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EMC (Every Member Campaign) - what is it and why should I give?  I have paid my AFP dues - isn't that enough?

Good questions!  Giving to the Foundation is over and above our dues.  AFP lists 5 reasons you should give to the EMC which supports the AFP Foundation.  Two of those reasons really made a difference to me and my giving:

1. Giving to the AFP Foundation delivers value to chapters and their members because it funds services, programs and resources that you and I NEED to be excellent fundraisers.  Examples are webinars, program models and tool kits, scholarships,and grant opportunities.


2. Giving to the AFP Foundation supports your OWN chapter through partnership grants to chapters that MEET or EXCEED their annual fundraising goal.  These grants are equal to 25% of the amount the chapter raises.  Last year our grant funded our Youth in Philanthrophy art project in the schools.

Among other benefits,  the AFP Foundation provides the Chamberlain Scholarships for each chapter and reference material and resources for the AFP Learning Center.

Besides the "what's in it for me" benefits - giving to the AFP Foundation strengthens the future of fundraising, is an opportunity to "give back" and "pay forward", and together we can impact the profession.  Wow!  A lot of bang for the buck!

The AFP Foundation will be making calls to our members to remind them of the Every Member Campaign beginning the week of September 3 with pre-call emails to be sent August 16.  Please take this opportunity to ask questions and discuss anything about the Foundation and campaign.

I am asking each member to consider a gift during the EMC campaign.  No gift is too small to make a difference (we know that as fundraisers)!  Our goal is to raise $2950 by December 31, 2013.  We can do it!

Pam Dose

Past President and EMC Chair

Back in our March Newsletter, we highlighted TYPros' Get on Board board internship program, and now that the application process is nearing, we wanted to circle back to this great opportunity and offer more details. 

According to Program Chair Stephanie Cameron, "the TYPros Board Internship program is a great way for young professionals to engage in the community, learn about different organizations and take on volunteer leadership roles. The program is also beneficial to non-profits in that the interns bring fresh ideas, perspectives and talent to the organization."

Once prospective interns have submitted their application, they will be matched to a nonprofit based on interest, skill set and with preference for being active in TYPros. Mark your calendar for application deadlines, and visit the TYPros website next month for the nonprofit application, and in October for the intern application.

Timeline for Get on Board

• August - First Sub-Crew Meeting Held (Monthly thereafter)
• Monday, September 9th - Applications Available to Boards
• Thursday, October 17th - Get On Board - Event
• Thursday, October 24th - Application Deadline from Boards (if agreeable to Leadership Tulsa, will consult)
• Thursday, October 31st - Applications Available to Interns
• Saturday, November 30th - Applicant Deadline
• First Two Weeks of December - Placement Meeting to be held on best available date

This book is such a comprehensive resource, as it covers major gift programs, mail and email fundraising, telephone solicitations, special event fundraisers, grants, planned giving, and capital and endowment campaigns. As professional fundraisers, most of us have strengths and weakness in those different fundraising areas, and put more attention on different ones depending on the needs of our organization and donor base. Being able to look back at The Complete Guide to brush up on those areas of weakness, or when starting a new fundraising venture such as a capital campaign, makes this book an excellent tool.

The most helpful chapter of The Complete Guide, however, is all about managing your resource development program, including the distinction between "doing the right things" and "doing things right." These management foundations are just important as building relationships with our donors, and can help us do our jobs as fundraisers more effectively. Add The Complete Guide to your bookshelf, and stay tuned for reviews on more books from the AFP Fund Development Series! 

Although the list is an inaccurate representation of most nonprofits' practices, according to the AFP's official response, the article can still serve as a jumping off point for an always important topic: ethics. Even if these 50 worst charities are extreme examples, they are a reminder that public stewards must strive to maintain integrity and uphold moral conduct.

Here are resources and articles to help keep your organization and career on the up and up:

Establishing Ethical Practices and Procedures

• Evaluate your organization's current ethics policies with the National Council of Nonprofits' "Conducting an Ethics Audit at Your Nonprofit."
• Check out AFP's official guidelines, codes, and standards.
• Advancing Philanthropy's July article, "Moving On-Avoiding Ethical Pothole," provides great discussion and tips for navigating through moral bumps in your career.

Enforcing Ethics Policies and Correcting Problems

• AFP's Enforcement Procedures
• Stanford Social Innovation Review's article "Ethics and Nonprofits" provides a thorough examination of causes and solutions to common unethical behavior.

For local training, the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium offers a range of workshops and classes. 

Dear Fundraising Friends,

Did you know that 61% of all donors have given online, and that number includes 51% of donors over 60 years old?  Since 1/3 of all online giving occurs in December and many of us will soon begin planning our fall appeals and end of year requests, I thought I would take this opportunity to share a few of my favorite free Internet resources, including some cited by The Nonprofit Website Project. 

Animoto.com Nonprofit Program - Animoto automatically turns your images, video clips and music into stunning videos. Videos are the most powerful communication tool, allowing you to craft a message with the right balance of information and emotional connection. And you can post it to YouTube!

EventBrite - EventBrite is a simple but powerful tool to manage, promote and sell your events. It is perfect for registering people for your events online.

Google Grants - Google Grants allows eligible nonprofits to get up to $40,000 per month in free Google AdWords.  Online donations were up 14% last year, and that trend will continue.  When potential donors are researching online which organizations to support, can they find you?

Google Docs - Google Docs allows you to create, share and protect your work online with your colleagues. Working with a board member for wording on your direct mail piece or your budget spreadsheet?  You can access documents at the same time and type into them from anywhere you have access to the Internet - including your smartphone. 

Guidestar - With plenty of charity news, reports on nonprofit management and fundraising, an informative blog and free webinars, what more could you ask?  How about access to the 990s of every single nonprofit organization and private foundation in the country?  You can also send in additional information about your organization's mission and programs so that it is available to potential donors!

Techsoup - While the technology news and reviews pertaining to nonprofits is interesting and useful, the real find here is the free or very deeply discounted (Adobe Creative Suite for $150!) hardware and software available to most nonprofit organizations.

YouTube Nonprofit Program - As I mentioned, video is a powerful way to show your organization's impact and needs. With a designated "Nonprofit" channel on YouTube, you can deliver your message to the world's largest online video community.  Drive viewers to action by placing a Call-to-Action overlay directly on your videos, accept donations directly from your video page and try live streaming for your events.

Happy searching!

Amy Miller

AFP Eastern Oklahoma Chapter President