News from your chapter

April 2024 Newsletter

President's Message

Greetings and Happy April, Friends!

I don’t know about you, but this year already feels like it is moving way too fast. Please join us for our April mixer to catch your breath and look to your nonprofit colleagues for support and camaraderie next week.

Also, this year we will be starting to look for nominations for National Philanthropy Day earlier than previous years. So, start thinking about who you would like to nominate and who might help with letters of support. We will let you know when the nomination page opens up.

I am excited to share a new resource for our nonprofits in SLO County. Wendy Lauchland, Founder of The Lauchland Group has recently moved full-time to our beautiful county. She is a true professional and her sweet spot is working with non-profit boards and leadership on, you guessed it: FUNDRAISING. You can reach her through her website at www.wendylauchland.com or perhaps run into her at an AFP event.

See you soon.

With gratitude,

Loren

Join the SLO Chapter of AFP Today!

Are you employed by, donate to, or serve on the board of a San Luis Obispo County nonprofit? If so, please consider joining our chapter. With your membership, you will enjoy a wealth of career-building programs, educational resources, networking opportunities and exclusive member discounts. Learn more.

For our nonprofit friends with small operating budgets under $2 million with less than 2 full time fundraising staff, you may want to consider a Small Nonprofit AFP membership. It’s only $125 plus a $60 chapter dues and is transferable if your development professional leaves, as opposed to the Individual Professional membership, which is $290 plus $45 in chapter dues.

Programs

Coming Up This Month

Brewing Connections

Thursday, April 11, 2024

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Lucy's Coffee Co.

1279 Laurel Ln, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401

_______________________________

Make a detour on your morning commute to Lucy's Coffee Company and join the AFP SLO County Chapter for a cup of coffee and a pastry while brewing up some new connections!

We look forward to welcoming you on Thursday, April 11, from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend, and we truly appreciate you spreading the word!

A special thanks to Lucy's Coffee Company for their generous sponsorship of this month's mixer. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Thu, Apr 11, 2024 8:00 AM PST

Brewing Connections: AFP SLO County Chapter April Networking Mixer

Lucy's Coffee Co, San Luis Obispo

Tickets

Next Month

May Program

Thursday, May 9th, 2024

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Region Event Center

858 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401

May Program Prize!

We're thrilled to share that we'll be introducing an exciting prize for active participants on our social media platforms during April and May! Stay tuned for upcoming Instagram and Facebook posts where we'll provide more details. If you haven't already, be sure to follow our social media accounts at the bottom of this newsletter to ensure you don't miss out on the opportunity to win a $20 Scout gift card and some delicious Cal Poly wine! One lucky winner will be selected, so don't miss your chance!

_______________________________

Calling all fundraising professionals! Join the AFP SLO County Chapter for an exclusive workshop designed to elevate your expertise in legacy planning. Hosted at the Region Event Center in San Luis Obispo, this month's program features insights from industry leaders Allie Burnett, Senior Director of Gift Planning at Cal Poly, and Brynne Speizer, CFP®, Vice President at EP Wealth Advisors (formerly Wacker Wealth Partners).

Thu, May 9, 2024 11:30 AM PST

Mastering Legacy Planning for Financial Security and Philanthropy

Region Event Center, San Luis Obispo

Tickets

Recap of the March Program

AI in Fundraising 101

In our latest gathering, we had the pleasure of hosting Tim Paris from Dataro.io as our distinguished guest speaker, delving into the captivating world of artificial intelligence and its boundless future. Embracing the essence of our discussion topic, Tim's insights were shared virtually, adding a layer of authenticity to our exploration of technological advancements. As his expertise illuminated our big screen, attendees were treated to an engaging blend of lunch and networking, fostering connections amidst a diverse assembly of individuals from various organizations and professional echelons. The session was not only a testament to the vibrant interest in AI across sectors but also a profound learning experience. We garnered invaluable knowledge and to ensure these insights remain at your fingertips, we've summarized some of the pivotal high-level definitions discussed during the event.

AI Simplified:

Artificial Intelligence Layers: AI consists of multiple layers, from the broad AI concept to more specific applications like Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL), and Large Language Models (LLMs) such as GPT. Each layer represents a different aspect of AI's capability to process and learn from data.
Types of AI - Predictive vs. Generative: Predictive AI focuses on generating accurate predictions based on data patterns, while Generative AI creates new content based on learned data. Both types serve different purposes, with predictive AI being more about accuracy and generative AI about creativity and speed.
Machine Learning's Role: ML, a subset of predictive AI, analyzes patterns in historical data to make predictions about future behaviors, such as a donor's likelihood to give again. It uses these patterns to model future behavior.
Generative AI and LLMs: Generative AI, through Large Language Models, can generate new content, including text and images, based on user input and pre-learned data. LLMs predict the next word in a sequence to generate coherent and contextually relevant content.

Membership

AFP Chapter Support Scholarship

AFP understands the economic challenges that current and prospective members face. In response to the current conditions, AFP Global is pleased to announce a new membership scholarship program. The goal of this program is to recruit new members and retain existing members who are unable to afford annual membership dues.

This scholarship is available to professionals, associate, young professional, and small NPO member categories and covers 1 year of global and chapter membership dues. AFP San Luis Obispo County has the ability to grant 5 scholarships to new or renewing members.

If you are interested in applying for a membership scholarship with the San Luis Obispo County Chapter of AFP, kindly fill out the form below. Deadline to submit is July 15, 2024.

Click Here to Apply

News From AFP Global

All AFP Members Now Have Access to AAUW Online Negotiation Workshops

Through a partnership with the American Association of University Women (AAUW), all members of AFP can now participate in AAUW’s Work Smart program, a one-hour online negotiation workshop, free of charge.

Click here to learn more

Member Feature

Caity McCardell

I’ve appreciated being a member of AFP SLO because of its incredible networking events, professional development opportunities, and fundraising resources. It really can’t be beat for the kind of exposure and educational opportunities they offer. AFP provides a supportive community where I can connect with other fundraisers, learn from a smart organization, and access educational tools. I absolutely love the organization’s commitment to ethical fundraising practices – they have so much integrity. They also truly have their finger on the pulse of nonprofit development.

I joined the AFP SLO Board of Directors so I could play a role in shaping the organization’s future and be involved in a forward-thinking, connected group. The people I serve with are smart, resourceful, and enthusiastic, so I wanted to spend more time with them! I’m also looking for leadership experience and a chance to make a meaningful impact on the fundraising community. I look forward to learning from them but also sharing the wisdom and experience I have. Being voted onto the AFP SLO Board of Directors was an honor, and I’m delighted to participate in the organization’s work.

Chapter Job Center

AFP San Luis Obispo County Chapter proudly connects individuals and organizations through job opportunities in development and fundraising on the Central Coast. Click here to learn more about each posting.

Development Director

SLO Food Bank

Director of Philanthropy

Cuesta College

Marketing and Development Specialist

CAPSLO

Donor Relations Manager

San Luis Obispo Symphony

Program Assistant

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County

Executive Director

Montecito Family YMCA

Have a Fundraiser Coming Up?

Got an upcoming event? Shoot us a direct message on Instagram or Facebook once you've posted, and we'll feature it on our stories! Make sure to follow us using the links below so you don't miss the chance to spread the word!