Marisa is a Development Officer at Women's Link Worldwide. In this role, Marisa manages the organization's individual program in the United States, Latin America and Europe. Prior to her role at Women's Link, Marisa worked at the National Immigrant Justice Center on their development team. Marisa also sits on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Chicago, a volunteer-run organization focused on the development of young nonprofit professionals in Chicago.

Marisa received her Bachelor’s from DePaul University in Women and Gender studies and Latin American and Latino studies. Outside of work, Marisa enjoys reading, crafting, and sharing pictures of her dog, Nala.

In my current role as a Development Officer, I work alongside the Director of Institutional Advancement and another Development Office to design and implement the organization's donor journey and help build strong relationships between supporters and the organization. Women's Link Worldwide is an international non-profit organization that uses the power of law to promote social change that advances the human rights of women and girls. My responsibilities and essential functions on the development team at Women's Link Worldwide include coordinating events, developing donor-centered marketing and appeals, and supporting the acquisition, cultivation and stewardship of donors.

If you have news to share relating to the fundraising industry please email your story and a photo to info@afpchicago.org. Submissions will be subject to approval.

We are excited to announce our next AFP Book Club meeting, where we will be taking a deep dive into something we’ve all encountered over the last year, grappling with transition. Whether you are taking on a new position or getting back into the office, the first 90 days can be crucial in setting you up for continued success. During our time together, we’ll create some strategies for making this transition as smooth as possible. Join us on Friday, September 10th from 1p to 2:30pm CDT as we review key principles from Michael Watkins' The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter. You will have the opportunity to connect with peers and develop a practical strategy to navigate crucial periods of transition in your career and at your organization.

In advance of the session, please either read Michael’s book - The First 90 Days or watch the video here that gives a great overview of key takeaways from the book. These resources will provide a good baseline for our discussion.

Please complete this brief form to indicate your interest in this program. 

New to philanthropy? Rising star? Career shift? Second career? Change maker? Passionate about a cause?

Or, simply seeking…

This, and more, is what you can expect as a protégé with the AFP Chicago Peer Mentoring Program.

Based on attributes such as years of service and career goals, the Peer Mentoring Committee will strategically pair you with a seasoned philanthropy professional who will provide mentoring and personalized coaching to meet your needs.

Your success is our success, but it is the world’s gain.

NEW THIS YEAR: While we will continue to prioritize early-career protégés, the Peer Mentoring Program will also consider a limited number of mid-career applicants (i.e., more than five years of experience), depending on class capacity and mentor availability.

Applications for the Fall 2021 class will be accepted through Friday, September 24. Learn more about qualifications and eligibility criteria.

For more information, please contact Program Co-Chairs Jennifer Dettloff and Christopher Chantson.

We will hold our second virtual Book Club gathering on September 10, and our next virtual workshop titled, "Prospecting in the Hybrid World of Digital and In-Person Fundraising,” will take place on Friday, October 8. If you were unable to join us for our virtual workshops earlier this year, the workshop recordings are available online for a fee. As a reminder, many of our learning opportunities are approved for CFRE credits.

Benjamin Franklin Award

Outstanding Community Leader Award

Distinguished Philanthropist Award

Emerging Philanthropist Award

Executive Leader Award

Outstanding Volunteer Award

Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award

Professional Grantor Award

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, and are strongly committed to embracing the diversity of the Chicagoland community. 

What are the responsibilities for serving on the Board of Directors? Board members represent the development profession in the greater Chicagoland philanthropy community and provide strategic direction and leadership for the chapter. We work closely to creatively come up with solutions to support the chapter’s mission and to meet revenue generation activities. You will find a full listing of the qualifications and expectations of membership on the following page.

The deadline for submitting 2022 nominations materials is August 25, 2021. AFP Chicago’s Committee on Directorship will review all nominations, and the chapter will present a final slate for election by AFP members this December. Before nominating someone other than yourself, we ask that you seek that person’s agreement to be nominated, and ask the nominee to provide service and leadership information to support the nomination.

2021 has been a great year for AFP Chicago! We look forward to continued success next year. Thank you to all our members for your hard work and dedication.

Approved for 1.5 CFRE points.

To search for jobs or post a job visit the Job Source page on the AFP Chicago website.

Are you interested in having thoughtful conversation with like-minded fundraising professionals related to various topics in fundraising on a global level? Consider registering for one of AFP Global's upcoming affinity group meetings!

Stacy Ellington, Family Service of Glencoe

Chris Jelkes, Chicago Coalition For the Homeless

Chelsea Lauing, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Anna Mattson, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Carlee Taggart, Taggart Impact Consulting

Deborah Williams, The Chicago Public Education Fund

If your name is not included, please contact Shawn Jezak at shawn@afpchicago.org.

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Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF)