Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Apra Missouri/Kansas Members!
 
 I hope these first few weeks have been a productive start to what promises to be an eventful year. We at Apra Missouri/Kansas have some exciting news to share both about the Board and events/opportunities on the horizon for our members.
 
First let me introduce the newest member of our board, Teri Brickey, who was appointed our Membership Chair/Treasurer in late November. Teri joins us from the Saint Louis Art Museum, adding a much needed arts/culture perspective to our Board, and her experience in Development and Stewardship are already helping us build new and innovative plans to expand our membership.  Currently our membership sits at 52 members, with a goal to expand to over 70 members, allowing more opportunities for networking and sharing knowledge with a diverse and talented group of researchers and managers. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your membership please feel free to reach out to her or myself.
 
When our Board was appointed in July, we knew that we wanted to continue the incredible legacy set by past Board leaders to create meaningful opportunities for our members to seek education, network, ask questions of their peers, and present opportunities where they can make their voices heard on topics affecting small and large shops alike. To do this we’ve worked hard to expand our programming starting with the following events:
 
Apra Missouri/Kansas Winter Social & Trivia Challenge
January 28th, 2020
6:45pm
Join us in St. Louis, Kansas City & Columbia at special locations that offer trivia by Geeks Who Drink. Trivia is FREE and the questions will be the same at all locations, allowing us to "compete" with each other, as well as with local participants. Find out more information here!
 
 
Apra MO/KAN & AFP Event at Wichita State University Campus & Online (Zoom):
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m
Prospecting for Gold: How to Fill Your Pipeline with the Right Prospects
Development operations come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you are a one-person shop or have a team of gift officers, figuring out which potential donors to focus time and energy on can be challenging. In this session, Marissa Todd of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Michelle Brownlee of Children’s Mercy Hospital, both visiting presenters from the Kansas City area, will show you how to use your own database to build a prospect pipeline that leads to meaningful relationships and gifts for your organization. The presenters will also share some of their favorite research resources that they use to help provide insight into the best prospects. You will walk away eager to find those hidden gems who may be your next lifelong benefactor!
Check your emails for more information to come!
 
 
Apra Midwest Conference:
Des Moines, IA
May 7th-8th, 2020
Expanding on the great work done in 2018, we are excited to share that Apra Missouri/Kansas will be a partner of the 2nd Apra Midwest Conference in May 2020 alongside Apra Great Plains and Apra Minnesota. Get inspired by Liz Rejman as she walks us through what it takes to lead from where you stand. Fountain your leadership skills with our book club book, Dare to Lead by Brene Brown. Learn and share knowledge and experiences at each breakout session. Enjoy networking opportunities woven throughout the conference. Make new friends and see the old. Registration just opened this week and we hope to see you in Des Moines!
For more information, check out the Apra Midwest Conference site.
 
Beyond these events, another goal for our chapter in 2020 is to expand opportunities for our members to pursue professional development, especially in shops where budgets make this impossible. Having personally benefited from the 2017 Pat Ives Scholarship, I can attest to the power of professional development and how it helped shape me into the prospect manager I am today. I invite you to apply for the following two scholarships and submit ideas to our programming manager, Michelle Brownlee, about how we might in the future be able to better serve our members’ professional development needs.
 
Pat Ives Scholarship:
To celebrate our pursuit of knowledge and help as many Apra Missouri/Kansas members like you as possible evolve as professionals in our field, we are proud to offer one (1) scholarship to cover the cost of this year’s conference registration (Apra Midwest 2020). For a scholarship recipient traveling at least an hour away, we will cover travel expenses, main conference fee, and one night’s lodging at our preferred hotel; meals and other expenses are paid by attendees.
Criteria

• You must be a current, dues-paying member of the Apra Missouri/Kansas Chapter
• You have fully completed the application
• You have added a brief, typed document stating financial need and ways you and your

institution can benefit from conference attendance

• You have submitted the materials to us by Monday, March 2, 2020.
• Please note that the chapter will give special consideration to researchers from

organizations with limited resources.
 
 
Apra Missouri Kansas Professional Development Scholarship:
To celebrate our pursuit of knowledge and continue to grow professionals in our area, we are proud to award a scholarship to one individual for 2020 so that they may pursue their professional development in prospect management and research. In return, that chosen recipient will need to write a guest blog for the Chapter detailing what they learned from this opportunity.
CRITERIA
• You must be a current, dues-paying member of the Apra Missouri/Kansas Chapter
• You have fully completed the application
• You have added a brief, typed document stating financial need and ways you and your institution can benefit from the opportunity you have chosen
• You have submitted the materials to us by May 15, 2020.
 
Having benefited so greatly from all that Apra Missouri/Kansas has provided over the years, it is an honor and a privilege to serve as your President. It is the hope of myself, and all members of our Board, to make this membership meaningful to you in your career pursuits and to provide you as many opportunities to continue growing and learning as possible. These are trying times for nonprofits and corporations alike and if Apra has taught me one thing, it’s that once you’re a member you’re never alone, no matter how difficult the question, meeting, or spreadsheet. I look forward to connecting with you and making this another fantastic year for Apra Missouri/Kansas.

-Brinkley Smith