Member Newsletter August 2012

2012 Board

President Cecelia S. DeFilippis Director of Donor Relations, Habitat for Humanity MC

President Elect Glenna Parris Director of Development, Treasure Coast Hospice

Treasurer Lucy Corley Development Director, United Way of Martin County

Secretary Jamie Adcock Associate Director of Development, Children’s Home Society of Florida

Vice-President Education Suzanne Ross Director of Development, Florida Oceanographic Society

Vice-President Membership Monte Kosoff Vice President Resource Development, United Way of St. Lucie County

Vice-President Communications David Vaina Communications Director, Boys & Girls Clubs (Martin County)

Immediate Past President Joanne Towner, CFRE Boys & Girls Clubs of America

St. Lucie County Director / Scholarship Chair Melanie Forget Director of Development, IRSC Foundation

Martin County Director/ Hospitality Chair Tracy R. Howse Director of Community Development, ARC of Martin County

Officers

National Philanthropy Day Chair Wendie Berardi Asst. Development Director, United Way of Martin County

Foundation Development Chair Gigi Suntum Executive Director, Caring Children, Clothing Children

Mentoring Chair Suzanne Horstman, FAHP Executive Director, Library Foundation of Martin County

Diversity Chair R. Victor Trense II

Planet Philanthropy/ FL Caucus Representative Judith Jones PR/Volunteer Coordinator, Salvation Army of MC

Cecelia S. DeFilippis, Chapter President

My wish for everyone this summer and fall is that you have time to reflect on

the good work you are doing for your agency and enjoy the fruits of your

labor.

It hardly seems possible that it was just a few months ago when I had the

privilege of attending the 49th Annual Association of Fundraising

Professionals International Conference in Vancouver, B.C. as our Chapter

representative.

Since returning, I have been in communication with several of the more than

800 vendors that were represented. There was definitely something for

everyone no matter where they are in their professional career. Keynote

speakers were outstanding: Scott Harrison, Founder and President of charity:

water. He is one of Fortune’s 2011 Top 40 under 40. Through his passion and

vision he has impacted the lives of over a billion people in the world. In five

years he has raised $62 million and provided clean water in 19 countries.

Read more at: www.charitywater.com

The featured general session speaker on closing day was the great Wayne

Gretzky, hockey legend and philanthropist. He operates an athlete-driven

humanitarian organization that uses sports to enhance child development.

There were many great sessions, but my favorite was “Does Your Board

Know How to Evaluate Fundraising Effectiveness?” by Peter Drury, MSW,

MBA I highly recommend him for a session here in our neck of the woods, or

if he does a webinar, make sure you attend. I know we often think we cannot

get away from our work or afford to attend these opportunities, but what I

learned and have brought back to my organization is having a tremendous

impact and value to our bottom line.

With today’s technology, all of the sessions are available through afpnet.org,

so please take advantage of the courses. What can’t be found on the website

are the memories and relationships that were born and strengthened through

the time we had together.

Thank you for letting me be your voice this year and representing the 10-Star

Treasure Coast AFP Chapter!

National Philanthropy Day 2012 is November 16! We will hold our annual National Philanthropy Day Luncheon on November 16 from

11:30 am to 1:30 pm at Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club in Palm City. The

luncheon honors those who have contributed to the betterment of the Martin and St

Lucie County community through their contributions to the non-profit organizations

in the area.

Right now, it’s time to get your nominations in!

There are eight award categories:

Individual Philanthropist

Volunteer Fundraiser

Corporate Philanthropist

Small Business Philanthropist

Group Supporting Philanthropy

Unsung Hero of the Year

Youth in Philanthropy

Youth Group in Philanthropy

Nominations must be postmarked by Friday, September 7, 2012. Youth Nominations must be postmarked by

Friday, October 5, 2012.

Questions? Contact, Nominations Chair, Judy Jones, The Salvation Army, at 772-288-1471 ext 202., or

judith_jones@uss.salvationarmy.org. Nomination forms are available at www.afptreasurecoast.org.

Planet Philanthropy 2012 reminded me that successful

fundraising is all about focusing on the donor and building

the relationship. Donors should not be looked at as solely

providers of funds, but instead as members of the family.

As an organization, it is vital to take the time to cultivate a

trustworthy relationship. The foundation of the relationship

should be built on communication, respect and honesty

instead of the potential dollars that they may give your

organization.

A donor should be involved in your organization and know

the details about the impact it makes. A donor should be

just as passionate about the organization’s mission as

people engaged in its daily activities. Donors should want

to give funds and they should know exactly where their

money is going. They should feel that supporting the

mission of your organization is fun and enjoyable.

Without donors, our mission is lost. The conference taught me that I must focus on my donors and let

them know they are appreciated. I must put in the effort to cultivate and understand my donors. I must

get to the point with my donors that I have obtained their trust and made them feel a deep connection to

my organization.

Dr. Gray Keller, the opening keynote speaker, gave a great simple formula for retaining our donors:

Engage – Educate – Empower. Even though this is common sense in the fundraising world, it is such a

simple thing that it often gets overlooked. We tend to get caught up in the day-to-day of our

organizations and put off the people who have believed in our mission and have financially invested in

our success. This conference was a great refresher to the essentials for being a part of a successful not-

for-profit.

— Maja Casson, House of Hope

The Value of Planet Philanthropy 2012: Scholarship Recipient Views

Planet Philanthropy is the Annual State Conference presented by the Florida Caucus of the Association of

Fundraising Professionals. It was held June 2 to June 4 In Orlando. AFP Members Maja Casson and Richard

Gabel represented AFP Treasure Coast and wrote about their experiences.

We have five remaining Webinars this year: “How to Turn Your Volunteers (Board and Non-Board

Members) into Great Fundraisers,” “The Planned Giving Toolbox,” “Year-End Fundraising...It is Still Not

too Late,” “Building a Winning Team - Recruiting, Retiring, and Refining Nonprofit Boards,” and

"Fundraising Trends...What worked over the last few years...What we can expect for 2013 and BEYOND!”

Please check our Web site (www.afptreasurecoast.org) for dates and times!

Maja Casson

I have attended previous international AFP Conferences, chaired two

national conferences for NAHHH (National Association of Hospital Hos-

pitality Houses), and, like many, set through countless seminars and work-

shops. It was a pleasure and an excellent educational experience attending

Planet Philanthropy.

I attended the Florida Caucus meeting on Saturday afternoon, met a

dedicated group of fundraising professionals, and learned this group is

committed to maintaining the excellence of the now annual Florida

conference. For many nonprofits, sending development staff to an

International AFP Conference is not possible. I realized the Caucus has

developed the next best thing. I felt the planning and execution is well

done, the speakers top notch, and the logistics highly professional.

The Opening Session with Dr. Gray Keller was well attended and he did an good job presenting. Both

luncheon speakers were excellent presenters. While the second morning’s presenter did a great job, the

attendance was down…second day blues I suppose.

As I review the Educational Sessions, I had several choice selections for each time period. I did not feel

any of the ones I set in on were 1) waste of my time or 2) were presented poorly. The speakers were well

prepared.

My goal is to always come back with ONE strong idea or plan to put in place and I believe I found that

hidden jewel…Never let the Executive Director speak more than five minutes…always use a client, a

board member or volunteer…someone impacted by the organization. Let the director handle the wrap up.

I look forward to next year’s Planet Philanthropy and will certainly budget that expense for our organiza-

tion. Whether new to fundraising or a veteran; the conference is worthwhile.

—Richard Gabel, Arts & Cultural Alliance of St Lucie County

Please visit our Job Bank on our Web site (www.afptreasurecoast.org)! And

remember, Members get news on new job announcements via email!

The Value of Planet Philanthropy 2012: Scholarship Recipient Views cont’d

Tell us about your first job in philanthropy.

My fundraising began as a volunteer. I was a banker spending my nights and

weekends as board president of Nashville, Tennessee’s oldest community

theatre company. So, seeking corporate sponsorships and donations was my

first exposure to the world of philanthropy.

What projects are you currently working on?

The Arts & Cultural Alliance is a new nonprofit focused on the promotion,

advocacy, and funding of the arts and cultural programs in St. Lucie County.

We are working on the issues facing our artistic community and the programs

needed to better serve our artists and those impacted by our industry. The

initial development plans are directed toward a membership program, building

relationships with key stakeholders in the arts community, and securing public

funds to better market and promote our organizations.

Why are you an AFP Member?

As Executive Director of Quantum House in 2000, I realized I needed to learn

the proper tools for an ethical, focused fundraising program. As equally important are the friendships developed

over the years through AFP. I know I can call for advice, questions, and direction. We all must continue our

education and professional development. Only then can we be successful for our organizations and for our

careers.

Tell us about your heroes. Who has inspired you and who continues to inspire you?

The person I have become is due to the words I heard each week from my Scout Master. As a boy and then a

young man, Billy Jim Vaughn instilled the values required to be a good person and a leader in whatever I choose

to do in life. As for today, despite years of physical pain and now the fight of her life, my wife continues to show

faith, love, and determination; she inspires me every day.

What do you see today as the greatest challenge to local fundraising professionals?

Tough question because I believe there remain many challenges for nonprofits and fundraisers throughout our

area. We are impacted by the exhaustion this recession created. I mean financial, emotional, and spiritual

exhaustion. Our clients have grown in number; our resources have decreased in greater numbers. Our board

members, donors, and employees have felt this exhaustion. Many continue to feel it. Yet, we have this mission

we hold dear to our hearts and the commitment to serve our community. Stay focused on the mission and work

very hard to understand what your donor really wants to do with their money.

Member Q & A As is our tradition, we select a member….in this case a relatively new member….to answer a few questions so

that you can get to know them a bit better. This month, we chose Richard Gabel, the Executive Director of the

Arts & Cultural Alliance of St Lucie County. Richard recently returned to the Treasure Coast but has already

made a splash to our organization! Thanks, Richard!

Richard Gabel

Don’t Forget to Renew Your Membership!

Our Chapter is down 11 members from the beginning of the year! We need ALL members to

promote the value of the AFP membership to non-member colleagues!

Also, please note that we are now offering a special membership rate of $150 for small nonprofit

organizations. Please check our Web site (www.afptreasurecoast.org) for more details!

We Have a New Web Site! Earlier this summer, we launched a new Web site. The new site was developed by Forte, which also designed the

AFP Palm Beach chapter Web site. The new site offers a professional, modern, and clean look. Plus it runs on a

Content Management System that means virtually of all its content can be updated by our Chapter Administrator

and Board Members. Please take the time for a tour!

We’ve got a new look but the same old address: www.afptreasurecoast.org!