Apra University education is aligned with our four Body of Knowledge domains.
Get started by clicking on one of the circle icons above.

Get Started with Apra University

image

Set Your Preferences

Set your preferences on your profile page to find content perfect for your interests and needs. Instructions for updating can be found on the FAQ page. Your login information to Apra University is the same as the credentials you use for the Apra website.

image

Explore Educational Bundles

Apra has made it easier for you to navigate and determine the best recorded content for your needs by creating education bundles that target your education, from Conference Highlights to Ethics in Action to Wealth Indicators and more.

image

Launch Your Learning

Gain prospect development knowledge, on us! Watch the industry panel “The Next Decade of Philanthropy” recorded at the Prospect Development virtual event in August 2020.

Upcoming Webinars

  • Mapping Strategies for Inclusive Prospect Development - PART I

     Product not yet rated Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 04/28/2021 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

    Prospect Development plays a critical role in fundraising. We see the big picture. We identify not only prospects, but patterns in constituent behavior. We utilize best practices to optimize portfolios and map strategies to enhance quantitative outcomes. But what happens when our best practices create awareness gaps that result in missed opportunity? And how do we respond to the imperative to shift our lenses and expand our repertoires to promote inclusion? We know that diversity, equity and inclusion is a better practice strategy. What may be more elusive is how to apply DEI to prospect development methodologies in tangible ways. This two-part webinar series will provide a step-by-step guide to imbed DEI principles across each of the Body of Knowledge domains. Participants will learn practical tips and tactics that build on industry core competencies to drive inclusive better practices for prospect development.

    Prospect Development plays a critical role in fundraising. We see the big picture. We identify not only prospects, but patterns in constituent behavior. We utilize best practices to optimize portfolios and map strategies to enhance quantitative outcomes. But what happens when our best practices create awareness gaps that result in missed opportunity? And how do we respond to the imperative to shift our lenses and expand our repertoires to promote inclusion?  

    We know that diversity, equity and inclusion is a better practice strategy. What may be more elusive is how to apply DEI to prospect development methodologies in tangible ways. This two-part webinar series will provide a step-by-step guide to imbed DEI principles across each of the Body of Knowledge domains. Participants will learn practical tips and tactics that build on industry core competencies to drive inclusive better practices for prospect development.

    This webinar is worth (1) CFRE point. 

    Chandra Montgomery

    Director, Health Sciences Prospect Development & Co-Chair, University Advancement DEI Council

    University of Southern California

    Chandra Montgomery is a veteran advancement strategist and certified diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) speaker and practitioner. Her background in philanthropy spans academic medicine, higher education, public media, and social services. She currently serves as chair of Apra’s Advocacy Committee and is a member of Apra’s DEI Committee. Additional commitment to Apra includes service as Membership Chair, PD Conference Planning Committee member, Apra VA Board of Directors, Relationship Management Body of Knowledge Committee, and MARC conference volunteer. She is also a member of CASE’s Minority Advancement Institute 2019 Cohort. Chandra has presented on DEI and philanthropy topics for CASE, Apra NY, Apra Carolinas, Apra MN, and Meeting of the Minds West.

    In addition to Apra, she is a member of AASP, CASE, African American Development Officers Network (AADO), Women of Color in Philanthropy (WOC), and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE). Chandra is co-chair of the University Advancement DEI Council at the University of Southern California where she is the director of pipeline and prospect development for Health Sciences. Prior to USC, she led prospect development teams at National Public Radio and Virginia Commonwealth University.

    Chandra holds a BA from Hampton University and is pursuing a master’s degree at USC’s Gould School of Law.

  • How Big Data Changed Your Donors’ Expectations, And What You Need To Do Now

     Product not yet rated Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 05/05/2021 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

    Something changed our donors’ expectations over the last several years, and we as non-profits have been late to react. It's BIG DATA. Facebook, Amazon, and a growing number of successful companies have been able to leverage that data to hyper-personalize how they connect and engage with people. And those people are our donors. Now, our donors are expecting that same type of communication from the non-profits they support. Have you been able to make the pivot? It's critical that you jump on this trend, or you will be left seeming stale and out-of-date to the very people you are trying to engage. Join us as we discuss the changing landscape and expectations of donors and share insights into how you can personalize communication at scale for your organization to meet the changing expectations of your donors and prospects.

    Something changed our donors’ expectations over the last several years, and we as non-profits have been late to react. It's BIG DATA. Facebook, Amazon, and a growing number of successful companies have been able to leverage that data to hyper-personalize how they connect and engage with people. And those people are our donors. Now, our donors are expecting that same type of communication from the non-profits they support. Have you been able to make the pivot? 

    It's critical that you jump on this trend, or you will be left seeming stale and out-of-date to the very people you are trying to engage.  Join us as we discuss the changing landscape and expectations of donors and share insights into how you can personalize communication at scale for your organization to meet the changing expectations of your donors and prospects.

    This webinar is worth (1) CFRE point.

    Dawn Galasso

    Senior Enterprise Account Executive

    iWave

    With nearly a decade in the nonprofit technology space, Dawn specializes in providing her clients with the best and most innovative products available in the everchanging philanthropy space. Her love of all things data has focused her career in analytic technology, including working for WealthEngine for many years. She joined iWave at the beginning of 2020 to share their new state of the art technology that she knows will help her clients understand how to engage and leverage their database to get them to mission success more quickly. After all, what other industry measures success by how many great things we can do to help others and our world?

  • Mapping Strategies for Inclusive Prospect Development - PART II

     Product not yet rated Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 05/12/2021 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

    Prospect Development plays a critical role in fundraising. We see the big picture. We identify not only prospects, but patterns in constituent behavior. We utilize best practices to optimize portfolios and map strategies to enhance quantitative outcomes. But what happens when our best practices create awareness gaps that result in missed opportunity? And how do we respond to the imperative to shift our lenses and expand our repertoires to promote inclusion? We know that diversity, equity and inclusion is a better practice strategy. What may be more elusive is how to apply DEI to prospect development methodologies in tangible ways. This two-part webinar series will provide a step-by-step guide to imbed DEI principles across each of the Body of Knowledge domains. Participants will learn practical tips and tactics that build on industry core competencies to drive inclusive better practices for prospect development.

    Prospect Development plays a critical role in fundraising. We see the big picture. We identify not only prospects, but patterns in constituent behavior. We utilize best practices to optimize portfolios and map strategies to enhance quantitative outcomes. But what happens when our best practices create awareness gaps that result in missed opportunity? And how do we respond to the imperative to shift our lenses and expand our repertoires to promote inclusion?  

    We know that diversity, equity and inclusion is a better practice strategy. What may be more elusive is how to apply DEI to prospect development methodologies in tangible ways. This two-part webinar series will provide a step-by-step guide to imbed DEI principles across each of the Body of Knowledge domains. Participants will learn practical tips and tactics that build on industry core competencies to drive inclusive better practices for prospect development. 

    This webinar is worth (1) CFRE point.

    Chandra Montgomery

    Director, Health Sciences Prospect Development & Co-Chair, University Advancement DEI Council

    University of Southern California

    Chandra Montgomery is a veteran advancement strategist and certified diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) speaker and practitioner. Her background in philanthropy spans academic medicine, higher education, public media, and social services. She currently serves as chair of Apra’s Advocacy Committee and is a member of Apra’s DEI Committee. Additional commitment to Apra includes service as Membership Chair, PD Conference Planning Committee member, Apra VA Board of Directors, Relationship Management Body of Knowledge Committee, and MARC conference volunteer. She is also a member of CASE’s Minority Advancement Institute 2019 Cohort. Chandra has presented on DEI and philanthropy topics for CASE, Apra NY, Apra Carolinas, Apra MN, and Meeting of the Minds West.

    In addition to Apra, she is a member of AASP, CASE, African American Development Officers Network (AADO), Women of Color in Philanthropy (WOC), and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE). Chandra is co-chair of the University Advancement DEI Council at the University of Southern California where she is the director of pipeline and prospect development for Health Sciences. Prior to USC, she led prospect development teams at National Public Radio and Virginia Commonwealth University.

    Chandra holds a BA from Hampton University and is pursuing a master’s degree at USC’s Gould School of Law.

  • Understanding the Impact of Prospect Development

     Product not yet rated Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 05/19/2021 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

    Learn how to identify, develop, and report on significant metrics in prospect research and relationship management to better understand how your work impacts your organization.

    A recent academic study in the UK showed that the majority of prospect development professionals do not measure the impact of their work, nor analyze the contribution that their work has on their organization's bottom line. This leaves prospect research shops unable to report on their contributions to fundraising efficiency and effectiveness, or to highlight and resolve inefficiencies in ways of working. 

    This webinar aims to address this issue by looking at how we can identify, develop, and report on significant metrics in prospect research and relationship management.  We will explore the processes, methods, and techniques for evaluating the impact of our work, starting with an examination of why it is important to identify, track, and report on metrics for prospect development work. We will then look at practical examples of how to get started with devising and setting metrics that link to your organization’s strategic objectives, before exploring some of the common metrics used to track and report on impact, versus activity.


    This webinar is worth (1) CFRE point.

    Helen Brown

    President

    The Helen Brown Group

    Helen is president of The Helen Brown Group LLC, a fundraising intelligence consulting firm based in Watertown, Massachusetts. She is co-author of the book, Prospect Research for Fundraisers; the essential handbook (Wiley). Helen is a past board member and longtime volunteer for both Apra and NEDRA, and a frequent speaker for Apra and its chapters as well as other fundraising professional associations. Helen is Special Advisor on Fundraising to the board of the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester, and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts & Manufactures (RSA) in London. Helen was honored to receive the NEDRA Ann Castle Award for service to the prospect research community in 2006 and the Apra Distinguished Service Award in 2017.

    Catherine Flaatten

    Director of Relationship Management

    The George Washington University

    Catherine is the Director of Research & Relationship Management at The George Washington University. Setting relationship management policy, procedure and protocol at the macro level for the division of Development and Alumni Relations, she works to enable fundraisers to reach new heights of success. Previously, Catherine served as the Manager of Prospect Research at Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in the United States. Prior to that, she worked in prospect research at the BrightFocus Foundation and the National Psoriasis Foundation.

    A regular speaker and author within the local, national, and international prospect development communities, Catherine serves as President of Apra Metro DC, Chair of the Apra Membership Committee, and Chair of the AASP Best Practices in Prospect Development Committee. Residing in Northern Virginia with her partner and their spoiled cat, Catherine spends her free time singing in the Alexandria Choral Society, providing pro bono fundraising consulting to the Alexandria Kinderchoir, and contributing to the DC Liberating Structures working group.

    Catherine holds a BA in International Affairs and an MPH in Maternal and Child Health, both from The George Washington University.

    Nicola Williams

    Acting Head of Fundraising Intelligence

    Cancer Research UK

    Nicola works at Cancer Research UK (CRUK), the world's largest cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research and supporting the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors & nurses. At CRUK Nicola is currently Acting Head of Fundraising Intelligence responsible for prospect research, prospect and donor due diligence, database management, data analytics and performance insight & reporting, 

    Prior to CRUK, Nicola was Research Director at The Factary, a UK-based prospect research and major donor fundraising consultancy working across Europe. Whilst at Factary, she consulted with a wide variety of clients from across the non-profit sector to ensure prospect development was used strategically to meet operational objectives, improve donor retention/relationships and to underpin income generation. She was also the lead consultant on GDPR and data protection. 

    Nicola regularly speaks at events for CASE and RiF and has been a lecturer for the IoF’s Diploma in Fundraising in the UK. She also completed an MA in Philanthropic Studies at the University of Kent in 2018.

  • Feel the Churn! How to Implement Prospect Aging and Accelerate Pipeline Movement

     Product not yet rated Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 06/16/2021 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

    In recognition of the need for more consistent driving of and reporting on prospect movement through the pipeline, the relationship management team at GW developed definitions of and guidelines around key proxy measures to form the concept of “prospect aging.” Together, the combination of these variables provides a holistic picture of the pipeline progress a gift officer's assigned prospects are making, as viewed through the parallel lenses of stage aging and portfolio saturation. This session will describe the process of developing this concept, dive into sample micro and macro level reports, review outcomes to date, and provide attendees with a framework for establishing prospect aging at their own institutions.

    In recognition of the need for more consistent driving of and reporting on prospect movement through the pipeline, the relationship management team at GW developed definitions of and guidelines around key proxy measures to form the concept of “prospect aging.” Together, the combination of these variables provides a holistic picture of the pipeline progress a gift officer's assigned prospects are making, as viewed through the parallel lenses of stage aging and portfolio saturation. This session will describe the process of developing this concept, dive into sample micro and macro level reports, review outcomes to date, and provide attendees with a framework for establishing prospect aging at their own institutions.

    This webinar is worth (1) CFRE point.

    Catherine Flaatten

    Director of Relationship Management

    The George Washington University

    Catherine is the Director of Research & Relationship Management at The George Washington University. Setting relationship management policy, procedure and protocol at the macro level for the division of Development and Alumni Relations, she works to enable fundraisers to reach new heights of success. Previously, Catherine served as the Manager of Prospect Research at Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in the United States. Prior to that, she worked in prospect research at the BrightFocus Foundation and the National Psoriasis Foundation.

    A regular speaker and author within the local, national, and international prospect development communities, Catherine serves as President of Apra Metro DC, Chair of the Apra Membership Committee, and Chair of the AASP Best Practices in Prospect Development Committee. Residing in Northern Virginia with her partner and their spoiled cat, Catherine spends her free time singing in the Alexandria Choral Society, providing pro bono fundraising consulting to the Alexandria Kinderchoir, and contributing to the DC Liberating Structures working group.

    Catherine holds a BA in International Affairs and an MPH in Maternal and Child Health, both from The George Washington University.

Apra members get exclusive pricing on all Apra University content. Not a member?

Join Apra