IDEA


Dear AFP Community,

The murder of George Floyd is only the most recent in an offensively long line of senseless killings and unjust treatment of people of color in the United States. It is a startling example of the racist backdrop that underlies American society. It is a wake-up call for us to all do better one that is long overdue. The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Charlotte Chapter, stands against racism and the injustices facing people of color.

AFP Global is a professional association that upholds effective and ethical fundraising and represents 30,000 members globally and 350 in the Charlotte region. To date, AFP Charlotte has failed to adequately support and create a culture of equity for people of color. The makeup of our membership and the leadership of our local nonprofits do not reflect the communities we serve.

Many of us likely chose the profession of fundraising to create positive and lasting change in our communities. Those of us who have privilege must acknowledge it; we all must address the lack of equity; we must admit our failure to address institutionalized racism and discriminatory practices. Until we do these things, we cannot make lasting change.

Fundraisers are the connectors between missions, philanthropy and social good in our communities. Ethics should be at the core of fundraising. There is nothing ethical about the passive acceptance of racist and discriminatory policies and practices that prevent equity and cause harm for people of color. As leaders in the nonprofit sector, we must do more.

Today, we promise to put our words to action. We will use our collective voices to unite our profession and the  nonprofits we represent to fight against institutional racism and promote equity. In the coming days, weeks and months we will:

  • Listen, Learn and Educate members about the disparities that pervade every level of society for people of color
  • Promote Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA), which is a key pillar of AFP Global and AFP Charlotte's vision for the organization
  • Actively recruit, remove barriers and cultivate participation from a diverse group of fundraising professionals as members, guests and board members
  • Offer technical support for fundraising best practices for both member and nonmember nonprofit organizations that elevate AFP Charlotte's principles of IDEA

The following resources were presented on July 30th, 2020 during the Diversity Dialogues Event.
         
Implicit Bias