UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Sophie Penney, program coordinator and lecturer in philanthropic leadership in the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts, will be a presenter at the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (AFP) 2016 international conference taking place March 20-22 in Boston.
AFP represents more than 30,000 members worldwide working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs. The association fosters development and growth of fundraising professionals and promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession.
Penney’s educational session — “You Know What This Means? Ruin, Scandal, No Gifts!” — examines types of crises that might affect fundraising and outlines strategies for addressing such crises. Such crises might range from unexpected or difficult leadership transitions, to legal matters, to an economic downturn or other broad changes in the world.
Penney’s presentation employs material from "Fundraising Leadership: Achieving Success" (Liberal Arts 802), a course that she teaches as part of Penn State’s Postbaccalaureate Philanthropic Leadership Certificate Program. The online program, offered through Penn State World Campus, features four courses focusing on fundraising, leadership and communications. A self-designed practicum of up to three credits and the development of an e-portfolio round out the program offerings.
College graduates seeking to enter the fundraising profession or transition from another field into fundraising will benefit from the program. Executive directors who find themselves serving as their organization’s chief or supervising a fundraiser; development or fundraising directors seeking to move up the career ladder; and board members spearheading fundraising activity for nonprofits could also find the program valuable.
“An ever-increasing number of nonprofits in the United States and beyond, heightened expectations of donors, a decreasing number of individuals fully prepared to move into leadership roles, and other dynamics require that those at the helm not only be exceptional frontline fundraisers, but wise and highly skilled leaders as well,” Penney says. “Rising through the fundraising ranks or learning the fundamentals is helpful, but likely will not be sufficient in helping to prepare individuals to become the development leaders of the future.”
Penney adds that she and Raymond Lombra, professor of economics and director of the certificate program, seek to learn the professional goals of each student and help them achieve those goals within the structure of the program.
Email Penney or visit the program’s website to learn more about the philanthropic leadership certificate program.