Apra Awards
Apra is proud to recognize industry accomplishments through several awards.
Winners were recognized at Apra's 2020 Annual Business Meeting. View the Apra Past Awards Winners page for a list of previous award recipients.
Please note that current Selection Committee members are not eligible to receive awards.
Apra Scholarship
In support of Apra's goal to promote professional growth, Apra's Scholarship Award ensures accessibility to educational programming by awarding a scholarship to a prospect development professional based on financial need and professional merit. In a
The Apra Scholarship covers the costs of conference registration, accommodation (up to four nights) and travel expenses (not to exceed
Eligibility/Qualification:
- Applicants must demonstrate financial need
- Applicants must work at least 50% of the time in prospect development, prospect management, and/or analytics for a non-profit organization in a non-consulting capacity
- Scholarship winners must wait 10 years before applying again.
The recipient of the 2020 Apra Scholarship is Stephanie Brouwer, Manager of Data and Research, Marian University Indianapolis.
About Stephanie
Stephanie Brouwer currently works at Marian University in Indianapolis as the data and research manager in the advancement office. Stephanie entered the prospect research field in 2013 as a prospect researcher at Valparaiso University in Indianapolis, and also worked for two years as a researcher at United Way of Central Indiana. She joined the Apra Indiana board in 2014 and currently serves as the Apra Indiana Vice President and Treasurer.
Stephanie is also a very active member in the Apra community and has served on the Curriculum Planning Committee, presented several times at Apra PD and currently serves on the Apra Body of Knowledge Committee. Stephanie became a certified Strengths Educator through the Gallup organization in 2010, and recently became recertified as a CliftonStrengths coach. Stephanie has presented to hundreds of individuals in 1:1 and large group settings to allow individuals to expand their understanding of how to apply their strengths.
This award is sponsored by:
Apra Margaret Fuhry Award
Funded by the Apra Foundation
Established in 1998, this award is given to an Apra member who shows a commitment to the prospect development profession based on his or her leadership, mentorship
Eligibility/Qualification:
- Employed in prospect development and/or related fields in a non-consulting capacity
- Apra member
- Volunteered within two years of the submission due date
The recipient of the 2020 Margaret Fuhry award is Amy Turbes, Senior Director, Principal Gifts Operations, Creighton University.
About Amy
Amy Turbes is the senior director of principal gifts operations at Creighton University. She has worked in prospect development at Creighton for almost 15 years and in non-profit fundraising for almost 20. Amy has held fundraising positions at Habitat for Humanity in Tanzania, the YWCA of Boulder County and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. She is proud to call prospect development her career, and is privileged to be a past board member and volunteer with Apra International and Apra Great Plains Chapter.
Amy is currently the President of the Gilbert Swanson Foundation board and very much enjoys seeing the donor side of things. She has currently started a small consulting business that focuses on donor strategy and fundraising coaching.
This award is sponsored by:
Apra Professional of the Year Award
This award was established in 1999 and is open to all Apra members. Formerly known as the Researcher of the Year award, it recognizes an outstanding prospect development professional who has made a significant positive impact on his or her organization's success in fulfilling its mission. The award is intended to recognize the skills, talents
The Apra Professional of the Year award recipient receives a full complimentary conference registration and accommodations.
Eligibility/Qualification:
- Be employed by a nonprofit organization registered with its national governing authority (if in the United States, a 501(c)(3)
- Conducts prospect research and/or relationship management in his/her position at least 50% of the time
- Be an Apra member in good standing
The recipient of the 2020 Professional of the Year award is Anne Dean, Managing Director of Research & Relationship Management, George Washington University.
About Anne
Anne is the managing director of research and relationship management at George Washington University, leading the team that provides prospect research and relationship management services to a division of more than 200. Prior to George Washington University, Anne worked in UC San Diego’s External Affairs and Development Research offices. An industry volunteer, speaker and writer, Anne is currently the membership director for Apra Metro DC and chair of the Online Content Committee for Apra. In 2019, Anne was named an EverTrue 40 under 40.
Anne earned her BA in economics, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and completed a certificate in Work Leadership from UC San Diego.
Apra Distinguished Service Award
Funded by the Apra Foundation
Established in 1990, the Distinguished Service Award honors an individual who has enhanced both the prospect development profession and Apra through exceptional contributions beyond his/her daily paid work. The award takes into account professional competencies (the Apra Skill Sets and the Body of Knowledge) and personal competencies (contributions that facilitate learning and talents that are exceptional). Self-nominations are permitted.
Eligibility/Qualification:
- Apra membership in good standing at the time of nomination
- At least five years of experience in the field of prospect development
Nominees cannot be employees of the award sponsor or current board members of Apra International.
The recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Service award is Sarah Bernstein, Principal Consultant, Philanthrodata.
About Sarah
Sarah Bernstein founded Philanthrodata in 2014 to support nonprofits with fundraising intelligence and information management services, after working in prospect research and database management for organizations in the higher education and social service sectors for 15 years.
Sarah joined Apra in 2000 and the Wisconsin Chapter in 2001. She served as Apra Wisconsin president from 2010-14 and 2017-20, and first joined the chapter board in 2006. She has been a member of the Apra advocacy, chapter and conference planning committees. She has delivered presentations for the Apra Prospect Development Conference, AFP of Southeast Wisconsin, Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee and other local groups. Sarah is also a member of AFP, AASP and Local First Milwaukee.
Earlier in her career, Sarah worked in information technology for Fortune 500 companies and as a consultant. She is a certified teacher and taught high school English for several years. Sarah has a B.A. in Film Studies and M.A. in Art History, both from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and has completed post-graduate studies in English at UWM and Marquette University.
If you have questions about Apra awards, please view our Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact Apra Headquarters.
