By participating as mentors and mentees, fundraisers will benefit from this local, year-long program. At AFP Greater Madison, we want to facilitate meaningful connections between seasoned professionals and new-to-the-field professionals in the Madison nonprofit sector.
AFP Greater Madison will determine your suitability for the Mentorship Program based on the information you provide below. Mentees and Mentors are expected to commit a minimum of 1 hour per month. The 2027 Mentorship Cohort program will begin in January 2027 and run for 1 year. We will open mentorship and mentee applications again in October 2026.
Application Process
Mentor and mentee candidates should complete the application form, providing background information about themselves and indicating the practice areas in which they can offer guidance and/or seek advice. The mentorship committee will review the applications, approve candidates, and then match them.
The committee will make mentor-mentee matches based on a careful review of applications, professional experience, mutual interests, and compatibility in knowledge areas. Some candidates may not be approved or matched in an application cycle, and they will be notified of their application status or ineligibility.
If the committee cannot find a suitable match, it will help the applicant re-examine their preferences and needs to pursue the best-match relationship.
The committee will keep processed applications on file for one year, and applicants must update them annually thereafter.
Mentor Eligibility
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A professional with a minimum of 5 years work experience in fundraising. Ideal candidates will possess comprehensive knowledge of fundraising principles, best practices and will have well-rounded career experience. Additionally, they will demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the profession and the professional development of fellow practitioners.
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Able to promote a positive and educational relationship with mentee
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Helps strengthen the mentees skills through mentor/mentee joint identification and focus on specific areas of practice
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Committed to a minimum of 1 hour contact per month with mentee either face to face, phone and/or email over a one year period.
The mentor is to provide the mentee with advice and information. The advice will be limited to career advice and/or specific fund-raising advice to be used to enhance the fundraising program of the charitable organization with which the partner is associated. The relationship is meant to be career specific and is not to be used or construed in any way as a consulting relationship.
Mentorship application
Mentee Eligibility
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A new or intermediate-level professional with less than 5 years of experience in fundraising
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Able to promote a positive relationship with a mentor
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Seeking to strengthen their skills through mentee/mentor joint identification and focus on specific areas of practice
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Committed to a minimum of 1 hour of contact per month with mentor, either face-to-face, phone, and/or email, over a one-year period.
The mentee must be able to articulate the areas of focus to work on with the mentor to achieve personal growth in the profession. The advice will be limited to career advice and/or specific fundraising advice to be used to enhance the fundraising program of the charitable organization with which the partner is associated. The relationship is meant to be career-specific and is not to be used or construed in any way as a consulting relationship.
Mentee applications
