Note: This post is from Train Your Board partner Laurel McCombs. Thanks, Laurel!
My colleague Bob Osborne and I just spent a few great days in New Orleans at the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference (AFP ICON). This might be the largest fundraising conference in the world, with several thousand attendees from around the globe.
I’m pleased to share a few takeaways from this year’s conference – the first fully in-person version in several years.
Life is richer outside our Zoom boxes
The pandemic did a number on my desire to travel. Life on the road has been a big part of my career, but I got very used to sweatpants and not being on a plane.
As Andy has shared previously, I’m all too cognizant of the impact that air travel has on the environment. Nonetheless, as I was reminded this week, there really is nothing like connecting with people in person.
It was exciting (and more impactful!) to present a workshop in person. While we’ve all adjusted to Zoom, it can’t compete with a room full of people: reading the vibe, responding to their facial expressions and body language, and being able to gauge how they’re engaging with what you’re sharing.
After a webinar, it’s far more difficult to have one-on-one conversations with attendees. I’m grateful for everyone that stayed after our presentation to share their thoughts and connect.
Laurel with Harvey McKinnon and Bob Osborne
In sessions, over meals, in the hallways, and at the bar, we were able to spend time with friends and clients we see all the time on Zoom.
I left New Orleans feeling far deeper connections. I know our ongoing work will be richer for it.
Our industry is making progress on DEIB
During every session block, there was at least one – and sometimes several – sessions on topics related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). From building internal culture to engaging diverse donors, there were several opportunities to explore values alignment in fundraising.
Bob and I were excited to deliver one of these sessions, presenting with the ACLU a case study and framework for integrating DEIB values into fundraising. About 70 people attended. As I shared with the group, seeing them in the room and hearing their thoughtful questions and comments solidified my belief that:
- This work continues to be a priority.
- We will continue to make needed changes together.
This was my third time presenting at ICON. Yes, the previous presentations were valuable and, I hope, beneficial. However, I believe that DEIB is even more important to the individuals that attended, their organizations, and our sector as a whole.
We still have a way to go
Bob and I were reflecting on the sheer size of AFP ICON. It’s huge! Nevertheless, it barely scratches the surface of the big, broad world of development professionals. A small percentage of fundraisers belong to AFP and an even smaller percentage are able to attend the conference.
As much as I enjoyed meeting new people, I was aware that the majority are from large, well-resourced organizations and/or nonprofits that have built AFP membership into their culture. For the most part, this does not include small or even mid-sized nonprofits, BIPOC-led organizations, or any nonprofit that either has not or cannot prioritize AFP membership or conference costs within their budget.
While I appreciate value of AFP and ICON, I’ve sometimes felt that, for a number of reasons, I didn’t belong. If that’s been my experience – as a dues-paying member for more than twenty years – it’s not surprising that many organizations don’t prioritize participation.
Until we figure out how to equitably resource all nonprofits to provide professional development for every fundraiser – through AFP or other venues – we still have work to do.
When in New Orleans, eat beignet
Beignet are deep-fried, sugar-dusted, lighter-than-air pastries – one of the signature foods of New Orleans.
You eat the beignet. Even if you just consumed a huge lunch an hour ago. Even if you have another reception in a couple of hours. Even if you haven’t stopped eating since you arrived.
You eat the beignet … and you’ll be happy you did.
As someone who’s spent much of the past 20 years serving on the boards of a number of small nonprofits here in rural NW California, I am acutely conscious of not “belonging” in the world that larger and better-resourced nonprofits occupy. Many of our organizations don’t even have paid staff, never mind the luxury of time and money to attend this type of gathering – and I admit to a degree of skepticism that such conferences offer much content that’s actually useful to very small organizations. It seems to me that small regional events with one or two guest speakers from the big outside world is probably the most effective way to meet the “belonging” challenge.
It’s a fair critique, Pat. I appreciate the shout-out to the all-volunteer organizations — in many locales, they are the backbone of the nonprofit community.
Also worth noting that AFP chapters around the country host local and regional events. Plus there are local, regional, and statewide nonprofit centers providing this kind of training and networking — which is undoubtedly how we first met.
I’ve run a small nonprofit for 23 years, wildly successful programmatically , but I’ve raised virtually all of its $300k annual budget by myself and have operated as Artistic Director (which is really where I want to spend my time and can’t ), executive Director and Board President. I feel the org is doomed because we need to put a structure in place to succeed me and it’s not happening. I’ve always felt there’s lots of help for start up organizations and for well-established well resource organizations but this in between nonprofit that plugs away year after year doesn’t seem to get the right kind of support.
Hi Carole — First, thanks for your decades of hard work! There’s a lot to unpack here, but in the interest of keeping it simple:
1. Regarding funding for smaller niche organizations, you are probably right. However, there are so many variables to successful fundraising — fundraising plan (or lack thereof), diversity of revenue streams, quality of donor stewardship, size and sophistication of the fundraising team, culture of philanthropy within the organization, etc. etc. — that it’s hard to affirmatively state that the size or scale of the group is the limiting factor in fundraising. It could be, but …
2. If you’ve led for 23 years, here’s my guarantee: once you step back, the organization will become something different. “Doomed” is a strong word, but if there’s a committed constituency — performers, audience, students, donors, funders, etc. — it will likely continue in some form.
Have you considered a merger with a peer organization? When founders or long-time leaders retire, that can be a viable option.