Editor's Note: Pleased to Meet You

We’re going to Seattle. Exciting news — and not just because I’ve always wanted to go to Seattle. The Association of Fundraising Professionals’ International Conference on Fundraising is the first big industry trade show for FundRaising Success — our coming-out, you might say.

This is a great opportunity for folks who might not have seen FS before to get to know it and the people who produce it. The plan for the show is for the FS staff to put ourselves out there and meet our readers.

Hey, you might be thinking, that sounds nice. And it is. But I have to warn you that Associate Editor Paul Barbagallo and I want to do more than just shake your hand. We want to learn about your organization — specifically, how your organization raises funds and furthers its mission and, even more specifically, how what you’re doing can help others in the nonprofit community.

The consensus among fundraisers is that there are enough philanthropy dollars out there for everyone. That’s the idea on which FS was built — as a place where fundraising professionals can learn from each other. Happily, the nonprofit world seems to lack the cutthroat competitiveness of its for-profit counterpart.

I hope you’ll make it a point (or, depending on when you’re reading this, did make it a point) to stop by Booth 932 to meet Paul and me; or our publisher, Kevin Landers; or Target Marketing Group Publisher Peggy Hatch. Come bearing story ideas, questions, comments and, of course, compliments.

In the meantime, there are myriad opportunities to speak your mind within these pages. How about a letter to the editor? I like mail. Compliment or criticism, as long your comments are pertinent, I want to hear them. And this isn’t talk radio, so the phone isn’t the best way to go.

But you don’t have to sound off about the magazine. Share your thoughts about the industry or on philanthropy in general. Ask a question. Our advisory board is a treasure trove of wisdom sitting at our fingertips. Feeling really ambitious? Pen an op-ed or query me about a story you’d like to write. You can offer your services as a source or suggest a topic for the Case Study, ProFile, Briefings section or cover story — all potential areas for your contributions.

I hope that with this, our third issue, you’re beginning to embrace FS as an essential resource. By contributing to it as well as reading it, you’ll play an integral part in its ultimate success. So, please, drop me a line.