The Fundraising Effectivness Project (FEP) is an important part of the AFP US Foundation for Philanthropy and provides unbiased research for our sector. Throughout much of 2021 and 2022, FEP reports showed that our number of donors was on the decline, but total dollars donated was still holding...

At AFP ICON earlier this year, I shared with attendees some troubling trends from the 2022 Q4 AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) Report — the total number of donors once again declined, as it had for 5 out of the last 7 quarters, and for the first time in the...

My name is Shirley Anne Smith, and although my name doesn’t automatically speak to my Latino heritage, I am a proud Latina of Puerto Rican descent. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, the essence of family—including gatherings and taking care of one another—are strong and ever present in my DNA. It...

When I was starting work as a consultant with a new client and had my first meeting with the Board or the senior staff, I often would conduct a little exercise that went something like this: (Me): “I’ve read through your information, annual reports, etc., but I wanted to take a few minutes to hear...

If there’s ever been a year that we needed leadership, it’s 2020. But wait a minute, Mike: it's 2022! Today—in the wake of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, with conflict overseas and instability in our markets both at home and abroad, and so much going on in all of our lives—I'm going to revisit some words...