Join the AFP — and Get Off the Bench!
I recently attended a luncheon sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana Chapter. I was amazed, as I only knew about 20 percent of the group in attendance. I did not view that as a bad thing. In fact, I looked at that statistic as an indication of an organization growing and changing. I laughed to myself and thought that 15 years ago, I was president of the chapter and served on the board for many years and knew 90 percent of the members personally. In fact, I was also very involved with the Southwest Ohio Chapter of AFP when I worked in Dayton for a time. My role in Ohio was focused on creating a new mentoring program.
If you aren't aware, the AFP was created to promote philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs. In 1959, it was just a dream promoted by Benjamin Sklar of Brandeis University, William Simms of the National Urban League and Harry Rosen of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. From their vision, the National Society of Fundraisers was born in 1960. In 1977, the organization became the National Society of Fundraising Executives. In 2001, the name was changed to the Association of Fundraising Professionals. (Click here for a complete history.)
The current organization has 30,000 members in 235 chapters throughout the world. It promotes many issues, including fundraising ethics and the Donor Bill of Rights. Members of this organization proudly promote fundraising in the right way.
If you desire a career in the fundraising profession and are not a member of AFP, I strongly encourage you to not only join your local AFP chapter but get off of the bench! Within each chapter, there are numerous opportunities to serve in a variety of areas. During my greatest chapter involvement, I was the keynote speaker at our first National Philanthropy Day event, chair of the philanthropy awards dinner, marketing vice president in charge of weekly speakers, plus other educational functions. As chapter president, I decided to give out little Oscars at each weekly luncheon to members that supported the profession in extraordinary ways.
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Duke Haddad, Ed.D., CFRE, is currently associate director of development, director of capital campaigns and director of corporate development for The Salvation Army Indiana Division in Indianapolis. He also serves as president of Duke Haddad and Associates LLC and is a freelance instructor for Nonprofit Web Advisor.
He has been a contributing author to NonProfit PRO since 2008.
He received his doctorate degree from West Virginia University with an emphasis on education administration plus a dissertation on donor characteristics. He received a master’s degree from Marshall University with an emphasis on public administration plus a thesis on annual fund analysis. He secured a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) with an emphasis on marketing/management. He has done post graduate work at the University of Louisville.
Duke has received the Fundraising Executive of the Year Award, from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana Chapter. He also was given the Outstanding West Virginian Award, Kentucky Colonel Award and Sagamore of the Wabash Award from the governors of West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, respectively, for his many career contributions in the field of philanthropy. He has maintained a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation for three decades.
