On Friday, June 22, our President Bill Weber, Senior Vice President and Director of New York Kieran McTague, and Vice President of Product Matthew Weber attended the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Fundraising Day in New York City. This annual conference brings together thought-leaders in the philanthropy industry to discuss fundraising best practices and innovations.
The conference program touched on a variety of topics, including the vital role of technology and events in securing funding, best practices in donor research and building a prospect pipeline, and how to achieve professional growth in the development industry.
Overall, three major themes surfaced for leveraging major gifts and conducting successful campaigns:
- Strong Messaging – the ability to clearly and concisely articulate the overarching message that best describes your organization and communicate how the organization’s primary services are connected to an overall vision
- Goal Alignment – the ability to match a donor’s interest with your organizational needs and articulate the impact a donor’s gift will have on the funding need you have presented
- Capable Staff – the need for securing talented and dedicated staff to reach more donors and increase funding
On the left, our Vice President of Product Matthew Weber and President Bill Weber enjoy Fundraising Day in New York.
On the right, the beautiful view of New York City from the Marriott Marquis where the conference was held (courtesy of AFP).
This year, Development Guild was a proud sponsor of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program. The program provides annual scholarships to a select group of aspiring fundraisers to attend Fundraising Day, as well as to gain access to training, networking, and a professional mentor. To learn more about this important program and the 2018 recipients, see here.