical ways to advance your fundraising.  This unique format of a defined cohort of 18 fundraisers meeting four times (with a mix of online and in-person) will provide the depth of relationships and learning we all find so valuable.

 

Also coming soon is our first in-person professional advancement session, 30 Actionable Ideas to Reinvigorate/Integrate Your Direct Mail, Online & Social Media Communication.  We’ll be back meeting in the morning at the Scandinavian House just like old times.  You won’t want to miss it, particularly with this important topic as the focus.  Integrating our channels is no longer a “nice to have.”  Your donors and prospects are consuming all of them and are way more sophisticated than they used to be.  This will be a good one.

 

And then, of course, we’ve got the granddaddy of ‘em all coming up – Fundraising Day in New York returns to the New York Marriott Marquis on June 17, 2022.  Registration is already proceeding at a record clip as people are eager to reunite at the largest one-day fundraising conference in the nation.

 

I hope to see you soon at one of these or the many other great opportunities the Chapter provides network and learn from each other through our one of a kind community.