AFP Affinity Groups
The Chapter’s Affinity Groups serve a dual purpose to advance the mission of the Central Ohio Chapter by:
- Enhancing members’ experience by providing benefits tailored to their specific interests and needs; and
- Supporting diversity and inclusion goals to attract, engage and retain a diverse membership base.
Affinity Groups provide AFP members and non-member fundraising professionals with focused networking and professional development opportunities for groups of individuals who identify with one another by their ethnicity, age, job responsibility, nonprofit sector, sexual orientation, number of years in the profession, etc.
AFP members are encouraged to participate in any Affinity Groups that are of interest as a way to enhance their membership. Non-members who participate in Affinity Groups will benefit from the opportunity to learn more about AFP and how it can be an important part of their career development.
| AFP GROUP | LEADERSHIP | FOCUS |
| NextGen | Co-chairs: Jessica Wright Bridget Tharp | Under 35 and interested in networking with other young professionals? Join this group for lunch programs, happy hours and other activities, and to share time and experiences with similar colleagues.
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| Small Shops | Co-chairs: Kelsie Fields Contact Me | Are you a one-person or small staff shop? Share best practices and ask questions of colleagues in similar circumstances.
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| Faith-Based | Chair: Susan Emerson | This inter-faith group is for fundraisers who work in a variety of faith-based nonprofits, from Lutheran to Catholic to Jewish and others. Your faith guides your work – come and meet others who share your passion and share best-practices. The Faith-based Affinity Group is going to have standing meetings from 8:30am – 9:30am, on the 4th Wednesday of each month in the Community Room at the Panera in Clintonville, 4519 North High Street. |
| Higher Education | Co-chairs: Lauren Miller Casandra Uhl |
To provide a place where higher education development professionals can meet and discuss issues, trends and ideas related to fundraising. |
| Delaware County (DelCo) |
Chair needed
| One of the newer AFP Affinity Groups – it started in fall of 2016 with the goal of bringing together fundraisers that work and/or live in Delaware County. These meetings have covered a wide range of topics including Giving Tuesday, Year End Giving, NextGen Giving, and building a culture of philanthropy. We continue to bring a wide range of topics to our members and interested fundraisers in DelCo. |
| Technology | Chair: Steve Beshuk | We are a group of nonprofit professionals passionate about using technology to fulfill our organization’s missions. This can include a variety of topics, such as database management, analytics, business intelligence, and other topics related data, technology, fundraising, membership, etc. The local events will offer an opportunity for professionals at all levels to learn about the latest tools and trends while meeting new people in a welcoming environment |
| East Central Ohio | Chair: Leigh Ann Miller
| Focusing on organizations and development professionals located East of Central, including members in Newark, Zanesville and Granville. |
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