AHP Pacific Regional News
April 2004

Top 10 Reasons You Should Be an AHP Member Laura W. Rehrmann, CFRE Regional Director

Last year the AHP Pacific Region won four membership awards for our stellar achievements in attracting and retaining members. Bill Littlejohn, AHP Pacific Region membership chair for 2004, has set his sights on an armload of trophies for 2004!

So why are so many turning to AHP membership? Our association is the only one exclusively for health care fundraising executives and health care institutions dedicated to the advancement of health care through philanthropy. As a member you are connected to the latest in fundraising education, collaboration and research. This connection to knowledge, networks and high professional standards helps us individually on our jobs, helps our staffs learn and succeed, and sustains us when the going gets tough.

Following are The Top Ten Reasons for your AHP membership:

Number 10: Scholarships for AHP education to qualified applicants (go the AHP Foundation for information), don't let tight budgets keep you from career advancement.

Number 9: News -- AHP E-Connect newsletter, AHP Journal, and AHP Report on Giving (all the news that fits: short and on line, lengthier journal articles, and important surveys)

Number 8: Legislative Voice-- representation in legislation. (AHP, and its President, Chief Executive Officer Bill McGinly, Ph.D., CAE, have been one of the leading national voices on shaping HIPAA regulations and keeping us informed. Bill's leadership has kept our philanthropic work going forward, something we could have easily lost without AHP's championing of the philanthropic cause)

Number 7: Networks-- online and printed directories (so we can stay in touch locally and nationally)

Number 6: Job Postings-- when we need to search for a job, the AHP Job Center is an important resource for health care fundraisers.

Number 5: Support-- answers for health care fundraising professionals 24/7. (Wow, great, timely, on-call answers).

Number 4: Commitment-- AHP is dedicated exclusively to the health care development professional. (No one knows better the demands on health care fundraisers.)

Number 3: Information and Research-- clearinghouse of philanthropy information. (Go to the AHP Resource Information Center for the articles and curriculum guides you need)

Number 2: Collaboration-- audioconferences, virtual webinars, regional and international meetings, listserves and communities. (Fundraising is a contact sport, and AHP connects us virtually, and actually as we build our careers and profession)

And the number 1 reason to be an AHP Member?

Number 1: Professional Advancement-- programs, services, publications and certification. (Watch for new assistance with your CFRE certification, get help with your Fellows certification, and turn to AHP whenever you have questions, are looking for connections, and want to contribute, and get benefit from, a professional organization, dedicated to the highest standards.)

Please email me if you have advice, questions, comments, rehrmann.l@ghc.org. I look forward to seeing you at the AHP Pacific Region Conference in San Francisco, May 23-25.

Make sure you plan to attend the AHP Pacific Regional Conference in San Francisco, California - May 23-25.

Dear Dr. Devo:

Our donor database frustrates me. Pulling a report, even a simple newsletter mailing list, takes forever and doesn't seem to give me accurate results. In addition to donor and major prospect records we have codes for all of our committee members, lists of potential donors, and others associated with our hospital. I know a lot of the lists are out of date, but it takes a lot of time and effort to keep them accurate. Do you have any ideas for cleaning up the database?

Stymied in Seattle

Dear Stymied:
I love a database full of useful, relevant information. But like my desk, my database tends to attract electronic clutter and needs regular cleaning. By applying a structure for your codes and establishing a maintenance timeline, you can rein in the clutter and keep it under control. Resolve to go slow and steady, tackle bite-sized pieces, and spread the work over time.

First, examine your codes in just one area (don't take on too much - my lists of donor attributes tends to get out of control easily, so I'll use that as my example). Print out the list of all the codes or tables in this section, then look each one over with a cold heart and ask yourself two questions: Do we really need this code? What would happen if we didn't have this code on our records? If you don't use it, lose it.

Second, remove the old codes from records. You can often do this globally, but I often do it manually. That way, if I delete the code and the record has nothing else of interest, I'll delete the record too.

Finally, reorganize your codes into logical categories. I like to have between 10-20 codes per category. For example, one category might be all current board and committee designations, another might be a list of guilds, and so on.

To keep them up-to-date, put the lists on a rotating annual update cycle. By updating a few lists every month, you won't be overwhelmed with the task and in a year you'll have a cleaner, easier-to-use database.

Welcome New Members:

The McKee Medical Center Foundation (Loveland, Colorado) has appointed Julie Johnson Haffner, CFRE, to Executive Director; formerly President of the Community Foundation Serving Greeley and Weld County, Greeley, CO.

The Greater San Fernando Valley Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has elected Gregory A. Silberman, CFRE, as its President. Mr. Silberman, a Certified Fundraising Executive, brings more than 27 years experience in fund development, marketing communications and administration of nonprofit and for-profit health care, human service, performing arts, and educational organizations to lead the organization.

He is Vice President Development of Partners in Care Foundation (www.picf.org), Burbank, California, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the shape of healthcare and social services so they work better for everyone. Partners develops high-impact, innovative models of care and tests, measures, refines, and replicates these innovative programs and services through Partners' direct services to bring efficient health and social services to people and their communities.

The Greater San Fernando Valley Chapter of AFP was in formed in 1993 to bring opportunities for professional growth, motivating training, education, and mentoring to those in the San Fernando, Antelope, Conejo, Santa Clarita, and Simi Valleys who work in the development field.
Prior to joining Partners, Mr. Silberman lead comprehensive giving and grants programs as Director of Corporate, Foundation & Government Giving at Northridge Hospital Foundation (CHW, Northridge Hospital Medical Centers, Roscoe Boulevard and Sherman Way Campuses), Northridge, California, and as Director of Foundation and Corporate Giving for the Foundation for the Junior Blind in Los Angeles. He also has held executive directorship positions at the Pacific Chorale, Irvine, California, and the Oratorio Singers of Charlotte in North Carolina, among other performing arts non-profits.

An accomplished pianist, Mr. Silberman holds his Bachelor with Honors and Masters of Music degrees from the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mr. Silberman is a member, Board of Director of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Greater Los Angeles Chapter (GLAC) and has served as Vice President Professional Development of AFP, Greater San Fernando Valley Chapter. His civic and professional memberships include: Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Southern California Association for Healthcare Development (SCAD), Rotary Club of Los Angeles, Kiwanis Club of Burbank, and Pi Kappa Lambda (National Music Honor Society).

-Information submitted by Betsy Myers, Partners in Communications.

by Gina W. Griesman, Director of Special Gifts for Sun Health Foundation

• Have you had a House Party?

Actually, the question would be better phrased like this…Have you asked your Foundation Board President to host an informational gathering in his or her home to share exciting updates about your organization with friends and neighbors?

Let's face it, identifying prospects sometimes is one of the most challenging part of what we do! And although house parties or prospect parties are not new to the scene, it never hurts to mention the benefits of this enjoyable and beneficial way of identifying donors.

Top tips for successful gatherings:

• Request a current donor, board or committee member to host the gathering
• Viisit the home to gain personal insight about them and their environment
• Print unique invitations that reflect a hobby enjoyed by the host or hostess
• Emphasize the gathering will not include solicitations
• Request the host and hostess to assist in coordinating the invitation list
• Request that the host and hostess make opening and closing remarks for the brief, information-sharing portion of the gathering
• Prepare easy-to-read name tags
• Provide ample time for questions
• Distribute several unique publications or brochures about your organization
• Credit the cost of the hors d'oeuvres toward their total gifting for the year as a gift-in-kind donation
• Initiate personalized follow up with those in attendance, as well as those who were unable to attend. This is the next and very important step in the cultivation process to move these new found friends from prospects to donors!

Above all, ENJOY!!!!!

Have you read the "Ask AHP eFAQs" lately?

This is a great way to get ideas on fundraising, grant makers, career moves and more! Consider printing the advice and suggestions gleaned from this information packed site for future reference!

Just another great reason to join AHP!

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