Fundamentals of Fundraising 2024 Recap
The fundamentals are important and comprise the foundation for fundraisers’ work. To share these fundamentals, the AFP Greater Madison Chapter hosts AFP Global’s Fundamentals of Fundraising course annually. This year’s class took place in Madison in April.
The Fundamentals of Fundraising course was created in 2010 and revised again in 2017 to serve as a foundational learning experience for individuals new to the field. The two-day class covers the roles and responsibilities of fundraisers, with emphasis on responsibilities fundraisers are likely to encounter at the beginning of their careers.
In April, the Chapter welcomed 12 individuals to the 2024 cohort. These students' nonprofit experiences ranged from Executive Directors to volunteer Board members. During the two-day event, everyone shared their knowledge, collaborated during the workshop sessions, and learned together.
One attendee shared,
"Thank you again for running this course! It was extremely helpful to have a lot of ideas I've had before put into more defined frameworks to understand them further. It was also just really cool to be with a group of people that all work in different settings to see how all of our experiences align."
The course was led by Instructor Jen Davie, CFRE and AFP Global Master Trainer and AFP Greater Madison Chapter Administrator.
"The class content gives us enough flexibility to meet the needs and interests of the students joining us for the class. We know that everyone comes to fundraising with a different background. Even if fundraising isn't in your title, you have likely had interactions with the profession.
This course is a great way to expand on your knowledge and identify areas you need to learn more in-depth to do your job. We get through a lot in two days, but seeing people learn about this profession and get truly excited about the possibilities makes this such an enjoyable teaching experience."
Fundamentals of Fundraising also allows local fundraisers to share their own experiences with the class. It gives attendees an opportunity to learn about career paths in fund development and hear real-life stories about how people have used the content we are learning throughout the class.
The Chapter is grateful to all of the students who took time out of their busy schedules to focus on their professional development, as well as to the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin-Badgerland for hosting the class this year!
AFP Greater Madison plans to continue offering this in-person class once a year. AFP Global periodically offers this course in a virtual setting throughout the year.
If you’re interested in attending the 2025 Fundamentals in Fundraising class, email Jen to be the first to hear about the date.
