Dear Fellow Fundraising Professionals,

As the newly appointed President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Southern Colorado Chapter, I am both honored and humbled to stand alongside each of you as we embark on a year of growth, learning, and impact.

Fundraising is more than a profession—it’s a calling. Together, we are the architects of change, the connectors of communities, and the storytellers who inspire others to believe in something greater than themselves. In southern Colorado, our work reflects the resilience and compassion of this vibrant region.

This year, our chapter will strive to build a stronger community of professionals, providing opportunities for networking, education, and shared experiences. I am particularly excited about initiatives to engage new members, expand our reach, and deepen the meaningful connections within our community. A big congratulations and welcome to the new board members, and chapter members.

As we move forward, I want to emphasize that AFP Southern Colorado is your organization. Your ideas, energy, and voices drive our mission. I encourage each of you to participate in our events, volunteer, and share your thoughts on how we can better serve our members and our community.

My personal journey in fundraising has taught me that leadership is not about being in charge; it’s about taking care of those in your charge. This chapter has long been a place where professionals at every stage of their careers find support, mentorship, and inspiration. Let’s continue to create spaces where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and empowered.

I invite you to dream big this year—challenge norms, embrace innovation, and keep the donors, volunteers, and communities at the heart of all that you do. Together, we can accomplish amazing things for the causes we represent.

Here’s to a year of connection, purpose, and success. Let’s lead the charge, inspire others, and leave a legacy of generosity for southern Colorado!

Warm regards,

Daniel Minich, MSOL

President, AFP Southern Colorado Chapter

p.s. please feel free to email me at president@afpsoco.org with any ideas or questions as it relates to the fundraising profession and our chapter. I have an open door policy, and want to see all of us succeed!

We are thrilled to announce the finalists for this year's annual Philanthropy Awards! Please join us in celebrating these incredible fundraising professionals and all they do for this community.

Outstanding Fundraising Professional

Laura Williams-Parrish serves as the Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships at Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, where she helps her team with grants. As a member of the Grant Professionals Association, her experience in the nonprofit sector includes serving the deaf and hard of hearing community of the Pikes Peak region as a nationally certified sign language interpreter and executive director of the Pikes Peak Center on Deafness; development and fundraising for the Colorado Springs Philharmonic; and grant management for the Pikes Peak Workforce Center. In her career as a grant professional, Laura has secured/managed more than $6.6M in grant funding.

Derek Wilson is the Senior Director of Development and Communications at Special Kids Special Families, where he focuses on enhancement of mission resources through relationship building, marketing, and team member development. Prior to coming to SKSF, Derek was the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) for Silver Key Senior Services, Donor Relations Director for the Southern Colorado Region of The Salvation Army, and Director of Extended Studies at the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences at UCCS.

Derek holds a BS in Political Science and a Masters in Educational Leadership, both from Northern Arizona University. Derek is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Pikes Peak (LPP), a civic leadership program for the Pikes Peak region. He has also served on several local boards (YMCA, Tri-Lakes Cares) and was a nominee for the LPP Leading the Way award (2022), and a nominee for the Senior Resource Council Joe Henjum Business Professional of the Year (2022). 

Young Fundraising Professional

Daniel Minich is the Director of Alumni Relations & Engagement at Colorado State University (CSU) Pueblo Foundation. He has previously served the foundation as the digital donor relations coordinator, and has held other roles in the public and non-profit sector. He is an alumnus of CSU Pueblo where he received a BS in Mass Communications, and he also received a MS in Organizational  Leadership from CSU Global. Daniel serves as the President-elect for AFP SOCO.

Kelly Stoecker is the Corporate Giving Specialist at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR). Kelly has been in her role for almost two years and has been with HSPPR for almost five. Prior to HSPPR, Kelly worked with a local corporate sponsor for three years, dialing in all the details from the corporate side. Kelly has her Bachelors in Business Administration – Marketing from Georgia Southern University. 

Join us on Friday, September 27 at AFP SOCO's 18th Annual Summit on Philanthropy to honor these fantastic finalists and award this year's winners! 

Click here to register for the Summit.

Dear AFP Southern Colorado Members and Supporters,

Happy New Year! As we usher in 2024, we are thrilled to extend the warmest greetings to each and every one of you. As we stand on the precipice of a new year, it's an opportune moment to reflect on our achievements and look forward to the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.

Our Southern Colorado Chapter has always been a beacon of philanthropic excellence, and we are immensely proud of the incredible work that we have all accomplished together. Through your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our shared mission, we have made a positive impact on countless lives in our community.

As we embark on this new year, we are excited to share with you the vision for 2024 – a year of growth, collaboration, and sustained impact. The pillars that will guide our journey are:

1. Continuing Education: In the dynamic field of fundraising, staying informed and adapting to new trends is paramount. We are committed to providing you with opportunities for continuous learning, ensuring that our members stay at the forefront of best practices and innovations. If you have any ideas, or sessions you’d like to see, please reach out to us!

2. Networking: The strength of our chapter lies in the diversity of its members and the relationships we build. Let's actively engage in networking events that foster connections, spark collaborations, and amplify the collective impact of our efforts.

3. Diversity and Inclusion: Embracing diversity is not just a goal; it is a fundamental value that enriches our perspectives and strengthens our ability to create positive change. We will actively promote an inclusive environment that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds and experiences.

4. Ethical Standards: Upholding the highest ethical standards is non-negotiable. As professionals in the field of philanthropy, we recognize the trust placed in us by donors and the community. Let us strive for transparency, integrity, and accountability in all our endeavors.

Our success in 2024 hinges on your active participation and engagement. Together, we can build a stronger, more vibrant philanthropic community that leaves an indelible mark on the lives we touch.

We invite you to join us on this exciting journey, as we continue to make a difference through the power of philanthropy. Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Here's to a transformative and inspiring 2024!

Amanda Graham & Daniel Minich

President & President-Elect

Association of Fundraising Professionals

Southern Colorado Chapter

I am so excited to serve as President of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Southern Colorado chapter and work alongside such a diverse and talented 2023 Board.

Let's face it: it is challenging to work in fundraising and development. We are confronted with endless deadlines, budget restraints, and tremendous professional and personal pressures. It can be exhausting, which is why we need to lean on each other, explore career opportunities together, and gain new skills. AFP SOCO is committed to supporting you through these efforts.

AFP SOCO’s amazing leadership team is busy planning continuing education classes, networking opportunities, coffee chats, and the Annual Summit to help you navigate your career. We are also organizing new programs, including mentorships and CFRE study groups!

Please make sure to take advantage and familiarize or re-familiarize yourself with all our member benefits, both with AFP Southern Colorado and the AFP Global website. As always, please reach out if you have any questions or ideas you would like to share. I would love to chat with each and everyone one of you.

Amanda Graham, MPA
AFP SOCO President

This year I was rewarded with the incredible opportunity to serve as the President of our AFP SOCO Chapter alongside some of the most talented professionals who served on the AFP SOCO Board of Directors.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals Southern Colorado is a MIGHTY organization, standing strong for 25 years! This year we eased our way back to some in-person and hybrid events. We came together to host the 16th Annual Summit on Philanthropy and celebrate National Philanthropy Day, where we honored the work of some outstanding fundraising professionals in our community, along with a generous philanthropic small business.

We hosted some fantastic coffee chats, stepped outside the box to bring some of the best practices and ideas to our lunch and learns, and celebrated each other’s company is some good old fashion mixers, boat rides and all!

As we say farewell to 2022 and welcome in the new year, I challenge us all to keep this chapter strong, to keep fighting the good fight for our communities who need us now more than ever, and never give up!

I wish you all a healthy, safe, and wonderful holiday season and new year!

“You don’t have to be perfect to help people. All you have to be is real.”

-Trent Shelton, Motivational Speaker

Elizabeth Albo, 2022 AFP SOCO President

Daniel Minich, Amanda Graham, and Elizabeth Albo at the 2022 AFP SOCO Holiday Party

Happy 2022! It is an honor to serve as President of AFP-Southern Colorado and work alongside the exceptionally talented 2022 Board.

I know these past few years have been a challenge for every single one of us, yet we have proven to be resilient, we have proven that with love, support, and determination we will succeed. One of my favorite sayings and mottos is, “It Takes a Village,” and I genuinely believe in this saying in various aspects of life, whether it be personal or professional. As we move forward into this next year and journey, we may continue to see challenges, we may even get discouraged, remember you can find strength within your AFP SOCO Village!

We have an exciting new year with our continued education programs and events. A little extra sprinkle on the cake, will be honoring the 25th anniversary of the establishment of our chapter!

Please make sure to take advantage and familiarize or re-familiarize yourself of all our member benefits both with AFP Southern Colorado and the AFP Global website. As always, please reach out if you have any questions or ideas you would like to share.

Elizabeth Albo
AFP SOCO President

By Debbie Swanson, CFRE
IDEA Committee Member

Taken from AFP Global article, Why Diversity and Inclusion Are Critical to Fundraising Success, September 26, 2018 (https://afpglobal.org/why-diversity-and-inclusion-are-critical-fundraising-success)

One of the principles in AFP Global’s Statement of Principles for Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) is that AFP is committed to “exploring potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusiveness.” This is a daunting task, as it means several undesirable truths about our selves that must be confronted. False assumptions related to diverse donors, established approaches to fundraising, and the diverse talent in the advancement profession are destructively self-perpetuating. The advancement profession, like most professions, needs continued creative thinking about building pipelines of diverse talent. A variety of barriers—many unconsciously self-imposed—make identification and recruitment of diverse professionals a challenge for many leaders.

In 2019, the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy and Aspen Leadership Group (ALG) released a whitepaper that introduced research that broke down assumptions which impede progress. It also outlined proactive strategies to help advancement leaders across all sectors address diversity and inclusion at their organizations and make real change.

Nonprofit leaders have been reluctant to accept that their organizations are falling short in the area of workplace diversity. Equipped with knowledge, nonprofit professionals and volunteers need to engage in courageous conversations about why diversity is essential to fundraising success, how biases— many of them unconscious—create barriers to progress, and how change in the composition and behavior of leaders is so important to sustaining improvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The paper outlines eight strategies for success in talent development and management that will work toward creating sustainable change within an organization. The following are just a few of the suggestions:

1. Define diversity, equity, and inclusion for your organization, and specifically for advancementEstablish an organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion statement if one does not exist; update it if it does.
2. Devote resources to diversity. Devote people and operating budget dollars to training, onboarding and retention programs, professional development, partnerships with consultants and associations focused on diversity, and other actions that demonstrate commitment to diversity and change behaviors in sustainable ways.
3. Train hiring managers and hold recruiters to the same standard. Implicit bias is just that – we all have it, and in many cases, we are not aware. All search committees need to be trained in implicit bias with recruiters who train their search consultants as well.
4. Pay careful attention to job descriptions, requirements, and postings. Include diverse-candidate-friendly, inclusive language throughout the position description, in addition to including your diversity, equity, and inclusion statement.
5. Measure. Establish measurable diversity goals, then track progress.

To learn more, see the article on AFP Global website, here, or click here to read the White Paper.

March is Women’s History Month in the United States, and March 8^th was International Women’s Week. It seems appropriate to write about our profession and what our professional association has to say about women fundraisers at this time, while, of course, the issues women fundraisers have experienced are not reserved for this month alone.

AFP released its most recent findings on pay equity on March 8^th (in conjunction with International Women’s Day)¹. In it, it found that women fundraisers are paid 10 percent less than men for the same job positions. While this fares better than the national average of all women’s pay compared to men (which is 19 percent), it still is a gap in pay for equal work. AFP Global, as part of its commitment to adhere to the principles of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access), has launched a series of initiatives to address IDEA, including the Women’s Impact Initiative (the other being Emerging Leaders Initiative and the Anti-Racism Initiative).  As part of the Women’s Impact Initiative, AFP Global is committed to accurate and timely research, creating awareness through social media and sharing stories, educating our members, and raising women to be leaders in the profession.

There has been a lot of work already done at AFP Global. Since 2018, the AFP Women’s Impact Initiative has:

• Conducted ground-breaking research on sexual harassment and gender pay inequity in the fundraising profession;
• Created new educational materials, including fact sheets, videos, workbooks and webinars, on all aspects of gender equity and equality;
• Developed new policies and procedures for use by the association and to be used as a model for charities around the world;
• Launched mentorship, executive coaching, and cultural awareness programs to advance women’s issues; and
• Inspired thousands of women and their allies to stand up, speak out and take action as we work to create a profession that is equitable, inclusive, diverse and effective².

Women in fundraising need the same consideration for fairness as other members of minority populations. AFP Global has given access to some amazing information and training tools for AFP members to use to increase their awareness on the need to apply IDEA in all of our lives. Below are some options for you to consider looking into:

Unconscious Bias

https://www.edx.org/course/unconscious-bias-from-awareness-to-action-2

Communication Skills for Bridging a Divide:

https://www.edx.org/course/communication-skills-for-dialoguing-across-difference

Inclusive Leadership Training:

https://www.edx.org/professional-certificate/catalystx-inclusive-leadership?index=product&queryID=4658326bebcbe8da7da9ae6b0eb6ea61&position=1

While these speak to not only our need to consider women worthy of equal pay, they are powerful reminders of how easy it is to go with the status quo. Being IDEA savvy is an intentional process that must be trained into us. The question is whether we are willing to be trained outside the status quo.

While it’s good the work of women is highlighted for this month, let us not lose sight of what we hope to accomplish with equity for women in the workforce and remember that it is not women alone who still need to be noticed for inclusivity, diversity, equity and access.

Debbie Swanson, CFRE
AFP SOCO Board Member & IDEA Committee Member

We are excited to announce that AFP Southern Colorado has formally created an IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access) committee as part of the chapter’s commitment to reflect, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our membership and the communities we serve.

Throughout the past year, we have been forcefully reminded of the systemic racism, discrimination, ableism, and power imbalances that persist in our country as the two pandemics of racial injustice and COVID-19 have laid bare the unequal opportunities and access available to different members of society. The ideals encompassed by the IDEA acronym have always been central operating pillars of the Association of Fundraising Professionals in general and the Southern Colorado Chapter specifically, and we believe that the formation of this committee is a vital step toward creating positive change in our community. This is an ongoing process that will take all of us; when done correctly, this work never truly ends. AFP Southern Colorado is committed to striving for and achieving change both now and in the months and years to come.

I am honored and humbled to be acting as chair of the IDEA Committee and want to extend a welcome to all members to join the committee. Your unique identity and perspective are vital to our work. We would love to have you join us!

There will be more to come soon as our chapter works to deliver resources and programming that help us all increase and honor diversity, inclusion, equity and access in our work. For now, we welcome any and all feedback and ideas you may have. You can email the committee at idea@afpsoco.org anytime and you can also connect with me on LinkedIn. We are excited to foster a community that reflects the incredible diversity of our Southern Colorado community!

Yours in service,

Emily Loof
AFP SOCO IDEA Committee Chair

Happy New Year! We made it - pat yourself on the back. Working from home, changes in employment, and pressures to find even more funds than before. 2020 was full of ups and downs.

I am excited to be the incoming President of your AFP Southern Colorado Chapter. I am incredibly proud of the AFP SOCO Board's work in 2020 to continue to bring high-quality education to Southern Colorado fundraisers even when we could not meet in person. We've had to learn how to support each other in different and meaningful ways, to take care of each other. That's what communities do.

As we move into 2021, we will continue education programs to support you in your career and create opportunities for you to connect with other fundraisers and peers in the community. For our members, make sure you are taking advantage of all your member benefits. The AFP Global site has a wide variety of member-only articles, free webinars, and tools. If you are looking for a new job or looking to hire, check out https://careers.afpglobal.org/.

Please reach out to me if you have any special requests for education, questions, or want to chat! Please email me at president@afpsoco.org.

Christopher Aaby
AFP SOCO President