AFP Okanagan Chapter: Five Fallacies of Fundraising That Limit Donor Relationships

Join AFP Okanagan for a 90 minute interactive webinar led by returning presenters Tanya Hannah Rumble and Nicole McVan on the Five Fallacies of Fundraising that limit authentic relationships with donors.

There are a number of harmful ‘best practices’ that we have been taught and continue to perpetuate in fundraising and philanthropy, developed from collective learning in a colonial and capitalist system, that oppress entire communities and value wealth creation over equity, our natural world and safety for everyone.

These ‘best practices’ deepen inequity, create harm, and weaken our effectiveness and happiness in our roles. They hold us back from real and authentic connections with our donors and hold us back from creating a relationship that invites the donor into the work in a meaningful way. They restrict our ability to make real and lasting change for our causes. In this session we will unlearn these practices and re-imagine philanthropy that is based on an anti-oppression practice, centers our communities, and is more effective at engaging and inspiring our donors.

In this workshop, you will be given the opportunity to:

• Question your assumptions about the best practices in fundraising and philanthropy
• Learn how donor centricity can damage relationships and be ineffective in raising money and making lasting change for your cause
• Explore new ways to fundraising that are built on equity and authentic relationships.

Tanya Hannah Rumble, CFRE (she/her) and Nicole McVan, MA (they/them) are long-time collaborators and respected fundraising leaders. Together they have led learning sessions and facilitated workshops for more than 2,000 professional fundraisers across North America and Europe on the topics of power and privilege; equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and fundraising. Their clients include: UNICEF Canada, Community Foundations of Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario, Association for Opera in Canada, and the Canadian Cancer Society. They bring a unique blend of deep expertise as full-time professional fundraisers; the vulnerability they share and cultivate in their learning sessions through sharing of their collective lived experiences as racialized, disabled, and trans-non binary professionals; and the power to help folks examine sensitive and challenging topics such as race, oppression, and privilege with non-judgement.

Tanya is a racialized settler of multi-ethnic origins living in Tkaronto. She is a fundraising leader who has raised millions for some of Canada's largest charities including Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society, McMaster University and now the Faculty of Arts and Yellowhead Institute at X University. As a racialized philanthropy professional Tanya is honoured to share her influence and insights with students, emerging professionals and peers in the sector. Tanya regularly writes articles on the topics of inclusion, equity, and access; and power, privilege and fundraising for industry publications and speaks to professional audiences at learning events regularly. Additionally, she is an active leadership volunteer in the philanthropy and non-profit sector: Board Director with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Canada, and Board Committee volunteer with AFP Canada-Foundation; executive volunteer with the Canadian Association of Gift Planners; and Co-Chair of the Board and Chair of the HR Committee with FindHelp Information Services - operators of 211 Toronto.

Nicole McVan is a strategic non-profit leader with 20 years of experience in Canada and abroad. Their experience spans many areas including corporate philanthropy, individual and community-based giving, volunteer development, national event management, and alumni giving. They are currently the Vice President, Philanthropy & Marketing at United Way Greater Toronto. As a white, able-bodied, transgender and non-binary person, Nicole uses an anti-oppressive lens in building philanthropy and marketing plans to work with and for communities. Nicole regularly speaks and writes on the topic of equity, privilege, and power dynamics for fundraising publications and at conferences and learning events.Nicole volunteers their time in the community, including on the Board at Inside Out Film festival - an organization committed to the promotion and exhibition of film made by and about LGBTQ+ people of all ages, races and abilities. Nicole is grateful to live and work on the traditional territories of the Mississauga and Hau