Welcome to AFP

Good news is that there is much potential and goodwill to engender. The bad news is that we do not hear enough about a passion for philanthropy from the corner office. Our challenge is to change CEO's reluctance to consistently embrace philanthropy as a core corporate value.

Given that the nonprofit sector represents nearly 10 percent of the US work force, public policy affecting nonprofits concerns a significant number of people in the United States, to say nothing of the number of people who have benefited from our programs and services.

Measuring philanthropic impact is possibly the key, with an eye on the corporate speak of ROI. Return on Investment, the efficiency of fundraising efforts and the immediate impact is important taken together with community benefits. A successful corporate strategy must include how the gift directly impacts program results, the cause-and-effect link and being a part of something successful that produces positive results.

The conventional wisdom is that it is individuals that give not corporations. But in the end, it may be the individual in the corner office that makes the corporate giving decision to your organization.

You can't win them all but persistence and preparedness will pay off. With a positive attitude and focus on shared passion, we ARE changing the world. Keep up the good work!

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Kitty Yerkes

Chair, Cape Fear Region Chapter AFP