Events for March 12, 2025 - January 15, 2025

April Professional Development | How to Raise Endowment Funding We all know we need to have a robust and growing endowment for our nonprofit.  But, even if we have an endowment fund right now, how can we work in more money for that when we need dollars for more pressing needs?  This session answers the following questions: What exactly is an endowment? How does it function? How much does it need to be? Should it produce income? What should we spend it on? Who is in charge of it? How do we raise it? Where does endowment [...]

June Professional Development | Lemons to Lemonade: Finding Opportunity in Uncertainty The slides for this program are available HERE. The lemons: Cost of living increases, rising interest rates, aging baby boomers. Believe or not, there are giving opportunities that can sweeten the mix. In the spirit of a summer lemonade stand, we’ll stir up a couple of recipes to offer your donors, with variations for bequests, IRA gifts, and charitable gift annuities. Sheryl Aikman is the principal of Alenda Consulting LLC. She serves a wide range of nonprofit, individual and professional advisor clients, with a focus on major, life [...]

September Professional Development | Navigating Sticky Situations As fundraising professionals we are committed to ethical practices and work to avoid questionable situations. But sometimes they find us! Join us this month for a lively group discussion about real world, sticky situations and how your peers have navigated them. Whether it’s really obvious (you want me to do WHAT?!?) or something you never considered an ethical dilemma  (I shouldn’t do THAT when I change jobs?), you need to be equipped with strategies and peers to support you. Bring your bag lunch and we’ll bring the strategies and peer support. [...]

October Professional Development | From the Donors: Insight into Motivations, Do's and Don'ts How do our donors think about giving? What motivates them? Do they do it for the benefits or for tax reasons? Come hear directly from a panel of local donors to find out what they look for in an organization to support, what they like and dislike about philanthropy and nonprofit relations, and how you can be a better donor-centric fundraiser. This is your chance for a candid conversation about what you can do better to earn their support! This event will be in person, [...]

December Professional Development | Dogwood Health Trust's 2024 Grantmaking Mark Constantine, Dogwood Health Trust's Senior Vice President of Community Investment, will share an overview of how Dogwood will approach grantmaking in 2024, including a single cycle for Strategic Priority Grant Opportunities, a rolling application process for community and racial equity, policy and advocacy, sustainable organizations, and impact investing, visits to all counties and the Qualla Boundary, the start of their Broadband Initiative, and streamlining their processes to better serve their partners.   Presented by Mark Constantine. Mark joined the Dogwood Health Trust team [...]

January Event and Social Gathering Start the new year networking with your development peers and learn about our 2024 offerings to support you in your work. Afternoon snacks, a drink ticket and door prizes provided! Let's ring in a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! Raffle prizes include various gift cards, French Broad Chocolates and Chocolate Factory Tour, Poppy Popcorn, and a "Golden Ticket" for a year of free AFP WNC programs! Plus, savor a special small-batch brew made just for AFP WNC! This is a drop-in style event and your first drink is on us. NA options [...]

February Professional Development | Grow a Better Board: The 3 I’s of Board Engagement Nonprofit boards are not realizing their full potential. Engage board members in a way that is mutually fulfilling for both board members and the organization they serve. Doing so can help your organization achieve more and develop advocates deeply committed to lifelong philanthropy. This interactive session will give you a roadmap you can put into practice now—to transform your board AND transform your mission. Catered lunch will be included with your registration fee. Vegetarian and Gluten Free options will be available. [...]

March Social Gathering Join your colleagues at the Wedge Foundation's Cloud Room for some "Crafted Conversations" around fundraising topics you want to talk about! When you register, please add your suggestions, which will help shape the social's theme. Registration includes a drink ticket. This is a drop-in style event and your first drink is on us. NA options will be available. Event venue is located at Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy Street #10, Asheville, NC 28801 and takes place in the Cloud Room. Register