Do you have a compelling educational presentation to offer? Do you have a distinctive point of view and ideas about fundraising, philanthropy, leadership and management, and the nonprofit sector you'd like to share? Or do you have an idea to be shared with advanced professionals in the sector? Let's work together because here at AFP, we want to expand our professional development offerings, broaden our network of contributors, speakers, and subject matter experts ("Contributors"), and position AFP as a thought leader and the go-to source for cutting-edge professional development, training, information, and insights. All this goes toward better serving AFP's membership and the fundraising profession. Ethics and IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) are both pillars of the AFP Strategic Plan. As these ideals are core to our work and therefore, we ask that you think about your topic through an Ethics lens and an IDEA lens and incorporate the principles/ideals of each into your proposal.
With this request for proposals, we invite your contribution to AFP's professional development programs. All programming will occur between January- December 2025. As always, we're looking for content that helps AFP members become better fundraisers and nonprofit leaders through programs that help build their understanding of best practices, skills, and techniques based on the six core fundraising knowledge domains listed below. We continue to look for new and innovative content. We are also open to case studies and content on niche topics.
These tracks correspond to the fundraising knowledge domains from CFRE
- Current and Prospective Donor Research (which includes Donor Acquisition, Donor Retention, Donor Giving Patterns, Data Analysis Techniques, Data Gathering Techniques, and Data Management Systems)
- Securing the Gift (which includes Direct Mail, Case Statement, Gift Agreements, Proposal Writings, Special Events, social media, Sponsorships, Annual Giving, Capital Campaigns, Bequests, and Major Gifts)
- Relationship Building (which includes Cultivation and Stewardship, Communications, Incentives, Culture of Philanthropy, and External Spheres of Influence)
- Volunteer Involvement (which includes Recruitment, Governance Principles and Models, Skills Training, Value of Diversity and Community Representation, Board/Staff Roles in Governance and Management, and Organizational Culture)
- Leadership and Management (which includes Strategic Planning, Fundraising Plan, Financial Management, Marketing and Public Relations Principles, Human Resource Management, and Effective Leadership)
- Ethics, Accountability, and Professionalism (which includes Accountability and Ethics, Advocacy and Public Policy, Accounting and Investment Principles, Transparency, and Continuing Professional Development Opportunities)
We're also looking for fresh perspectives about big ideas and issues that transcend the technical aspects of fundraising. What are the critical strategic issues, innovations, disruptive influences, and societal trends (e.g., changing demographics, decline in giving, Donor Advised Funds, leadership, artificial intelligence) that impact fundraising, philanthropy, and the not-for-profit sector?
With your help, AFP can build an understanding of these issues and their significance.
We also welcome submissions focused on issues that may be unique to:
- Emerging Leaders
- Mid- Career Professionals
- Advanced professional (10+ years fundraising experience)
Opportunities to contribute include:
- Webinars – Live 1-hour virtual presentation featuring webcam, audio, and slides.
- Articles in Advancing Philanthropy – Share your perspective via the written word in AFP's flagship membership magazine with a quarterly print version and a growing collection of online-only content to help members succeed!
- Deep Dives (4-16 hours) - Intensive virtual workshops that drill down into one key aspect of fundraising, Management, or leadership.
(Note: Education sessions and workshops at AFP ICON and AFP LEAD are not included with this RFP, as they are currently handled through separate RFP processes.)
Proposal Review Process
Proposals will be selected by AFP staff based on recommendations from a volunteer advisory committee ("Committee"). The following criteria are taken into consideration:
- Relevance to fundraising, philanthropy, and the not-for-profit sector, as applicable.
- Contribution and "fit" with AFP's overall suite of professional development programs in terms of topic/ category, learning level, etc.
- Evidence of innovative thinking and fresh insights.
- Research-based content (where appropriate or relevant).
- Intent to build interactivity and engagement with participants/attendees, as applicable.
- Demonstrated knowledge and overall expertise of contributor.
- Contributor's previous content design or delivery experience (e.g., webinars, workshops, e-courses, conference sessions) and ratings, as applicable.
- Diversity of contributors' backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and ideas.
AFP staff will notify all those that submit proposals by October 31, 2024, and work with those selected to incorporate them into AFP programming on a mutually agreeable schedule.
Submission & Content Guidelines
1. The deadline for submissions is July 28, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.
2. Eligibility:
- AFP welcomes proposals from AFP members and non-members.
- AFP encourages both new and experienced contributors, including those who can provide diverse perspectives.
- AFP welcomes proposals from global contributors to highlight the innovative and impactful work occurring in fundraising and philanthropy around the world.
3. All contributors must provide a 75-word biography in the proposal. For proposals with more than one contributor, a lead should be identified as the primary contact.
4. Contributors agree that their programs/content is a contribution to the profession, and may be recorded, streamed, sold, and otherwise distributed by AFP, with no monetary benefit or revenue share accruing to the contributor.
5. Contributors agree not to explicitly promote their organization, products, or services as part of their presentations. Programming must be of an educational nature only. Book authors may use and reference their own books but may not actively promote sales.
6. AFP reserves the right to edit content titles, descriptions, biographies of contributors, and other information for clarity and brevity.
Timeline
Release of RFP June 10, 2024
Submission Deadline July 28, 2024, 11:59 PM ET
Notification October 31, 2024