About Our Head Organization
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFPI) is an international association of fundraising professionals that advances philanthropy by empowering people and organizations to practice ethical and effective fundraising. The core activities through which AFP fulfills this mission include education, training, mentoring, research, credentialing and advocacy.
But what makes AFP unique is that our members and their institutions abide by a Code of Ethics and Donor Bill of Rights. Having our Northwest Ohio Chapter living by this ethical code and donor’s rights ensures that funds are raised and stewarded ethically so that they are used to help people and animals within our community – just as the donors intended. This helps support, raise, and inspire a culture of philanthropy that increases the quality of life for every person within our community.
In addition, AFP values leadership and professional development as essential to effective and ethical philanthropy. As nonprofit organizations experience unprecedented challenges, societal demands for their services continue to rise. These circumstances intensify the need for leaders who are aware of best practices so that they can effectively and efficiently raise funds to help others, and are equipped with leadership skills that produce positive results and restore public confidence.
The AFP Northwest Ohio Chapter (AFPNWO) embraces this mission through its inclusive and diverse community. This Chapter has been awarded the Ten Star Award from AFPI 12 times since the award was instituted 13 years ago to recognize chapters which meet goals designed to increase professionalism within fundraising and public awareness of the importance of philanthropy. For the last two years, the chapter has earned the Friends of Diversity designation for performing specific activities designed to increase diversity and inclusion within fundraising and public awareness of the importance of philanthropy.
Our Chapter is also fortunate to be distinguished by its members. Three of its members have been recogized by AFPI in the past three years: Vern Snyder, ACFRE, Outstanding Professional Fundraiser (one given annually); Nick Kulik, CFRE, Young Professional Award (5 given annually); and Ken Frisch, ACFRE; Distinguished Fellow (one of 9 internationally). Four of our members are Advanced Certified Fundraising Executives (ACFRE); this is especially significant when you consider that there are only 100 internationally. And 24 of our members are Certified Fundraising Executives (CFRE) through an internationally accredited certification program. CFRE certification serves as an impartial, third-party endorsement of your knowledge and experience of international standards in philanthropy. It adds to your credibility as a fundraiser and sets you apart from other professionals as a veritable steward of the public trust. Our Chapter encourages certification: all of our programs are approved for CFRE credits and we hold CFRE review courses occassionally. See our CFRE page for more information.
Our premier event is National Philanthropy Day, which is held in November to celebrate the impact of philanthropy in our community. Each year, more than 440 community leaders attend the awards luncheon to honor outstanding philanthropists, corporations, foundations, volunteers, and fundraisers of all ages. In 30 years, the Chapter has given 119 awards in 8 categories.
We invite you to join our Chapter, get involved, and join the excitement. Click here to learn about member benefits, including professional development and education, networking and career growth, access and resources, and more!
Questions? Contact Abbey Riley, AFPNWO Chapter Administrator at abbey@afpnwo.org or 419-764-4387