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In this issue.
. .
 Message from the
President
Dear
Members:
Welcome to the new APRA-SW newsletter, Directions. The title
holds several meanings that are relevant to our chapter:
-
Guidance or supervision of action or conduct;
-
Assistance
in pointing out the proper route -- usually used in the plural as in
"asked for directions;"
-
The line
or course on which something is moving; or
-
A guiding,
governing, or motivating purpose.
APRA-SW is
definitely moving along a new course, with a motivating purpose -
namely to better serve our members and other professionals in the
field. Researchers are well-known for their willingness to guide
others and provide answers for those seeking directions, and our
chapter strives to reflect that in its programming and in this new
resource.
I want to
thank everyone who organized or presented at our
conference last month in Dallas. It
was a great success. Aside from the top-notch sessions and networking,
we were able to announce the establishment of a
new chapter award, the Jonathan
Lindsey, PhD, CFRE Service Award. I was very glad that Jonathan was
able to be there for the presentation of the award and was pleasantly
surprised we were able to keep the secret that he would be the first
recipient of his award.
Much of
our new enthusiasm and programming is the result of the
strategic planning retreat we held last
May in order to find a path of better guidance for the chapter. Out of
this came new Mission
and
Vision Statements, along with a new structure and
planned programs. The
Board will hold a follow-up meeting this June to review our progress
and make plans for the upcoming year.
I invite
you to play a role in the chapter's future course - attend events,
submit information and articles for the newsletter, serve on
committees and respond to surveys like
the one for a new Mentor
Program mentioned below. Your active participation will help
us build a stronger organization and keep us moving in the right
directions.
Feel free
to
contact me or any of the APRA-SW Board members if you have
questions or suggestions for how the group can serve your needs
better.
Will Elliott
APRA-SW President
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
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Spring Conference - Beyond Expectations!
 Our
Spring Conference, held at Children's Medical Center in Dallas on
April 25th, truly lived up to its title - we had great topics, great
speakers and more than 40 attendees bringing the event beyond our
expectations. Eight sessions in two tracks (Research 101
and Advanced Research) were focused on a Campaign theme.
David
Van Lone of the American Heart Association started things off for
those new to research with an overview of tools to help them get their
programs up and running in a campaign. Advanced researchers learned
about new ways of attracting long-term donors through Websites and
e-philanthropy from Michel Hudson, CFRE, of 501(c)onsulting.
Ali McLane of Kintera, Inc. covered the basics of relationship
management, while Jennifer Shimp-Bowerman of SMU dealt with the
strategic role of research throughout a campaign.
Kathy
Friend, CFRE, Senior Director of Development for Children's
Medical Center, was our keynote speaker, and kept us laughing and
nodding our heads in agreement as she spoke of how important research
and researchers are in the fundraising process. In the afternoon,
Paulette Butterworth of Southwestern University discussed the
fundamentals of data mining and Jennifer Bell Riley of Texas
Tech University made a presentation on planned giving prospecting in a
campaign. We finished up the day with a joint session on Building a
Collaborative Development Team from both the researcher and
front-line fundraiser's perspectives, provided by our hosts Alex
Sizemore and Ann Davidson of Children's Medical Center.
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Door
Prize Winners
 Not only
did the Spring Conference attendees get loads of useful
information, but several of them got even more to take back
to work.
Nathan
Holloway of Southern Nazarene University received
121 Recognition Ideas for Donors, Volunteers and Members,
a manual with step-by-step advice on ways to steward those
who support the efforts of an organization.
 Colleen
St. Clair of All Saints Health Foundation won Successful
Capital Campaigns: From Start to Finish, 2nd Edition,
a resource manual with easy-to-use resources that can be
used throughout the campaign process.
Both books
were generously donated by Stevenson, Inc., a publisher
of nationally-acclaimed newsletters and hands-on manuals
that cover a range of nonprofit topics from fundraising to
volunteer management and special events. (www.stevensoninc.com)
Debbie Murray
of the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center at
Fort Worth went home with a gift certificate for a
25% discount on an APRA International Virtual Seminar.
This was a prize the chapter won at the 2007 APRA
International Conference for participating in the APRA
Anniversary Chapter Contest.
New Chapter Award Honors Lindsey
 The
chapter has established a new award to honor individuals for their
achievements in the field of prospect research and/or support of the
prospect research community. The award has been named for Jonathan
A. Lindsey, PhD, CFRE, the distinguished mentor of many APRA,
APRA-Texas and APRA-Southwest members. Lindsey was chosen as the
first recipient of his namesake award, which was given to him at
the Spring Conference in Dallas. In response, Jonathan Lindsey offered
his "profuse thanks and appreciation for the honor you have bestowed
in naming the APRA-SW Service Award in my honor, and then naming me
the first recipient."
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Strategic Planning
The APRA-SW Board of Directors held a strategic planning retreat on
June 8, 2007 at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
Facilitated by current APRA-SW Board member Michel Hudson, CFRE of
501(c)onsulting, the one-day retreat focused on discussing ways
APRA-SW can improve how the Board operates and how the chapter serves
the prospect research community in our four-state region. Hudson, who
has consulted with other chapters in their strategic planning efforts,
prepared two surveys to help in the planning efforts. The first survey
was for the board members and covered strategic planning issues. The
second survey was for all chapter members to develop a well-rounded
understanding of our members' backgrounds, assess member needs, and
measure our chapter’s performance in meeting those needs. The results
of the surveys were discussed at the retreat and helped chart the
direction for some of the planning efforts.
Some of
the recommendations/outcomes of the retreat included:
-
New
Mission &
Vision Statements.
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Consider
one annual Conference planned in DFW area each year.
-
Consider
offering a two-day Conference every other year.
-
 Partner
with APRA-Greater Houston for a second Conference each year.
-
Continue
to work collaboratively with AASP, AFP, AHP, CASE, United Way and
other organizations as opportunities are presented during the year.
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Set up
more localized regions for "social gatherings" throughout the year:
Austin, DFW, Houston (with APRA-Greater Houston), San Antonio,
Louisiana, New Mexico/West TX, and Oklahoma.
-
Create a
Mentor Program.
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Establish
a Service Award.
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Increase/improve communications vehicles.
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Pull
together a marketing plan for internal and external audience.
-
Restructure the Board to better assign responsibilities and carry out
the strategic planning objectives.
More
information on these new initiatives is available in this newsletter,
and we will continue to update you throughout the year on our progress
towards these new goals. Please contact any of the
APRA-SW Board members if you have any
feedback or questions on our strategic plan.
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New Mission Statement
"The Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement-Southwest
is a regional chapter of an international organization for people
invested in prospect research and related fields that support
nonprofit fundraising. The mission of this organization is to provide
opportunities for education, networking and professional development
for nonprofit professionals throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and
New Mexico."
New Vision Statement
"APRA-SW will be recognized as the premier regional resource for
fundraising professionals who are dedicated to meeting the research
and information needs of the area’s nonprofit community. It will be
supportive, innovative and take risks, while remaining an inclusive
and self-sustaining group."
 Mentor
Program
Andrea Heitz heads up a new Mentoring Committee that has been
charged with creating a Chapter Mentor Program. Before they can create
one, however, they would like some direction from you in determining
the format and tools that would best suit your needs. Please help out
with this important project by taking a few minutes to fill out an online survey
that will be launched soon. Your input is vital and
will assist the whole chapter.
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APRA-SW Board of Directors
Here is your new Board and the roles they assumed January 1, 2008:
President:
Will Elliott, Museum of
Fine Arts, Houston
Vice President/President-Elect:
Dr. Bruce
Wilson, Jr., United Way of Northwest Louisiana
Secretary/Treasurer:
Paulette Butterworth,
Southwestern University
Regional Directors:
New Mexico/West TX:
James Bixler, St. Johns College
Louisiana:
Pinki Diwan, LSU Foundation
Austin/San Antonio:
Jada
Garrison, University of Texas at Austin
Mentoring:
Andrea Heitz, Texas Christian University
Communications:
Michel Hudson, CFRE, 501(c)onsulting
Oklahoma:
Beverly Lyles, Southern Nazarene
University
Sponsorships/Marketing:
Jennifer Shimp-Bowerman, Southern Methodist University
Programming:
Alexandra Sizemore,
Children's Medical Center Dallas
Dallas/Ft. Worth:
Colleen St. Clair, All Saints Health Foundation
Past
Presidents:
Sheri Lazare
Ali McLane, Kintera, Inc.
David VanLone, American Heart
Association, National Center
Left to right: Ali McLane,
David VanLone, Alexandra Sizemore, Paulette Butterworth, Beverly
Lyles, Will Elliott,
Jennifer Shimp-Bowerman, Andrea Heitz, Colleen St. Clair, Michel
Hudson, and Jada Garrison.
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Helpful Resource - Puget Sound Grantwriters
Association
 For
those of you involved in grantwriting, or if you just want to know
more about writing grant proposals, this site's FAQs section can
provide some much-needed answers.
http://www.grantwriters.org/grantwriters/faq-main
Some of the questions included in their Grantwriter FAQs:
-
How can I research
corporate grants?
-
How can I become a
freelancer?
-
How can I improve my
writing style?
-
How do I start my new job?
-
How do I establish a
grants program?
-
What about government
grants?
-
Where can I find
international grants?
-
What should a contract
include?
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Job Announcements
For job announcements, please visit our Website at
www.APRASW.org/job.html.
People on the Move
If you have news to share, send it to
Michel Hudson, APRA-SW
Communications Chair.
The
following APRA-SW people recently changed positions.
Congratulations!
 Dr.
Bruce Willson, Jr., Vice President/President-Elect of APRA-SW, has
joined the United Way team as the Executive Director of the United Way
of Northwest Louisiana. Previously, he was the Assistant Dean for
Development at Louisiana Tech University.
Larry
Clark joined the American Heart Association’s National Center as a
Prospect Research Consultant in March of 2008. Mr. Clark’s previous
experience in prospect research includes work as a Prospect Research
Associate at Ohio Wesleyan University and as the Director of Prospect
Research at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to his
experience in prospect research, Mr. Clark has previously worked in
corporate marketing as well as project management. Mr. Clark will
support the American Heart Association’s Major Gift program around the
country and will be based at the American Heart Association’s
Affiliate in Columbus, Ohio.
Dan
Grzenia has joined the American Heart Association as a research
consultant. He joins the organization's National headquarters in
Dallas, helping to grow the AHA's major gifts program and providing
research support to their affiliate offices nationwide. Dan previously
worked as a researcher at Southern Methodist University for more than
seven year where he oversaw multiple research projects, including
their annual parent screening process.
 David
VanLone has accepted the position of Senior Vice President of
Donor Relations for the Great Rivers Affiliate of the American Heart
Association. He will manage the Major Gifts operations for this five
state region, which includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia,
Ohio, and Kentucky. A founder of APRA-SW and a former president of
both APRA-TX and APRA-SW, David will resign his position as a current
board member for APRA-SW in July as he relocates to Philadelphia, PA.
In the past, David directed research for Southern Methodist
University’s $500 million campaign and the $70 million campaign
completed by Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas. David has served as
Development Resources Consultant at the National Center of the
American Heart Association since July 2006. His focus has been the
development of the National Major Gifts Strategic Resources Unit which
helped in the development of the Affiliate Major Gifts Program
nationwide, resulting in 27 outright gifts of six figures or more
across the national organization last year and the execution of the
2007-2008 campaign, already the most successful Major Gifts campaign
in the AHA’s history.
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 Save the Dates
APRA Virtual Seminar Replay: Ready to Launch: A Strategic Planning
Approach to Campaigns
June 6 - July 3, 2008
Presenter: Alison Sommers-Sayre
Time: Download and watch at your convenience
http://www.aprahome.org/Default.aspx?tabid=83
APRA Virtual Seminar Replay:
Supporting Your Organization's Mega Campaign
June 6 - July 3, 2008
Presenter: David Lawson
Time: Download and watch at your convenience
http://www.aprahome.org/Default.aspx?tabid=83
APRA -
Greater Houston Presents. . .Prospect Research: Art
and Science
June 5, 2008 at University of St. Thomas in Houston
$35 APRA - Greater Houston & APRA-SW Members; $55 Non-Member;
Join AGH and attend the conference for $70
Please RSVP by June 1st!
http://www.apragreaterhouston.org/pdf/Workshop_2008_Registration.pdf
MARC 2008 - 10th Anniversary Conference: June 11-13, 2008
at
Bucknell
University.
http://www.aprahome.org/Default.aspx?tabid=650
APRA New Researchers Symposium:
August 20-21, 2008
in
Denver,
Colorado
http://www.aprahome.org/tabid/648/Default.aspx
21st Annual APRA International Conference:
August 20-23,
2008 in
Denver,
Colorado
http://www.aprahome.org/tabid/515/Default.aspx
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