Mike’s Monday Message: Mid-Year Check-In

Wow, I can’t believe that it is June already! It feels like I was just writing my New Year’s message, welcoming you all to 2023.

It’s been a busy five months since then. 

Here at AFP, we are still going through a database transition, and while not everything has gone smoothly, we’ve come a long way towards being able to provide the upgraded user experience we envisioned at the start of this project, but we know there’s a ways to go.

In April, we welcomed almost 4,000 members to AFP ICON in New Orleans, our largest event in the last 6 years. It was inspiring for me to see our membership coming together to share their passion for the fundraising profession. 

It is important that we not lose sight of our sense of #AFPCommunity as we confront the challenges facing the sector today. As we move into the remaining half of the year, we’ll be working to right past wrongs and create a truly inclusive future for fundraisers. Those of you who attended the opening session of ICON will know that I issued an important and necessary apology. We know we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, here at AFP, and within the nonprofit industry as a whole and I hope you will work with us as we remain committed to change. As we do this work, I have committed to sharing our progress and intentions and I will do that as part of my Mike’s Monday Message going forward.

We’ll continue to conduct vital research on industry benchmarks, like fundraiser salaries and the sustained decline in giving seen in the Q4 2022 Fundraising Effectiveness Project report. And we’ll encourage members to take action, as we support legislation that will slow negative trends and encourage charitable giving. 

Despite the challenges, there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months. There’s plenty of opportunity for growth, development, and progress if we keep looking ahead. 

Looking ahead to summer, I hope everyone has a chance to take some time off, despite the stress that can come with taking time off at a nonprofit. Remember, it’s necessary for your mental health. 

But don’t completely check out, as we have exciting announcements about AFP LEAD and other fall education offerings coming soon… 

In the meantime, keep taking care of yourselves, and one another. We are all working together on behalf of the IMPACT profession. 

If you have any questions or comments, as always, please feel free to email me at mike.geiger@afpglobal.org or connect with me on Twitter at @AFPMikeGeiger. I’d love to hear from you.

Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA