Imagine if you didn’t answer the phone or respond to an email. Think about what your days would be like if you didn’t meet with colleagues or visit donors. Where would you be professionally?
Essentially, you’d be without professional relationships, and succeeding as a fundraiser would be virtually impossible.
We build relationships through collaboration and partnership for the purpose of sustaining the vibrancy and mission of our respective organizations, and to make an impact on the world. Collaboration has become more and more an integral part, if not the essential component, of our strategic planning and even our way of doing business. Today’s non profits are healthier and stronger because we are learning to share resources and even provide outright support for each other.
Simply put, the days of going it alone are long gone, and the permanent whitewater we face in today’s challenging world necessitates a new map.
We have chosen the concept of “Collaboration for Sustainability” as the overarching theme for the annual Conference on Philanthropy hosted by the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Feedback and evaluations from attendees have consistently shown ours to be the best one day conference for professional and volunteer fundraisers, board members and administrators in the region. Not insensitive to the need to juggle budget priorities and time commitments in order to attend, we are confident that this single day conference will provide each attendee with valuable connections, real life implementable practices and networking opportunities with some of the best practitioners and consultants our field has to offer.
Our schedule of nationally and internationally recognized speakers is impressive. They will present 75 minute sessions in 8 tracks as well as the lunchtime facilitated conversations on topics of relevance and interest. You will have myriad opportunities to hear about best practices and important trends in our field with these experts in both formal and informal settings, and welcomed to a robust resource area where exhibitors and sponsors will be available to discuss the products and services you need.
And of course our ability to provide a high quality conference with exceptional networking is only possible with the help and support of our generous sponsors. We are extraordinarily grateful for the steadfast support of all who invest in our educational mission, and ask that you join in thanking them for their commitment to this conference and to our great profession.
Looking forward to seeing you in November!
With warm regards,
Doug MacPherson |
Catherine Squires, CFRE President, AFP Massachusetts Chapter Vice President for Development Tufts Medical Center |
