association of Fundraising professionals
This video is very um… just don’t watch it at work, okay? You will have a hard time explaining it to passerby.
Yes, Association of Fundraising Professionals, I’d just like you to see this little video!
Did anyone else see this image and laugh really hard at the thought of the association of fundraising professionals ever being associated with it?
Actually, imagine if the AFP was all “Let’s get some new blood in here, and furthermore, let’s make them foul-mouthed troublemaking women to boot!”
HILARIOUS. I wish they would.
Recently, the AFP has been innundating me with materials for their conference. Literally one in my mailbox every week. The speakers? Queen Latifah and Bill Clinton! Now, I dig Queen Latifah, but seriously, what do either of them have to do with the price of eggs? They aren’t fundraising professionals. I don’t see how they are going to add to the discussion at all.
If Queen Latifah was a foul-mouthed troublemaking fundraiser who was ALL ABOUT social change, I’d be into that. I’d be at that conference before you could say “Eggs!” If AFP branded their conference with crazy gold bling for your ying-yang, imagine all of the fresh energy, the amusement, the youtube parodies, the young people at the conference!
But haven’t we all been at conferences that just seemed like a total waste of time? What would being at this conference really serve? if you’re looking for a new job, wouldn’t you be better off going to an HR professionals meeting? If you’re looking to learn new things, wouldn’t you be learning them online already? If you’re actually just a big bill clinton fan, okay, but otherwise, why would you go? Celebrities aren’t going to tell you how to run your small fundraising office. Even if Bill Clinton raised a lot of money on the campaign trail, he had people doing it for him. He wasn’t actually doing it. And I happen to know that he costs a LOT of money as a speaker, money that could be put back into local chapters or training new fundraising professionals to do better jobs. Why, AFP, why are you having him come?
Your thoughts? Are YOU going to the AFP conference? Why or why not?
Thank you Niecy and Jessica! So glad to have your comments here.
I think that the conference is a good opportunity… for AFP to make more money. I think that if they REALLY wanted to change how we fundraise, they would do more to support and do quality control of local chapters. And engage young people like us to do more social change on a structural level. It just seems like a corporation set up to make money instead of actually giving people hands on tools they can use.
Peace,
Mazarine
The photo just made me laugh! In fact – I think AFP could use a little rebranding and glitz and glamour.
Hi, Mazarine. I am going to the conference. I’m going for the workshops – not the big name speakers.
You make a great point! Those funds could have been allocated for more thoughtful professional development opportunities for fundraisers.
Thanks, Jessica