Burk will present new research – about why good fundraisers move on prematurely and what it will take to keep them on the job longer – to AFP Golden Gate’s Leading Edge Forum that brings provocative thought leadership from the fundraising field. And her book is nothing if not provocative. “Game-changing books don’t come along often, so this could be the most important book about fundraising that you’ll buy,” says Ken Burnett in his review for SOFII. Like many books on fundraising, Burk explores retention and attrition rates: but unlike most of those books, Penelope looks inwards, at retention rates for the fundraisers actually doing the work, rather than the funders and donors themselves.
“The supply/demand ratio in our business is a nightmare for employers,” says Burk, “but a boon for search firms and job banks, it seems. Senior Development professionals say they are approached for another position, on average, in about ninety days after starting a new job. So, it’s not surprising that 87% of top Development execs agree that the rate of staff turnover in fundraising is a problem.”
Penelope has over forty years of experience in not-for-profit management, fundraising, and research. A native of Montreal, Canada, she began her career in market research, public relations and fundraising, becoming known as a “turn-around specialist” who advocates innovative solutions to improve revenue and institutional performance. Penelope and her company, Cygnus Applied Research, Inc., are known for their leading-edge research with donors and their skill in helping clients adapt their fundraising operations to reflect donors’ changing needs and preferences.
Penelope presents her research live and engages with participants in an idea-packed three-hour session. With her trademark clarity and humor, she shows how employers can easily measure the real cost of premature staff turnover and the financial benefits of bringing this pressing problem under control.
“We’re so thrilled to be able to share Penelope Burk’s expertise and research with AFP chapters,” says Krista Endsley, CEO, Abila. “Our partnership with Cygnus Applied Research, Inc. has opened up an opportunity to showcase well-respected research and best practices for retaining and attracting the best and brightest staff and board members possible. We are dedicated to educating the not-for-profit community on the trends and tools they need to succeed. This high-level series with Penelope is a great resource for all fundraising leaders.”
But AFP Golden Gate’s Leading Edge Forum is not just for employers and decision-makers. Donor-Centered Leadership reveals what young fundraisers want, illustrating an urgent need to help them gain experience and realize their goals more quickly to address the coming exodus of top fundraising managers already on the verge of retirement. With this in mind, AFP Golden Gate is reaching out to Young Professionals both within the Chapter and in the general community with special rates. And the expectation is that this event will be a significant draw among fundraisers: when Burk presented at the AFP International Conference last year, it was standing room only.
·
What: A Forum
with Penelope Burk on Donor-Centered
Leadership: What It Takes to Build and Sustain a High Performance Fundraising
Team
·
When:
Thursday, February 19, 2015 from 1:00-4:00PM, with reception and book signing
from 4:00-5:00PM
·
Where: The
Commonwealth Club of California, 555 Post Street in San Francisco
·
Tickets: $65
General Community, $35 for Young Professionals (to age 30), 40% discounts for
members of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
·
Book
Tour Offer:
20% Discount on the book Donor-Centered
Leadership (optional, see registration for details)
ABOUT AFP Golden Gate
Founded in 1971, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate chapter provides professional support, education, and career enhancement opportunities for Bay Area fundraising-related professionals. With more than 450 active members, AFP Golden Gate serves as one of the largest chapters of AFP in the U.S. Our friendly and inclusive chapter inspires a high level of volunteer participation. We are a peer-driven organization, with an executive director and a highly engaged board of directors to lead the way in shaping and producing our dynamic programs and services. We are grateful for the generous contributions of Bay Area foundations, corporations and individuals who make our professional programs possible.
ABOUT PENELOPE BURK
Penelope is a highly sought-after educator and public speaker whose training sessions and forums are widely acclaimed as unique, engaging and among the most effective in the third sector. She has written more than sixty seminars, training programs and dramatic plays, all written specifically for non-profit organizations. Her firm, Cygnus Applied Research, is an international company of senior fundraising consultants providing strategic advice and research services to the sector. With offices in the US, UK and Canada, Cygnus is recognized as the innovator of one of the most important modern-day fundraising philosophies, Donor-Centered Fundraising, and for leading-edge research that has transformed stewardship, donor relations and fundraising management.
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