Association of Fundraising Professionals

David M. Huffine, CFRE, vice president for advancement for St. Joseph’s Villa in Richmond, Va., has helped raise an estimated $750 million in charitable funds over his career and been named the 2015 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Huffine will receive this award on March 28, 2015 at AFP’s International Fundraising Conference in Baltimore.

It is up to the thousands of honest and ethical fundraising professionals to look out for potential fraud and abuse in our profession.

Be a worthy cause, and be a group that people want to be associated with — from your mission to how you fulfill it to how you fundraise. And be sure that your donors, at every level, know that they are appreciated.  

The DMA Nonprofit Federation is honoring Geoff Peters, CEO of Moore Direct Marketing Group, for his dedicated service with the 2015 Max Hart Nonprofit Achievement Award.

To give it your best you must be on top of your game and give 100 percent. Our jobs are not easy, and we need to understand that a balance is required for success. If you do not know what the problem is, you will not have a solution for it. Think about what you need to do each day and how you can increase the quality of productivity over time. In reality, it is only a grind if you let it be a grind. Adjust your attitude, and you will look at each day in a positive way!

Once again for 2015, the AFP National Philanthropy Day Honors program is going viral! Instead of the written nomination form that you once filled out, we are asking you to show us. There is nothing more powerful than watching someone talk about his or her appreciation and awe of another person or organization. So, go ahead, blow us away with the stories of your favorite philanthropist and supporter from 2014.

Building a culture of philanthropy is the most important and dynamic program element fundraising professionals should do on a daily basis. As your organizational culture matures, your job becomes easier. Success of various degrees takes time, but failure in this area is not an option. Your organizational long-term philanthropic viability may depend on it!

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2015 (in a couple days). I was in the dental chair the other day, and between drill sounds, I thought of 15 ideas to share with you as you enter January.

Trust me, word-of-mouth advertising is priceless. The recent $30 million Indianapolis Zoological Society capital campaign that exceeded goal by $4 million was "textbook" in its success and use of word-of-mouth, and in reality, it is a success for the entire profession!

With Republicans poised to take control of the Senate following Tuesday’s elections, it's likely that lawmakers will dig into the tax code when a new Congress is sworn in. While that means added scrutiny on the charitable deduction and tax treatment of nonprofits, charity leaders are confident their cherished provisions will remain intact.

Before the current Congress wraps up its business, however, charity officials expect lawmakers to consider certain items in the tax code, including moving the deadline for claiming the charitable deduction from the end of the year until April 15.