Learning Networks

West Michigan Fundraising Researchers
West Michigan Fundraising Researchers is a newly formed group and open to anyone interested in learning more from each other.  Join via linkedin or contact Kaylen Williams.

AFP Development Professionals Breakfast Group – Grand Rapids, MI
Meets the first Friday of every month at 7:30 am at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown, 310 Pearl St. NW. It is an informal group with breakfast conversation on varied development topics raised by the participants. For more information, please contact Louise “Punky” Edison.

Grant Writer’s Roundtable – Grand Rapids, M
Meets at 12pm on the third Wednesday of the month; location varies. This is an informal lunch group offering practical help and collegial support to attendees. For more information, please contact Steven de Polo by email or (616) 331-6801.

Lakeshore Development Professionals Group – Holland, MI
The Lakeshore Development Professionals Group is now called the Lakeshore Fund Development Learning Circle. This group meets on the third Thursday of even-numbered months from 8:30 – 10:00am at the OAISD. The Learning Circle brings nonprofit Development Professionals together to grow in their skill-set by learning primarily from each other through regular gatherings over a period of time using facilitated round-table discussion and peer-to-peer sharing. For more information, please contact Robin Lane with the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance, robin@lakeshorenonprofits.org.

Women in Development (WID) – Grand Rapids, MI
The Women in Development (WID) group meets at Wolfgang’s Restaurant (1530 Wealthy St SE in Grand Rapids) on the last Thursday of the month from 7:45 to 9am for breakfast, networking and support. There are no dues, no rules and no obligation. You only pay for your own breakfast order. For more information, contact Mary Sumners.

Please contact Mary directly if you have changed your name, employment, address, phone or e-mail address. Mary will be happy to forward a copy of the WID roster for your reference. Mary will also send a monthly reminder of the WID meetings, dates, and locations for your convenience. These meetings are a great way to network and stay connected with the women who know what is happening in the world of development.

WID provides a calendar of fundraising events scheduled throughout the year. Follow WID on Facebook for the latest calendar.

Grand Rapids Raiser’s Edge User Group
We meet up informally in May and November to discuss all things Raiser’s Edge. We cover a variety of topics, such as basic how-to questions, complex troubleshooting, and report management. Email jaime@kennariconsulting.com for more information or to be added to the roster for upcoming meetings.

West Michigan Giftworks User Group
This group meets informally in January and July to discuss implementation techniques and questions about this donor software. We cover the gamut…from introductory topics like basic data entry and settings control, all the way to advanced smartlist analytics. Email jaime@kennariconsulting.com for more information or to be added to the roster for upcoming meetings.