Chapter Leadership Brief 9.24.2021

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, AFP-NYC Treasurer 
Managing Director, Orr Group

I’ve got a job that I love.  Work that feels meaningful and that I’m proud of.  My kids look at me with some modicum of respect.  I’ll often tell myself I’ve worked hard, and I “deserve” it (whatever “it” is).  There’s probably some truth to that but if I’m being honest, what I have achieved I’ve achieved because I’ve benefitted from the leadership, tutelage, and camaraderie of some great mentors.

Gary Laermer was kind enough to answer a million questions a day about why we were doing things when all he was doing was paying me to stuff envelopes; a day does not pass that I don’t consider the things I learned when all I was supposed to be doing was folding papers.  Gary taught me a profession when all he needed to do was tell me how he took his coffee.  Bruce DeSandre instilled a need to strive for excellence that drives most of my coworkers nuts to this day.  Bill Sullivan helped me see fundraising was an art and how I connect the dots across the canvas ensures I end up with the painting I want.  Diego Aviles taught me the value of infectious energy and how the people you infect with that energy will make or break any undertaking.  Steve Orr gave me a business mindset and a worldview I’d never even had access to, he redefines “entrepreneurial” for me daily.  The list goes on.  I stand on the shoulders of great men or some other such cliché.

I was lucky, or better yet privileged, to be in the positions I was in to access the mentors and friends I have.  I recognize, because I’ve had a few myself, that you won’t always end up with a great boss who will invest in you personally and professionally for the long term.  I think a lot about the role of the Association of Fundraising Professionals New York City Chapter.  It’s value proposition and the things we can bring to fundraisers in this City.  The chapter has a unique opportunity and an obligation to bring things to professionals that we know they should have but that they may not be getting in their current roles.  We can contribute to the holistic development of all of us via networking, professional development, and mentoring.  Formal mentorship programs are hard, but they are necessary because you may not work for Gary or Bruce or any of those I’ve been fortunate enough to intersect with.

The chapter has put together a great mentorship program (more info here).  It’s an intensive, cohort model that will match you with the right fit for you via a customized matching process, recognizes institutionalized racism permeates every corner of our industry and factors that into the whole program, and provides opportunities not just for professional development but building your brand.  We’re accepting applicants now.  I’d encourage you to apply.  The program and the mentor it will bring into your career will be an experience you’ll never forget and that will stay with you.

Oh, and thank you to EVERYONE who has been a part of my journey.  I’ve valued your friendship and mentorship and will continue to do so.

Chapter Leadership Brief 9.10.2021

By Michele Hall-Duncan, AFP-NYC Secretary
CEO and President of enCourage Kids Foundation

Fall events will be starting soon. Galas, tastings, festivals, and other events are planned for the end of the year. But as the Delta variant brings us all back into a cautionary space – what do we do? Some organizations have decided to revert to virtual or hybrid events after planning fall in-person events. Zoom is even trying to cash in on that trend by finally adding a donate button for nonprofits.

Still, there are those who really want to go back to a sense of normalcy. Many nonprofits were able to enjoy their annual golf events in the summer and now early fall, because the weather permits the event to be held predominantly out of doors. It’s been great to interact with donors again in that space. Additionally, a new opportunity has presented itself with the recent law which will require proof of vaccination to access restaurants, gyms, and event venues. While no guarantee against potential COVID-19 exposure, the odds appear to be more favorable for attendees.

The phrase “comfort level” is the phrase du jour and boy do levels vary! I attended a wedding recently, where masks were provided, and wristbands in three colors (red, yellow, and green) were available to indicate the guests’ comfort level with interaction. Fully vaccinated, I slipped on green; however, I noticed there still weren’t many full-on body hugs being delivered that day. I had a blast.

We are still planning to hold our in-person tasting event next month, however we’ve moved from Current into The Lighthouse with its large outdoor veranda and terrace which can open to the veranda. We are also providing guests with masks that have straw holes in them to facilitate safer consumption of beverages. While not a requirement, they will hopefully indicate that we are taking our guests' concerns seriously.

As we execute our events--be they virtual, hybrid or in-person--let’s understand comfort levels and plan accordingly, leading with flexibility and creativity.

Watch for more details about our upcoming program on October 20^th as we discuss this subject and more. We have a great panel with guests from a hospital foundation and other great nonprofits.

Chapter Leadership Brief 8.27.2021

By Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC President-Elect
Vice President, Development, Phelps Hospital, Northwell Health

There is one more week before Labor Day—the traditional end of summer in New York. 

Do you remember the last day of summer vacation before going back to school in the fall?  I do.  It always seemed to be the very best day of summer.  At least that is how I remember it.  It never rained.  The weather was just hot enough, but not too hot.  Our friends and all of us who hung out in the neighborhood where I grew up were on the best of terms.  Arguments were forgotten.  We were all suddenly the best of friends—at least for the day.  We played all day with abandon knowing it was the final day of vacation.  We stayed out as late into the evening as our parents allowed.  Every year I had the same thought, if only summer could last forever…

When I look back on my childhood, it is often that final day of summer that I recall.  Of course it was not as perfect or idyllic as my rose-colored memories. But it makes me smile to remember it that way.  Throughout my fundraising career, summer has also meant a break of sorts.  Most donor activity has been Labor Day through about mid-June.  While there is always plenty of work to do in fundraising and summer is an excellent time for meaningful donor engagement, it has usually been less intense for me.

This summer and last summer have not really allowed for that normal break in intensity with all that is happening in the world.  It has been a weighty time to say the least. As fundraisers we know that our work and attention during times like these can and does make a huge difference.  Our intensity and focus has been needed.  Our missions and those we serve are counting on us during these unprecedented times.

We know we cannot do our best work if we do not take the time to unwind and dare I say it: have fun. 

What do you remember about summers from your childhood?  Did you, like me, want summer to last forever? 

I repeat…there is one more week left before the end of summer.  How do you plan to spend it?  I am going to invoke those last days of summer vacation from my childhood and seek to make every moment count.  I hope you can find a way to do the same.  I know I will be better-positioned to give my mission and those we serve the energy and intensity they deserve. 

Thank you for your leadership and commitment to professional fundraising.

-Jill

P.S. – Don’t miss AFP-NYC’s next professional development session, “Setting up a Major Gifts Program” scheduled after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 14^th.  Click here to register and learn more.

Chapter Leadership Brief 8.13.2021

By Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President 
CEO, JCA, Inc.

No, I don’t have one for you. But chances are that there may be one out there for you. In one of the bright spots for fundraisers, the job market is picking up steam.  This is welcome news to the many fundraisers out there who were let go, took reduced pay or were furloughed due to the pandemic. According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (our parent organization) annual compensation and benefits survey, the pandemic resulted in fundraisers’ salaries dropping 3% since the pandemic began in March 2020.  The survey also found that layoffs or furloughs occurred at 20% of the more than 3,200 organizations who responded to the survey.

Was it all bad?  No.  In fact, when AFP delved deeper into the numbers, they found wild compensation swings.  Approximately 18.5% of respondents reported a drop in compensation, with an average decrease of $20,769. In contrast, 14.5% of respondents indicated an increase in pay averaging $7,885.  The study gave no conclusive reason for the disparity, but it seems likely that the nonprofit verticals which were hit hardest by the pandemic, such as arts and culture, had to cut back the most on fundraiser compensation. And, on the flip side, it’s entirely likely that nonprofits that did relatively well (e.g. food insecurity and health care) increased pay to fundraisers.

In terms of the local New York City market, our chapter’s jobs board is seeing a robust return to pre-pandemic activity levels.  This past month, we have seen:

• 31 new employer sign-ups (highest it’s been in the last 12 months)
• 34 new job postings (highest it’s been in the last 12 months)
• 2,747 job views (highest it’s been since March 2020)

So, if you’re a fundraiser looking for new challenges, please check out the listings on our jobs board. You never know what you might find…

Chapter Leadership Brief 7.30.2021

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, AFP-NYC Treasurer 
Managing Director, Orr Group

Does anyone ever listen to the Hamilton song, “Non-Stop” and think he could very easily be describing the life of a fundraiser? The need for our work is always there, we often do what we do at the hours most convenient to our donors and least convenient to our families and social lives, we’re perennially working on under resourced teams, and every new fiscal year the clock goes back to $0 and the goals get larger. Non-Stop has been the only pace I think I’ve ever experienced in my 20+ years fundraising, leading, and advising nonprofit organizations.

While I haven’t exactly stopped, I have had the opportunity to slow down a bit over this past month. I crammed a bunch of vacation time into a single month for the first time ever. I took advantage of the ability to “work from anywhere” and packed up the family for sandier pastures. I’ve hung out with my kids. Talked to my wife about things rather than reviewed our to do lists. Rode my bike a ton (my current preferred way to move my body and clear my mind). Read multiple books. Listened to waves crashing. Got sunburned lounging in a pool. Probably drank a few too many beers. I needed it and I’m going to be a better fundraiser and leader because of it.

Our profession uniquely requires an “all in” approach while simultaneously requiring us to be full and interesting people. We can only be either of those things if we take time for ourselves, advice I’ve ignored all too often over my career. Take a long weekend. Take a week. Take an afternoon. Take some time for yourself right now. You need it and you’ve earned it. I’m not sure what the Fall holds for us as people or fundraisers. I do know the organizations and missions we work for will need funding that we’ll have to raise. I know we’ll raise more of it if we take our feet off the gas for a minute now.

Recharge. The world is going to need you at full battery.

Chapter Leadership Brief 7.16.2021

By Michele Hall-Duncan, AFP-NYC Secretary
CEO and President of enCourage Kids Foundation

As I write this leadership brief, we are in the throes of putting the final touches on our 18^th annual golf tournament. If you’d asked me three months ago, my team, my board and even the golf committee themselves were managing expectations. No one knew what to expect between the moving target of vaccinations, venue limitations, and most importantly personal comfort level. I am so excited to share that we are nearly sold out and may even match our 2019 revenue. You know what I call that? A comeback! Was it tough? For sure. Exercising those old fundraising muscles, after months of being reactive instead of proactive required a shift, and for some, that shift was difficult.

As we head into the remaining weeks of summer, be sure to embrace the new ways that we will work while keeping tried and true methods. We’ll probably never return to “normal” which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That is why I am very excited for the upcoming professional development event, Planning for a Comeback: Creating strategies and flexible development plans post COVID.  This event is a great opportunity to hear just how non-profit leaders are making the shift between online and personal events, modifying budgets and development plans, as well as embracing new adaptations in culture and workforce.

We have all been through quite a challenging time over this past 16 months and our resilience has been on full display. I can’t wait until we are back in person, to share our challenges, our triumphs and our collective ideas on the future of philanthropy. There’s so much to share and so much to look forward to.

Until then, “see” you all on the 21^st.

Chapter Leadership Brief 7.2.2021

By Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President 
CEO, JCA, Inc.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled in a 6-3 decision that California cannot legally compel nonprofit organizations to provide donor information to the state.  The case stems from a challenge by two conservative nonprofit groups based in California, the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and the Thomas More Law Center. These organizations claimed that California’s donor disclosure laws negatively impacted nonprofit groups’ abilities to fundraise and needlessly subjected donors to possible harassment.

As you may recall, back in February, the AFP-NYC Chapter signed onto an amicus brief prepared by our friends at the Nonprofit Alliance in support of these nonprofit groups. We concur with the Court that California’s efforts to obtain donors' private information were an overreach and violated first amendment rights. So, you may be asking, what is the impact on nonprofits in New York? Well, a lot actually. Similar donor disclosure requirements were promoted by Governor Cuomo and surreptitiously tucked into the New York 2020-21 state budget legislation last spring. It would now appear that those requirements are unconstitutional and can no longer be enforced.

The AFP-NYC Chapter is proud to have played a very small role in protecting donor privacy. We are also proud of our larger role in serving the best interests of our community’s fundraising professionals and the organizations for whom they serve. Our chapter provides superb educational content through our professional advancement programs. We offer the most comprehensive mentoring programs on the planet. We promote the importance of fundraisers and the value that our sector creates. If you’re already involved, thank you! If you’re not, what are you waiting for? Come join us!

Speaking of which, I hope that you can join us for our next virtual professional advancement event on July 21^st: “Planning for a Comeback: Creating strategies and flexible development plans post-COVID.”  Please register here. See you there!

Chapter Leadership Brief 6.18.2021

By Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC President-Elect
Vice President, Development, Phelps Hospital, Northwell Health

June 19^th is a new national holiday: Juneteenth National Independence Day.  President Joe Biden signed this into law on June 17, 2021 after it passed the Senate and the House earlier this week.  It is the first new federal holiday since President Ronald Reagan signed Martin Luther King Jr. Day into law in 1983.“

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery and is also known as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day and Juneteenth Independence Day. Its name stems from June 19, 1865, when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas, issued General Order No. 3, which announced that in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation, “’all slaves are free.’” (NY Times)

Values are ever-present in our work as professional fundraisers.  We give people and organizations who want to make a difference the opportunity to do so when we align their values with our missions.   Through our respective missions our organizations seek meaningful impact…like ending hunger, increasing inclusion, equity and access for all underrepresented communities, lifting women out of poverty, saving lives, helping children and students reach their full potential, ending discrimination and violence against the LGBTQIA community, investing in the arts, improving the health of our communities, and taking care of our planet…to name a few.

There are also values that transcend all of our missions and organizations.  Freedom is a value that is as old as our country and yet until 156 years ago (June 19, 1865), it was not available to all.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals has four core pillars (read values) that guide our work:

• Promote IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access)
• Provide relevant and high-quality fundraising education
• Increase capacity and strengthen community
• Champion Ethical Fundraising Practices

IDEA is a pillar because we know the fundraising industry will do our best work for our missions and for society when we represent the deep diversity of the people in our communities.  All of our pillars depend on it, in fact. We are still very much on this journey of achieving this goal as a fundraising industry, and it is work that is underway and valued at AFP. 

IDEA does not work without freedom and our ability to champion it.  The new national version of Juneteenth comes at a pivotal time in our history, and it gives me hope that we are moving in the right direction.  Let’s follow Dr. King’s counsel “to keep moving forward:”

“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t, run then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Thank you for your leadership and commitment to professional fundraising.

With gratitude,

Jill

P.S. - If you are not already engaged in AFP-NYC, I want to encourage you to get involved and add your voice to the conversation.  We are stronger together. 

P.P.S. – I am honored to serve on the IDEA Committee of AFP-NYC.  Our work is led by my colleagues Crystal Fields-Sam, Christa Orth, and Pinky Vincent.

Chapter Leadership Brief 6.4.2021

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, Chapter Treasurer & Managing Director, Orr Group

I have this weird feeling I have not had in a long time.  I think it is optimism.  We seem to (finally? maybe?) have the pandemic under control as at least in the US vaccine rates rise and infection and death rates drop.  Things are reopening.  I have been able to spend time with colleagues, friends, and clients I have not seen in 15+ months.  Despite all our worst predictions’ philanthropy has rallied in the past year.  I gathered with this community at PhilanthroCon and was able to feel the energy of and learn from my peers.  I am looking forward beyond tomorrow and I like what I see for our world and for our profession.

Of course, this is tempered with a heavy sadness.  The unimaginable loss of life.  The ‎psychological weight we are all carrying and which we will all deal with, especially our ‎children, for years to come.  The anxiety as we do things and go places for the first time.  The ‎weird guilt when we long for the simplicity many of us benefited from in our personal lives ‎during COVID.  The very real fact that in many corners of our interconnected world the virus ‎still rages.‎

But despite all that, it is a time for optimism.  It is a time for us to contemplate how we can ‎keep attention and momentum on issues of equity.  A time to consider how we can keep ‎those donors who found us in crisis well into the future.  A time to recognize that in June of ‎‎2022 we very likely will be able to return to an in-person Fundraising Day in New York (you ‎heard it here first!).‎

That said, let us be mindful not to get swept up with the optimism and return to the way ‎things were.  Personally, let us remember how much we valued our time with our loved ones ‎and prioritize that anew.  In the face of so much loss let us be sure we value and appreciate ‎life differently.  Professionally, let us not just go back to doing the same galas and events but ‎remember how donors responded to what was really important to them and to us.‎

I’m not sure there’s a point to this musing (if you’ve followed these Leadership briefs ‎through the years you might say there never is).  But I am feeling good.  I am looking ‎forward.  I hope you are too.

Authors:

Madeleine Durante Fundraising Innovation Manager, MoveOn

Susan Shapiro President, shapiroassociates

From the CEO to the Vice President and the young entry-level professional, everyone can remember that person, friend, family member, or career coach who helped to guide them, find their own voice, and make the best decisions to build their careers.

For years, the AFP-NYC Chapter has provided resume review sessions, career building support, ‎and most recently, re-engineered the Mentoring Program to provide more meaningful ‎engagements for both mentors and mentees.  ‎

In the midst of an isolating pandemic, we had the privilege to enter into a mentoring relationship ‎and offer the following guideposts for mentors and mentees seeking to get the most out of the ‎relationship:

Format and Frequency
A more structured relationship yields greater dividends than ‘winging it’. Knowing what your needs ‎are and how to get what you need, is fundamental to a better outcome.

We decided early on that if this was going to be productive, we need to have more time together. ‎While the availability of the mentor’s time will play a determining role in how often you connect, for ‎the most effective mentoring relationship, we recommend investing ample time into ‎conversations. While the minimum for AFP-NYC’s mentorship program is a one-hour meeting ‎every other month, if possible, we recommend meeting for 45 minutes to an hour every two-to-‎three weeks for continuity that helps to build trust, address issues in real time and plan for future ‎goals. Meeting frequently will allow the mentoring relationship to have the adaptability needed to ‎respond to challenges and opportunities as they emerge. ‎

Accountability
It is incumbent on the mentee to be accountable to the overall direction of the relationship. No ‎matter how involved a mentor may be, the relationship will be most successful when the mentee ‎takes ownership over:

• Goal-setting. At the beginning of the mentoring relationship, the mentee ought to set ‎SMART goals for what they aim to accomplish during the period. AFP-NYC provides ‎useful guideposts in their mentorship program.
  • Note: These goals can be adapted as needed, depending on career shifts.
• Agenda creation. Every meeting should have a purpose, and before these convenings, ‎the mentee should consider what they want to get out of the session, and how it connects ‎back to the overall meeting goals. Quickly pulling together and sharing a purpose, ‎outcome, and process for meetings can help tremendously.
• ‎Meeting structure. At the outset, we talked about the best way to manage our time to ‎allow for problem solving, coaching and professional support. Be sure that the two of you ‎get clarity on the kind of support the mentor is best equipped to offer. The mentee ought to ‎consider what kinds of support are available to them in their current role, and what they ‎may be lacking (for instance, a one-person shop may benefit from having a sounding ‎board for strategy). The relationship will be most effective when meetings offer multiple ‎convening styles, such as:
  • ‎honing in on skills through role play, review of resources, shared readings
  • ‎collaborative problem-solving and strategizing
  • ‎connecting the day-to-day to the broader professional and personal journey
  • creating space for 360-degree learning for mentor and mentee alike

Sustaining Relationships During COVID-19‎
As we think about our time together, we agree that it feels more like surprising delight vs. ‎obligation. Perhaps this is the pandemic talking and the yearning for connection. In fact, at the ‎time of this writing, we are planning to meet “in person” very soon.

In our business, relationships are paramount. This was true before the quarantines, economic ‎crises, and deep isolation of the past year. But as many fundraisers adapted to a remote-first ‎environment, we found the need to intentionally carve out space for being in relationship with ‎one another. Particularly in a mentoring relationship, we recommend holding dedicated space for ‎a focused, one-to-one conversation. Include time on the agenda to deliberately check in and ‎see how the other is doing. Be present with one another: use video calls and when possible, keep ‎your video on. Choose a meeting time where you can avoid distractions and multitasking.

The Right Fit ‎
Are you comfortable with one another? Give yourselves time to get to know one another and ‎access if the pairing is right for you. Ideally, each person should have multiple mentors. As AFP-‎NYC Mentoring Committee chair Juliana Weissbein writes beautifully on her blog, each person ‎should have a network of “champions, challengers, and connectors” who can offer different ‎insights. In order for the mentorship relationship to be the most effective, the mentee ought to be ‎clear that no one mentor can serve all mentorship roles for you. Identify the strengths in your ‎mentoring relationship and anchor your conversations to getting the most out of them possible.

Please feel free to reach out to us with your thoughts. We’d love to hear about your successes ‎and challenges and if you have any additional suggestions on developing an effective mentoring ‎relationship.

*This article is part of a larger series of content produced by members of the AFP-NYC Mentorship Cohort. We thank the authors for their contribution to the chapter. To learn more about the program, click here.