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Welcome to the Northwest Arkansas Chapter

The Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals offers members the opportunity to connect with colleagues, engage in creative thinking, network with new friends and achieve great results in their work. Please check out our programs, volunteer opportunities and get to know your Chapter leaders. 

The Northwest Arkansas Chapter is recognized as a Ten Star Gold Chapter for 2025. Fewer than 20
percent of AFP's 200 professional chapters earn this recognition, making AFP Northwest Arkansas one of the association's leading chapters around the world.

Congratulations to the Arkansas Chapter for earning the 2025 IDEA Champion Designation. IDEA stands for inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. The IDEA Champion Designation recognizes those chapters that have accomplished many of the key objectives in our goal of advancing diversity. 

                                  
    

Announcements

  • March Newsletter

    Fundraising Fact of the Month:

    Early Donor Engagement Increases Yearly Giving

    Spring is one of the most strategic times of year for donor engagement. Research consistently shows that donors who give earlier in the year are more likely to give again before December, increasing their total annual giving.

    For fundraisers, March is an ideal moment to reconnect with supporters, share early-year impact updates, and invite donors to stay involved throughout the year. A simple stewardship touchpoint now can lay the groundwork for stronger year-end giving.

    AFP NWA Education Session

    Thank You for Joining Us!

    Advocacy in Action

    We were honored to have Lauren Marquette of Susan G. Komen and Laura Kellams of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families lead an engaging conversation on advocacy and lobbying at the state and federal levels. They reminded us that public policy can shape the realities our communities face, sometimes creating inequities, but also creating opportunities for meaningful change.

    As fundraisers and nonprofit professionals, our voices can help lawmakers better understand how policies impact their constituents. Lauren and Laura encouraged attendees to take small steps toward advocacy by staying informed through policy alerts, learning who their lawmakers are, and being strategic about how advocacy can support their mission and community. We are grateful for the insight and encouragement they shared.

    Engaging Your Board

    Building on the theme of strengthening our organizations and communities, Stephanie Brown of Milestone Leadership shared valuable strategies for engaging boards by recognizing and leveraging individual strengths.

    Stephanie challenged us to think about what it means to be a leader worth following, reminding us that connection often begins with a simple phrase: “Tell me more.” She introduced four practices for becoming a more emotionally intelligent leader: recognizing emotions, regulating responses, challenging our assumptions, and leading with inquiry and empathy. A big thank youl to Stephanie for sharing practical tools that can help us cultivate stronger relationships and more engaged boards.

    Thank You to our Speakers!

    Laura Kellams

    Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families

    Lauren MarquetteSusan G. Komen

    Stephanie BrownMilestone Leadership

    IDEA Insights

    IDEA is how we build communities where everyone can thrive, and how we invite people into the joy of giving. 

    • Inclusion welcomes supporters as they are. 
    • Diversity strengthens our work by bringing many perspectives to the table. 
    • Equity ensures everyone has what they need to participate fully, because generosity isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all. 
    • Access removes barriers so every person can engage with confidence and joy.

    During the March Education Session, IDEA Chair Peggy Boyles challenged us to think about belonging. When someone walks into a room, what helps them feel welcome and valued? As fundraisers, it’s worth asking: how do we want our clients and donors to feel when they interact with us?

    Faces of Fundraising

    For Kayla LaCavera, fundraising is about connecting people, purpose and possibility. This passion serves her well as our AFP NWA President Elect as she's committed to strengthening the fundraising community in Northwest Arkansas and connecting people to causes that inspire them. We're grateful for her leadership in helping donors see how their passions can create meaningful impact.

    Kayla LaCavera
    Peel Compton Foundation

    Before entering fundraising, Kayla worked as a teacher, where she discovered how much she loved helping others ask questions, explore their curiosity, and discover what motivates them. Fundraising became a natural extension of that passion. Today, she finds the most rewarding part of her work in the relationships she builds and in watching supporters move from learning about an organization to becoming deeply invested in its mission.

    As a leader, Kayla emphasizes collaboration, listening, and authenticity. She believes the strongest fundraising leaders focus on building long-term trust and helping donors understand the role they can play in advancing a mission. One lesson that has shaped her work is that people give to people before they give to organizations. When donors feel valued and connected to the mission, generosity naturally follows.

    Kayla values AFP NWA as a place for professional growth and meaningful connection among fundraising professionals. Serving on the board and supporting mentorship initiatives has been especially rewarding, allowing her to give back while helping strengthen the nonprofit community in the region. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, learning something new, and recharging with quiet moments outdoors.

    BE the CAUSE is the Foundation’s annual, unrestricted fund that supports all four pillars of our Case for Support. BE the CAUSE helps to fund local, national, and international programs including scholarships, leadership development, education and much more.

    A portion of every donation that a donor makes goes back to their local chapter to support local programs.

    Save the Date for

    2026 AFP NWA!

    April 8

    Lunch & Learn

    April 26-28

    AFP ICON

    May 20

    Education Session

    May 21

    Spring Social &

    Fellowship Graduation

    August 19

    Education Session

    October 22-24

    AFP LEAD

    November 4

    National Philanthropy Day

    AFP ICON is scheduled for April 26-28 in San Diego, CA.

    Our Chapter President, Amy McGovern, will be hosting a chapter dinner during the AFP ICON conference. Email amcgovern@umfa.org if you plan to attend AFP ICON.

    Spring Social

    Join us on Thursday, May 21st from 5:30-7:30 PM

    at Rendezvous Junction Brewery for

    AFP NWA's Spring Social & Fellowship Graduation.

    2026 Sponsorship Opportunities

    Support the Work of AFP Northwest Arkansas

    Interested in supporting and strengthening the fundraising community in Northwest Arkansas? AFP NWA offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities that help make our programs and connections possible throughout the year. Partners can sponsor our Collective Impact Fellowship, Education Sessions, Member Socials, the AFP NWA Newsletter, and more.

    Your sponsorship helps us provide meaningful professional development, foster collaboration, and grow the impact of philanthropy across our region. If you have questions or would like to discuss sponsorship options, please reach out to Board President Amy McGovern at afpnwa@gmail.com.

    AFP NWA Job Board

    Be sure to check out the AFP NWA Job Board for the latest fundraising positions in our community! Don’t miss out... new opportunities are added regularly!

    The latest job opportunities:

    Corporate Giving Officer - Children and Family Advocacy Center

    Development Coordinator - Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter

    If you have a job opening you would like posted on the website, please send

    either a link to the job or a pdf of the job description and contact

    information to afpnwa@gmail.com.

    It's free for members to post job opportunities.

    Need to Join or Renew

    The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the AFP offer members the opportunity to connect with colleagues, engage in creative thinking, network with new friends and achieve great results in their work.

     

    Membership Value Highlights

     

    For questions about your membership, please contact

    Amy McGovern, AFP President.

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