Financial Help for Professional Development
The DMFA believes that when any one of us becomes a better fundraiser, it helps lift up our peers as well. That’s why the DMFA Professional Development Fund was created—to help fundraisers, and those starting in fundraising as a career, pursue education by subsidizing some of their costs. With a $10,000 annual funding pool, the DMFA expects to award more than 20 individual stipends each year and applications can be submitted for amounts of $50-$1,000.
Whether it is a one-hour webinar, a full-day seminar, an annual conference, or membership to your favorite fundraising association, the DMFA Professional Development Fund makes fundraising education and enrichment more attainable for fundraisers at every career level.
Interested applicants should read the Professional Development Fund requirements and fill out the online application. Applicants are required to submit a thoughtful description of their specific scholarship needs, and how they expect it will benefit themselves, their organization, and the broader industry.
If you need more information on the DMFA Professional Development Fund, please email [email protected] or call Risa Sudnow, Association Director at 646-675-7314.
DMFA Professional Development Fund Requirements
- Each applicant must submit a complete a professional development fund application on why they are applying.
- Applications must be received 7 days prior to the class, conference, seminar, or membership application date for which the funds will be used.
- Funds can only be applied to membership, the cost of a class, conference, or seminar in support of direct response fundraising. Travel expenses will not be covered. All applicants must be an active DMFA member.
- The value of the grant can range between $50 to $1,000.
- Professional development award checks will be paid in the recipient’s name directly to the organization hosting the class, conference, seminar, or to the membership association.
- Each applicant must show a commitment to a direct response fundraising career.
- Employees of a non-profit organization, students, and non-working professionals are all eligible to apply.
- There is a $1,000 cumulative limit per person and $2,500 per organization based on the DMFA program season July 1 – June 30th.
- Scholarships are non-transferable.
- Winners are required to provide written testimonials to the DMFA on what they learned at the class, conference, or seminar based on the grant provided. This is not required for membership scholarships. Feedback should be submitted no later than one week after attending. Please email this to [email protected].
- The recipient agrees that the DMFA may, without any limitation or further compensation or notice, use his or her name, photo, or written feedback in any and all media for the purpose of advertising and promoting the Professional Development Fund program.
