Find support, build your community, join an affinity group
You know how valuable it is to connect with peers who work in similar organizations. Say you’re just starting out as an annual fund manager, and think of how helpful it would be to bounce ideas off someone in the same role at another organization, or to learn how a colleague made the leap from annual giving to major gifts.
To help you find support and build your community, we’ve assembled a list of affinity groups across the state.
What’s an affinity group? A group of fellow nonprofit fundraising professionals who meet from time to time to talk about something they share something in common. They might work in the same sector or have the same a job title. They might live in the same region or have insights about a role that’s on your list of career aspirations. Whatever it is you share in common, these are people who relate to the many tactical and strategic challenges you juggle in your work as a fundraiser. These are your people.
AFP Advancement Northwest does not run any of these groups. They are all organized by volunteers in the community. If you are interested in starting your own affinity group, review this guide to get started. Once your group is established contact us for inclusion in the list below.
Group |
Organizer(s) |
Meeting Frequency |
Meeting Location |
| Executive Director Forums Executive Directors in King County |
Kendra Demuth | Quarterly | Pacific Tower, Seattle |
| Snohomish County Nonprofit Network Learning and networking for development professionals in Snohomish County |
Karri Matau | Quarterly | |
| Fundraising for the Arts Task Force Arts and Culture in King County |
Frank Stilwagner Errin Patton |
1st Thursday of each month |
Virtual |
| Skagit Nonprofit Professionals We organize around best practices for nonprofits and are located in Skagit County. Visit our website. |
Maddy MacKenzie | Quarterly | Skagit Publishing community room Mount Vernon |
| Whatcom Nonprofit Network (Formerly Whatcom Council of Nonprofits) Strengthen nonprofits in Whatcom County |
Rachel Myers | Variable | |
| Event Fundraisers Cohort Network for event fundraisers to share ideas and challenges with colleagues in the industry. Connect with us online on Facebook! |
Karina Collins | ||
| APAs in Development Asian Pacific Americans in non-profit fund development |
Mary Ann Midori Goto | Quarterly | None |
| Major Gifts in a Small Shop People who raise major gifts and work in small shops |
Kirk Laughlin | Quarterly | |
| Washington State Arts Alliance Government affairs/public fundraising trends/legislation impacting nonprofits |
Last Friday of each month |
||
| Executive Directors Bag & Brag Luncheons Executive Directors working in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, or Okanogan Counties |
Denise Sorom | ||
| ED Happy Hour Executive Directors in the greater Seattle area |
Vu Le | ||
| Corporate Giving Network (CGN) Educational and professional development group for those focused on corporate giving and sponsorships. Visit our website |
Joy Stephens | Second Thursday of each month with day-long conference in March | |
| King County Executive Director Forum The forums bring together executive director peers to learn from each other. This group is organized by 501 Commons. Free for members, $15 fee for non-members. |
Kendra Demuth | ||
| Puget Sound Consultants Coffee Get to know other consultants supporting nonprofits at the Puget Sound Consultants Coffee. Held every other month, we gather for networking, collaborative conversation, partnership in projects, trends discussion in the industry, so we can build community among us and better serve our clients. And there is coffee. Any freelance or consultants that serve mission-based organizations, of any size, are welcome. |
Kris McRea | Every other month | varies |
NOTE: We do our best to keep this list updated. If you reach out to an affinity group leader and don’t hear back in a timely manner, let us know; that may mean the group is no longer meeting. If you know of any affinity groups that are not listed, email the office and we’ll add it to our list.
We recommend contacting the primary contact for a group to learn more about it before you attend the first meeting. In some cases, group members all share the same job type while others welcome new members who aspire to those positions.
If you are interested in adding an Affinity Group to this list, please contact the office. We’ll reach out if any additional information is needed before posting the group.