APRA Connections

Connections is an online platform by Apra that allows members to exchange valuable insights on various subjects such as prospect research, analytics, fundraising campaigns, prospect management, professional growth, ethics, and advocacy. Apra is dedicated to supporting and promoting the professionals and practices that drive successful fundraising efforts for institutions that depend on donations to fulfill their missions. To become part of this community, visit aprahome.org.

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Articles

Transforming Crisis-Driven Donations into Actionable Intelligence

2 months ago | connections.aprahome.org | Jennifer Huebner |Erica Williams

Emergencies on a local, regional and international scale often underscore humanity’s altruistic nature, as many people are eager to offer aid through financial means. Recent natural disasters like the California wildfires have demonstrated that organizations dedicated to providing relief efforts often experience a surge in the number and size of gifts during headline crises.
Are Staff Participation Campaigns Unethical?

Feb 27, 2025 | connections.aprahome.org | Bethany Larrañaga

Editor’s Note: The below submission has been edited to ensure anonymity. Dear Ethicist, What are the ethics of having a 100% participation goal for an internal fundraising staff giving campaign? Should staff feel obligated to give? Are they a bad team player if they don’t? Is a 100% goal a strategic way to encourage staff giving or an unethical practice that creates undue pressure, even in a positive work culture?
Fundraiser Goals

Oct 17, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Alison Freeman |Lilly Suwinski

Ali Freeman is an associate director of prospect management overseeing the prospect management team at the University of Virginia. She provides information for development officers across Grounds and partners with our team and unit leaders to provide guidance and strategy to help fundraisers achieve their goals. Prior to joining UVA, Freeman was a Lead Senior Research for 8 years at the University of Minnesota. Outside of work, Freeman enjoys spending time with family, reading, and traveling.
How Should We Approach FEC Data for Prospect Research in 2024?

Sep 30, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Bethany Larrañaga

Dear Ethicist, With the 2024 presidential election just around the corner, I’ve noticed some colleagues turning to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data to identify potential prospects for our nonprofit. Since FEC data includes publicly available information about donors to federal campaigns, can we ethically use it for nonprofit fundraising?
Recording Donor Meetings for AI-Generated Notes

Jul 17, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Bethany Larrañaga

Dear Ethicist, I work as a gift officer at a healthcare-focused nonprofit, and recently, my team has been contemplating the use of voice-recording devices during donor meetings to enhance our note-taking processes. The idea is to use artificial intelligence (AI) to transcribe and summarize recordings to use as contact reports in our customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
A Conversation With Apra’s DEIBJA Committee

Jul 8, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Bethany Larrañaga

Charting a way forward within an organizational DEI committee can prove to be difficult. For many, the committee itself and the commitment to doing diversity work with the organization is new, meaning that a shared vision of equitable diversity has not yet been built. Add to this the pressures of coming up with policies that will impact how diversity, equity and inclusion are implemented within your organization, and one can understand anyone's hesitance in getting involved with a DEI committee.
How Can I Ensure Donor Data Privacy When Using AI?

May 22, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Bethany Larrañaga

Dear Readers, As we continue to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and fundraising, it's crucial to address the ethical implications of deploying AI solutions in our work. In previous columns, we've discussed the potential benefits and pitfalls of AI in fundraising. From optimizing donor segmentation to generating content with tools like ChatGPT, our community has expressed both excitement and apprehension about integrating AI into fundraising practices.
Perspectives from Prospect Development Peers, Part 2

May 20, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Jennifer Huebner

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and a previous article about how prospect development professionals care for their mental health across a variety of organization types and working environments was so popular, that this second installment features more perspectives from Apra members. Read on to learn how your peers routinely care for their mental, physical and emotional well-being in part two of this two-part series.
Perspectives from Prospect Development Peers

May 1, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Jennifer Huebner

Since its inception in May 1949, the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) states that Mental Health Awareness Month (annually in May) “has been a cornerstone of addressing the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions.” While an estimated ages 18 and older have a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year, work-related stressors impact everyonein prospect development, across organization types and work environments.
A Plug In to Technology Preview

Apr 17, 2024 | connections.aprahome.org | Bethany Larrañaga

This May, the Apra community will gather virtually for Plug In to Technology, a two-day interactive virtual event featuring diverse sessions aimed at harnessing the power of technology in the nonprofit sector. Gayle Roberts, chief development officer at Larkin Street Youth Services, will host “Revolutionizing Nonprofit Impact: Practical AI for Fundraising and Beyond,” a presentation and discussion about the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI).