THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER - 2008: A YEAR FOR BUILDING OUR PROFESSION

In case you missed it, I stood up at our last chapter luncheon and said that my AFP presidency would have a theme, and that theme would be professionalism.  When I said this, there were a few chuckles from the crowd (funny how the loudest chuckles came from my colleagues at the YMCA).  Will Sally Ray no longer be the goofy, silly, dork we’ve all come to know?  Gosh, no!  At my age, I am what I am, and I don’t have any more room on my New Year’s Resolution list!

What I mean is that, during my term as president of your AFP Oklahoma Chapter, I will have specific goals that are targeted toward professionalizing….well….our profession. Here are the specifics:

Goal #1: Let’s Make Sure Everyone Knows that Fundraising is a PROFESSION… A CALLING … and not just a job

Over more than 15 years in this fundraising business, I’ve heard a lot of different answers come from all of us when we’re asked what we do for a living.  We’re “money beggars,” “moochers,” “the slick willies” of the non-profit world, and more self-deprecating comments than I would ever care to share with all of you.  Even I have looked away, turned down my head or glossed over my response when I’ve told people that I’m a fundraiser.

I want all of us to come up with a better answer to this question that lets people know that what we do is important and that we’re proud of our profession.  Here’s what our answer should be from now on:

 I help make our community/state/nation/world a better place.

Rather than sprinting to get away from us before we ask them for money, the person who’s asking might actually be intrigued and want to know more.  At the very least, he or she will know that you have a passion for what you do and that you believe in your cause and in yourself.

Goal #2: Make the AFP Oklahoma Chapter a Recognized Leader in Philanthropy, Education and Advocacy in Central Oklahoma

This goal should be easy for me to reach.  My predecessors, Brenda Granger, Pam Timmons, John Martin and all the others before them have put us on the right path.  I just need to keep doing what they were doing.

Brenda Granger worked hard during her tenure to secure 10-Star Chapter status for your chapter for the first time from AFP International, and I will continue to seek that recognition for us.  Your chapter Board has worked hard over the years to build collaborations with other organizations and to reach out into our community to improve the credibility of our organization.  When I stood before many of you at our National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon and looked around the room, I realized that we had arrived!  What an impressive turnout of community leaders at that event, and they were all impressed with what we were doing!

So, I believe that to achieve this goal, I just need to help us stay the course that has already been set for us by our great leaders of the past.  They’ve set the stage for our success, and I’m grateful to them for that.

Goal #3: More Certified Fundraisers in Oklahoma!

We already live in a state that is leading most of the others with its philanthropic spirit.  Second only to Utah in per capita giving, Oklahoma has a heart that’s bigger than Texas and it shows in the support our donors give to all of our organizations.  It makes sense, then, doesn’t it, that we have some incredible folks working to secure those donations and to make our community a better place in which to live?  Let’s prove it to the world by adding those four little letters after our names (CFRE, in case you’re confused).

Your chapter is working to help you succeed and achieve your certification.  We’re bringing the Review Course here in July and we’ll have a speaker come to present on the actual process in the spring.  We’ll facilitate study groups to help us benefit from the knowledge and experience of one another.  And, I will ask our colleagues who have already gone through this process to provide us guidance, suggestions, hints on how best to proceed, too.

So, I’ve put it all out there for you with this one.  You all know I’m going to take the test, so I simply cannot fail with this one, or you all will know that, too!  Help me learn this stuff, please!

I’m asking for your support in reaching all of these goals. If we achieve them, then our chapter, our organizations, our communities, and (perhaps selfishly) all of us will be better for it.

Sally Ray

 

JANUARY LUNCHEON - Please RSVP!

The next AFP luncheon will be held on Wednesday, January 9 (11:45 am - 1:00 pm) at the Sportsman’s Club in Oklahoma City.  In order to expand the reach of our organization, please consider inviting colleagues, friends or anyone who you think might be interested in joining AFP.  The cost for the luncheon is $10 for members and $20 for non-members.  You will pay at the luncheon.  Please RSVP by Monday, January 7th to Martha Stone at afpoklahoma@gmail.com.

AFP HOLIDAY PARTY!

More than 30 guests braved the icy roads and power outages to celebrate the holidays with AFP at the Greens Country Club.  Partygoers were treated to a special surprise – AFP’s own Damon King singing classic holiday tunes.  Guests also participated in an engaging, interactive fundraising game planned by the social committee.  Thanks to those of you who were in attendance.  Keep an eye out for party photos on the AFP website.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

If you’re looking for a new challenge in the development arena, visit the AFP Oklahoma website at http://www.afpoklahoma.org/JobOpportunities.asp for complete descriptions of exciting opportunities with a number of organizations.  We’ve highlighted a few job listings below:

Cimarron Alliance Foundation – Executive Director

Deaconess Pregnancy & Adoption Services – Resource Development Specialist

Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits – Resource Development Director (Oklahoma City region)

Oklahoma City Community Foundation – Communications Coordinator

Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation – Program Director

Youthville (Wichita, KS) – Chief of Development

 

 

 

e-mail: afpoklahoma@gmail.com

web: www.afpoklahoma.org

PO Box 217

Oklahoma City, OK 73101

 

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