The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Central Ohio Chapter’s Dale Abrams and Elliot T. Fishman Mentorship Program has supported the professional development of local fundraising professionals in central Ohio for several decades. The Mentorship Program is a one-year program that pairs new and emerging fundraising professionals with seasoned fundraising professionals and is open to AFP Central Ohio members at no cost. Mentorship pairings are established based on the professional development interests of each mentee and the professional skill sets of each mentor. Both emerging and seasoned development professionals who participate in the program are exposed to fundraising best practices, the high standards of the AFP Code of Ethics, and both the hard and soft skills needed to be successful as a fundraising professional. 

The Mentorship Program seeks to provide all program participants with a safe, inclusive, and impactful mentorship experience. Program participants will have the ability to strengthen professional relationships and networks, engage in meaningful professional development experiences, participate in AFP programming, and uphold AFP’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) and AFP’s Code of Ethics. 

Individuals applying to participate in the program as a mentor or mentee must meet program requirements and expectations, adhere to AFP Central Ohio’s IDEA statement, complete an application, and be an AFP Central Ohio member. While there are no fees directly associated with participation in the Mentorship Program, all program participants are expected to maintain an active AFP Central Ohio membership for the duration of the program. All mentors and mentees who are accepted into the program are required to attend the program kickoff event in January, where mentor-mentee matches will be introduced along with additional program requirements, expectations, guidelines, etc., meet with their match partner at least eight times throughout the year, and attend the program wrap up event in December. Each mentorship pairing will decide on its own meeting schedule, how they will meet (in person or virtually), and agenda of topics, including agreed-upon professional development goals. If necessary, AFP Central Ohio will provide recommendations for social distancing requirements based on local, state, and federal guidelines and AFP Global guidelines. 

Applications for the 2024 Mentorship Program will be open October 1 through November 30, 2023. You may use the links below to submit your mentor or mentee application. If you are curious about the Mentorship Program and would like to know more before applying, please join us for an informational session via Zoom on Friday, October 27 at 9:00 AM or Thursday, November 9 at 10:00 AM. To participate in an informational session, please RSVP here. 

Financial support for AFP Central Ohio’s Mentorship Program is provided by the Dale Abrams and Elliot T. Fishman Fund of The Columbus Foundation.

If you have questions about the Elliot T. Fishman Mentorship Program, please email Emily Campbell (she/her) at [email protected].