SARASOTA, Fla. – July 7, 2022 – The Southwest Florida Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP-SWFL) will hold its annual Fundraisers Forum, on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, from 8:00 am-noon at State College of Florida’s Lakewood Ranch Campus. The Fundraisers Forum is for individuals in the fundraising community to connect and discuss ideas and methods for fundraisers, fundraiser consultants and non-profit leaders.

“The Association of Fundraising Professionals Southwest Florida Chapter (AFPSWFL)  is dedicated to the advancement of ethical fundraising in our community,” said Amy Towery, CFRE, ACFRE, Vice President of Development for Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee and the current President of the AFPSWFL Chapter.  “Our annual Fundraisers Forum event is an affordable and accessible option for Sarasota and Manatee fundraising professionals to grow their knowledge and skills,” she added. 

With so much uncertainty in today’s world and a changing economic landscape, the opportunity for fundraising professionals to gather to share important tips, trends, best practices, and knowledge, becomes even more crucial for professional development. 

“AFP’s Fundraisers Forum is a fantastic opportunity for local fundraising professionals to gather together to share new ideas, best-practices, as well as learn from experts in our field.  This year’s line-up of speakers is especially exciting given the breadth of topics that will be covered,” said Kevin Hughes, AFPSWFL Ethics & Credentialing Committee Co-Chair.

Our keynote speaker this year will be Sabeen Perwaiz, President and CEO of the Florida Nonprofit Alliance. She will share updated research and information regarding the current charitable landscape in Florida. In addition, there will be breakout sessions on diverse topics ranging from grant writing to professional resilience to the basics of planned giving. These sessions were developed with an eye towards appealing to professionals who are both new to the fundraising field as well as those who have years of experience. 

Keynote Presentation:  Florida’s Charitable Giving Landscape

Giving in Florida, an in-depth analysis of Floridian households’ giving patterns, priorities, and attitudes, is a joint project of Florida Nonprofit Alliance, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. This report is the first of its kind for the state of Florida. Sabeen Perwaiz will share highlights of the study with Southwest Florida fundraisers.

Sessions include:
5 Tools to Build Your Leadership Resilience…and Raise More Money!
Presented by Kirsten Lessig-Schenerlein, Koi Coaching & Consulting
There is no factor more important to your success as a fundraiser than your resilience. Your ability to be steadfast in your approach to cultivating and stewarding donors in service to a mission. Your ability to bounce back after setbacks…that inevitable “NO􏰂 to your donation request.

This session will provide you 5 Powerful Tools to shift from a negative to a positive mindset, from self-sabotage to self-mastery. You will leave feeling empowered and confident in your ability to ride the wave of fundraising for your mission.

Raise more money by focusing on result
Presented by Robyn Faucy, Results 1st

This interactive session will provide participants with at least two actionable approaches to raise more money by focusing on achievement versus activities. The approaches discussed are practical and can be used in any size organization whether they have dedicated fundraising staff or not. 

We got the grant, now what?

A Grant Panel Discussion with Mary Jo Heider, Neuro Challenge Foundation, Sara Leonard, Consultant, Sara Leonard Group and Simone Peterson, Manatee Community Foundation

After months of researching, evaluating, writing, and submitting your grant proposal, you get the news: you got the grant! You have a new source of support to make the world better in the way only your organization can. Now it is time to get focused. Because even though you put in a lot of time and effort to get here, this is when the real work begins. Our panel will share their tips and best practices for what is the last—and in many ways, most important—step in the grant process: managing your new grant!

Practical Planned Giving Essentials for Your NonProfit

Presented Richard R. Gans, Esq., President, Fergeson, Skipper P.A.

Whether your organization is launching a planned giving program or revitalizing an established one, its success requires best practices to guide the staff and board in cultivating the donor base. Successful programs incorporate ten key elements, regardless of their organization’s size. This presentation will outline these ten key steps every organization needs to run a successful planned giving program.

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