Are there membership associations for fundraisers

Summary:

There are several; some background about four is in this item.

Tim Mills-Groninger wrote to Nonprofit@rain.org on August 22, 2003:
Roger Peterson asked about associations for fundraisers.

From a personal perspective, I can suggest:

http://www.afpnet.org/ is the primary general fundraising organization.
Previously known as the National Society of Fundraising Executives (NSFRE),
it became the Association of Fundraising Professionals a few years back.
While the annual meeting is worthwhile, most folks view their local chapters
as the make or break member benefit for education and networking. I first
started working with NSFRE in 1985, when I designed a workshop on budgeting
using Lotus 123 release 1A.

http://aprahome.org/, in the spirit of name changes, went from American
Prospect Research Association to Association of Professional Researchers for
Advancement - either way, they're still APRA. I just complete 13 ytears of
occasional involvement by presenting in the advancement services track last
week at their annual meeting. APRA is generally more concerned with getting
the facts right than the narrative side of grantwriting, but the best
grantwriters will understand the importance of professional research. There
is a strong set of local chapters.

http://case.org/ is the Council for Advancement and Support of Education
and, as far as I know, has kept the same name throughout it's history.
Their standards and practices are the most comprehensive and rigorours of
all the professional fundraisng organizations, especially in my field of
advancement services. Alas, I only have a brief history with the regional
meetings, which are quite good.

http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/ is the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana
University. Their symposium "Taking Fundraising Seriously
Philanthropy Across Generations" is taking place right now. They also
operate the fundraising school, with numerous offerings around the country.
I've done a couple project with staff, and have found them to possess a
wonderful balance of adademic rigor in researcha and analysis of trends and
direct hands-on experience with all aspect of giving.