Letter from the Education Chair
Nancy Rieves
AFP Alabama Education Chair

Penelope Burk in Birmingham!
Donor-Centered Fundraising
2019 Educational Conference

 Save the date!
Friday, September 13th, 2019
9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

" Donor-Centered Fundraising " is Penelope Burk’s breakthrough strategy that sustains donor loyalty and raises more generous gifts by bringing fundraising in line with donors’ modern-day requirements. Defined by two decades of research with thousands of donors and fundraisers, donor-centered fundraising is the only statistically-supported fundraising philosophy with the power to bring donors and not-for-profits together to achieve substantial growth. Come and hear Burk talk about what donors want and how to provide it at AFP Alabama's 2019 Educational Conference!

Mark your calendars, and plan to join us on Friday, September 13th! Ticket information forthcoming!

Also, a huge thanks to our sponsors for this year's Educational Conference: Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham , University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the Birmingham Business Journal .
Is Your Nonprofit Ready for a Major Gifts Program?
April 10th, 2019
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
3600 8th Avenue South

Is your organization interested in raising big money through a major gifts program? Join us at the April Chapter Meeting for  Virginia Gilbert Loftin's  discussion about major gifts and the six must-haves to be successful with a major gifts program.

Loftin is a Birmingham native and the Vice President for Advancement and Communications at Birmingham-Southern College. Before her role at Birmingham-Southern College, Loftin was the Assistant Vice President for Development Communications at UAB, where she oversaw the development and implementation of an integrated communications strategy focused on storytelling for UAB's $1 billion campaign.

Loftin recently completed four years as president of the Delta Zeta Sorority National Foundation and remains a trustee of the organization. She chaired the building committee and fundraising effort for the $15 million Delta Zeta chapter house at the University of Alabama, which was completed in July 2018.

Enjoy lunch and networking at 11:30; the meeting will begin promptly at 12:00. Due to limited seating, we ask that those who plan to attend  please RSVP for the meeting . Guests are welcome.
As mentioned above, Penelope Burk is coming to Birmingham! That’s right – the donor relations guru will be joining us for the 2019 Educational Conference, and we want to give you a free ticket . It’s easy to enter this contest, and you can help our chapter grow by doing so. Just complete the membership survey by April 8th to enter the drawing. The lucky winner will be drawn at our April Chapter Meeting. You do not have to be present to win.

The 2019 Educational Conference will take place on Friday, September 13th, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Be sure to get it on your calendars; you will not want to miss out on this great opportunity!
National Philanthropy Day

Thursday, November 14th, 2019
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
 
Nominations Open April 2nd!
AFP Alabama Receives 2019 Ten Star Gold Chapter Designation

Each year, AFP honors chapters for
achieving goals that align with key objectives in its long-range strategic plan. Chapters receive the Ten Star Gold award for performing specific activities designed to increase professionalism within
fundraising and public awareness of the importance of philanthropy.

Less than 20% of AFP’s 243 chapters earn the Ten Star Gold chapter recognition, making the Alabama chapter one of the association’s leading chapters around the world. We are proud to receive this award again in 2019!
Friends of Diversity

AFP Alabama is proud to be one of the 90 chapters out of 243 chapters that has received the 2019 Friends of Diversity designation!
 
The Friends of Diversity designation recognizes chapters that have accomplished many of the key objectives in AFP International's advancing diversity strategic goal. This designation encourages chapters to perform specific activities designed to increase diversity within fundraising and public awareness of the importance of philanthropy in all cultures.

AFP Alabama is committed to increasing inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in the fundraising profession.
Our chapter has a great opportunity this Sunday (March 31st) to support the Association of Fundraising Professionals Foundation AND our own chapter's professional development!

This year, our chapter received $1,250 from AFP that we're using to help fund the Educational Conference with Penelope Burk. A gift you make this Sunday can help us have the same opportunity for future chapter events.

During the AFP International Fundraising Conference this Sunday, March 31 – April 2, Blackbaud will provide a $10 match toward every donor who makes a gift of at least $20 toward our chapter’s BE the CAUSE campaign .  This match only applies to the first 700 donors during this three-day period.

So, if you're considering supporting our chapter through BE the CAUSE this year, would you set a calendar or phone reminder to participate with a gift of $20 or more  THIS SUNDAY ? Even if you already make a recurring gift, or plan to give later in the year, (thank you!), a gift of $20 or more on Sunday will help our chapter receive those $10 matching gifts.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE ONLINE . Be sure to choose  "Be The Cause," and select AFP AL, Alabama Chapter . Thank you!
Member Spotlight: Bethany Roberson
Bethany Roberson has been an AFP Alabama member and the chapter's administrator for nearly a year. She also works as a freelance grant writer for nonprofits.

Tell us about your role in the fundraising field and with AFP Alabama.
I've been working as a freelance grant writer for nonprofits for about seven years. I really love it. I think my favorite thing is that it provides me the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of nonprofits and the amazing ways they're helping people in need. Being the administrator for AFP Alabama goes right along with that – I'm able to meet a lot of great, knowledgeable individuals who work hard to help their organization.

How long have you been working with AFP Alabama?
I was hired as the new administrator in April 2018. My very first task as admin was to help with the April Chapter Meeting in 2018, so this upcoming chapter meeting is my one-year anniversary with this chapter!

Why did you decide to get involved with AFP?
I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn new things and expand my knowledge of the fundraising world.

What is your favorite part of working with AFP?
I've really enjoyed getting to meet so many hardworking people who are part of the chapter. Being the administrator also feeds into my weird eagerness for things to be organized, and it's pushed me to learn new things, like how to use Constant Contact and make website updates!

Tell us a fun or random fact about you.
I am a huge fan of anything from the '80s! It's the decade I was born in – I love the music, the TV shows, the movies, the toys, and the delightfully awful fashion!
Upcoming Events

P. O. Box 130365
Birmingham, AL 35213