Who We Are
Equipping People. Strengthening Organizations. Advancing Missions.
Fundraising methods change. Technology changes. Donor expectations change.
But some things don’t.
People still give because they care. They respond to organizations they trust, stories they believe and opportunities to make a difference. And the people representing those organizations need the confidence and skills to build those relationships well.
That’s why the American Fundraising Educational Foundation exists.
We help nonprofit and mission-driven organizations equip the people behind their mission—to communicate more clearly, build stronger relationships and fundraise with greater confidence and purpose.
Founded in a Time of Change
AFEF was established in 2020, when nonprofit organizations suddenly found themselves navigating a fundraising environment unlike anything they had known before.
Events disappeared. Familiar ways of engaging donors became difficult or impossible. Technology moved from optional to essential almost overnight. Organizations everywhere were being told to pivot.
But knowing that change was necessary wasn’t the same as knowing what to do next.
AFEF grew out of the experience of the American Fundraising Foundation (AmFund), which had spent decades working alongside nonprofit organizations and seeing firsthand both the opportunities and the challenges of raising funds.
That experience revealed an important need: Organizations don’t simply need new fundraising opportunities. They need people who knew how to adapt.
AFEF was created as a 501(c)(3) educational organization to help provide that knowledge, confidence and practical guidance.
The circumstances were unusual. The need was not.
What Started as a Response Became a Mission
The pandemic accelerated changes that were already reshaping fundraising. Organizations experimented with virtual and hybrid events. New technologies changed the way donors could be reached. Communication became faster and more automated. New possibilities emerged.
But something else became increasingly clear:
The tools may change. The fundamentals don’t.
- Technology can help an organization reach people. It cannot build trust for them.
- A fundraising strategy can create a plan. It cannot replace a genuine relationship.
- A compelling presentation can explain what an organization does. But people still need to understand why it matters.
- No formula can substitute for people who know their mission, believe in it and can communicate it authentically.
That realization shaped what AFEF has become.
Today, our work extends far beyond helping organizations respond to change. We help them strengthen the human side of fundraising—the purpose, communication, confidence and relationships that make lasting generosity possible.
Practical Education for Real Organizations
We are interested in ideas. But we are even more interested in what happens after the seminar is over.
- Can a board member explain the mission more confidently?
- Can a development professional have a better conversation with a donor?
- Can a leader help the entire organization understand its role in philanthropy?
- Can someone who once dreaded asking for support approach that conversation differently?
- Can an organization turn a first-time donor into a long-term relationship?
That’s the kind of change we’re interested in creating.
Our education is designed to be practical, relevant and usable. The goal isn’t simply for participants to leave knowing more.
The goal is for them to be able to do something better.
We Begin by Listening
No two organizations have the same mission, people, culture, opportunities or challenges. So we don’t begin with a package. We begin with a conversation.
We want to understand where you are, what you’re trying to accomplish and what may be standing in the way.
Sometimes the challenge is obvious. A board needs to become more engaged. A team is uncomfortable asking for support. Donor retention is weak. The organization’s story isn’t connecting.
Other times, the presenting problem isn’t the real problem at all.
That’s why listening matters.
Before recommending a program, we work to understand the organization behind the request. From there, we can develop an educational experience around what your people actually need.
That may include interactive training, organizational assessments, seminars, leadership and board retreats, individual coaching, strategic consulting, keynotes or other customized educational experiences.
Listen first. Understand the need. Then teach what will make a difference.
What Guides Our Work
Purpose Comes Before Technique
Good fundraising requires strategy and skill. But before people can communicate a mission convincingly, they need to understand why it matters.
Purpose gives the work meaning—and gives others a reason to become part of it.
Relationships Matter More Than Transactions
A donation is a transaction. A donor is a person. Strong organizations understand the difference.
Fundraising is ultimately about building relationships with people who choose to invest their time, trust, influence and resources in something they believe matters.
Fundraising Is Bigger Than the Development Department
Not everyone needs to make an ask. But everyone can help advance the mission.
Leaders set the tone. Staff communicate the work. Board members open doors. Volunteers create connections. Donors become advocates.
When people understand the role they can play, fundraising becomes an organizational strength rather than a departmental responsibility.
Education Should Lead to Action
We don’t measure the value of education by the number of slides in a presentation or ideas in a workbook.
We care about what people can do afterward that they couldn’t do—or didn’t feel confident doing—before.
Knowledge matters most when people can put it to work.
We Believe in the People Behind the Mission
Over the years, we’ve seen organizations doing extraordinary work struggle to explain why that work matters.
We’ve met board members who genuinely wanted to help but didn’t know what was expected of them. We’ve seen organizations work tirelessly to acquire new donors while giving too little attention to the people who had already chosen to support them.
And we’ve seen what can happen when people are given the right knowledge, encouragement and practical tools.
They become more confident, communicate more clearly, build better relationships, and become stronger advocates for the organizations they represent.
And ultimately, the mission becomes stronger because the people behind it are stronger.
That is the work AFEF exists to do.
Deborah K. Marshall
President
AFEF is led by Deborah K. Marshall, whose experience spans nonprofit leadership, fundraising, donor development, organizational strategy, education and communications.
Years of working directly with nonprofit professionals, board members, volunteers and donors have shaped her conviction that effective fundraising cannot be reduced to a script or formula.
It begins with understanding purpose. It grows through relationships.
And it becomes sustainable when the people within an organization have the confidence, knowledge and practical skills to carry the mission forward.
Deborah’s approach combines strategic thinking with practical application. Her objective is not simply to introduce an idea, but to help people understand how that idea applies to the real situations they face within their own organizations.
She leads a team of experienced fundraisers, educators and thought leaders committed to helping mission-driven organizations become stronger and more effective.
Your Mission Deserves More Than a Formula
AFEF was founded at a time when organizations had little choice but to change. What we learned has lasted far beyond that moment: When people are better equipped, organizations are better prepared for whatever comes next.
Whatever your cause, whatever your size and wherever you are in your fundraising journey, we begin with respect for the mission that brought your organization into existence.
We’ll listen to where you are. We’ll help you identify what could be stronger. And we’ll work with you to equip your people with knowledge and confidence they can continue using long after our work together is complete.
Your mission matters. Let’s equip the people who make it possible.