Carolyn's Nonprofit Blog

As some of you know, I was a member of AFP: Association of Fundraising Professionals for 18 years, and a Certified Fund Raising Executive for 14 years. But with new technologies and social communications increasingly changing the work conducted in the nonprofit sector, and wanting to know more about them, I joined NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network about 14 years ago. NTEN has been a great help to me, and in fact a prior director encouraged me to launch Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog, which is going strong 13 years as of 2024 with more than 100 nations visiting annually.

This year, I am pleased to join Apra: Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement. “Apra is the premier organization for professionals who strategically harness information and data to drive fundraising for philanthropic institutions.”

I have a personality that moves forward constantly from one task or project to the next. I enjoy challenges and untying knots! One day last fall, I stopped to review my publications and public presentations. It dawned on me that some of my most spectacular fundraising successes have involved research and the analysis of data. You can find several recordings along these lines on my YouTube channel. Here is a link to one I gave at the request of Qgiv a few years ago.

As the nonprofit sector learns more about harnessing the knowledge data provides – and in effective and ethical ways – we have the opportunity to set our organizations on a path to resouding success. I was impressed by the Apra statement of ethics, which includes the admonition that members should:

• Act with integrity and honesty and avoid any acts, omissions, or practices that could harm supporters, beneficiaries, your organization, the prospect research community, Apra, or the general public
• Prioritize the interests of supporters and beneficiaries and be a steward of their interests for the benefit of the organization, the prospect development community, and the wider society
• Be alert to, and manage openly, any conflicts of interest.

Apra Principles of Ethics and Compliance

Check out the Apra website, and I hope to report back this year about information I have learned as a new member. Check out the list of Apra chapters. It might be a good idea to establish a new Central Texas chapter of Apra, perhaps at Capital Factory. As I write, there are only two chapters in Texas, one each in North Texas and Greater Houston.

I continue serving as a volunteer TechSoup Ambassador, having come to know the organization well, in large part through leading a TechSoup Connect (tech education) club in Texas from 2016 to 2021. Today, I participate in the TechSoup Forum conversations online. You might also consider joining Quad. No question is considered too simple. We are all learning and the peer-to-peer discussions are very helpful.

You might also follow TechSoup on YouTube to view recordings of prior programs. I share one member-focused video I particularly like from the channel below. I am a big fan of recycling … and of nonprofits making use of (discounted) technologies. We can all accomplish so much more in lean and effective ways if we take the time to learn about and adopt new technologies.

Last but not least, thank you for following Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog. Already in 2024, some 60 nations have visited my website. If you have a topic you would like for me to discuss on my blog, use my secure contact form to reach me.

The photo illustrating this page was taken by me at the Austin Central Library, where I enjoy conducting research. I also maintain a “digital” library card and access the library’s databases from my dedicated home office. #ResearchHint