Volunteer Opportunities

APRA has a number of opportunities for you to serve your profession, hone your skills, network with colleagues and just have more fun. Contact APRA headquarters if you're interested in serving in any of the groups listed below.

Awards Committee
Annual Conference Volunteers
Connections Editorial Committee
Ethics Committee
Nominations Committee
Board of Directors

Awards Committee

The Awards Committee determine the winners of APRA's most prestigious awards each year. The committee is made up of APRA members and past award recipients. Each committee member is responsible for reviewing all applicant nomination forms and ranking each individual based on the award criteria.

The APRA Distinguished Service Award is open to all APRA members and honors an individual who has contributed exceptional service to the advancement research profession above and beyond his or her daily paid work. Read about past winners. The 2008 Award went to Shelby Kloures Radcliffe, Bucknell University.

The APRA Professional of the Year Award is open to all APRA members and recognizes the accomplishments and outstanding skills of an up-and-coming researcher. Nominees for this award must have worked in advancement research for not less than six months and not more than three years. Read about past winners. The 2008 Award went to Keven Thomas, Resurrection Health Care.

The APRA Foundation Margaret Fuhry Grant is open to any member who is employed in advancement research for a nonprofit organization in a non-consulting capacity and who works more than 50 percent of the time as a researcher. Applicants are evaluated on their leadership, mentorship, volunteerism and dedication to the profession. The award is a US $500 stipend to be used for professional development and is not limited to use at the APRA International Conference. Read about past winners.

The APRA Scholarship is a full-conference award that is based on merit and institutional financial need. Applicants must work at least 50 percent of the time in advancement research for a nonprofit organization in a non-consulting capacity. The 2008 Scholarship went to Nathan Holloway, Southern Nazarene University. Read more.

Annual Conference Volunteers

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, get connected and give something back to the profession. Besides that, it’s fun. The APRA International Conference volunteers help to make the conference a success by meeting and greeting attendees, assisting speakers and managing busy information and resource areas. Learn more about APRA International Conference volunteer opportunities.

Connections Editorial Committee

APRA is offering a fantastic opportunity for you to become directly involved in the voice of the research community by serving on APRA’s quarterly newsletter, Connections. Be a part of one of APRA’s most popular member benefits! Share your expertise with the research community by writing an article. Shape the publication to include issues you want to learn about most. Decide what topics are the most pressing in the research community. Suggest new and innovative ideas for the new html format. Increase your networking opportunities by discussing issues and articles with volunteer authors. Share your editing skills. Show APRA what you envision for the new format of Connections and the future it holds!

To participate in Connections, a candidate should have strong writing and communication skills; an interest in exploring many facets of the profession by generating ideas for content and assuming writing responsibilities for assigned articles. Previous writing and/or publishing experience is desired but not required.

The Winter 2008 issue of Connections’ theme will be “Researching in a Down Market.” If you are interested in contributing to this or future issues, please send your cover letter and a writing sample if you have one, to Connections Managing Editor Theresa Wojtalewicz at twijtalewicz@aprahome.org for consideration.

Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee fosters and promotes the ethical development of advancement researchers through education, training and mentoring. Committee members recommend guidelines to the APRA Board that govern the collection, dissemination and use of information for advancement purposes. In addition, the committee provides educational and professional resources to advancement researchers, and works with APRA leadership to ensure compliance with applicable ethics-related guidelines, policies, and statutes. Read more about the APRA Statement of Ethics and the Ethics Committee.

Nominations Committee

Each year, the Nominations Committee solicits nominations for Board candidates from the full APRA membership and develops a slate of candidates. The group also works with staff to provide information about deadlines, updates and details about the voting process to APRA members.

Board of Directors

APRA's Board of Directors comprises 12 members who are committed to leading the organization and setting its future direction. Each director typically serves a three-year term. Officer terms are one year. Candidates must be voting members of APRA in good standing, must have been members in good standing for the 12-month period preceding the nomination, and must have worked at least three years in fundraising research, analytics and/or relationship management before the nomination. Read more about the eligibility criteria.

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