VAFRE upcoming events

2026-2027 Season Pass (Thursday, June 11, 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

VAFRE members can once again purchase a Season Pass to prepay for all of their meetings, either in-person or virtually!

A Season Pass covers either in-person or virtual registration for all regular meetings from September 2026 through June 2027, including the monthly luncheons and the Awards reception.*

The Season Pass allows members the convenience of one annual payment for VAFRE events at a discounted rate:

Just $230.00 for in-person - that's $35 less than paying as you register for each event!
Just $75.00 for the virtual option - a discount of $15 off of the pay-as-you-go rates. Those with a virtual season pass will have the option to upgrade to an in-person registration when they wish to do so for a small fee to cover the costs associated with the in-person event.

Members may also send another staff person in their place if they are unable to attend a meeting (simply contact our offices to register your substitute).

ADDED BONUS: Season Pass holders may register one guest to attend any one regular monthly meeting (excludes Awards luncheon) at no additional charge. That's an additional savings of $30 for the in-person pass and $13 for the virtual pass!

*VAFRE reserves the right to charge Season Pass holders for any additional events that may be scheduled.

Please note: the Season Pass is available to members only. You must be logged in to register for this option.

VAFRE 2026-2027 Professional Partnership Program (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Part ● ner : one that shares

Are you new to fund development or would you like to enhance your professional skill sets? If you answered “YES’ then VAFRE has great news for you!

The Professional Partnership Program (P3), now entering its fourteenth year, offers VAFRE members the opportunity for small groups (the Partners) to meet a minimum of four times with two highly experienced facilitators (the Leaders) between October and June.

The Professional Partnership Program will encourage discussion and comment on job-related concerns of greatest interest to each group as identified by the participant applications. Issues and topics for each session will be solicited in advance and facilitated by the Leaders.

Registrations and all Necessary Documentation should be received by end of day September 4th.

Thank you to our P3 Sponsor

The Concept:

The Professional Partnership Program is an optional supplement to VAFRE’s current and ongoing offerings and is intended to meet the expressed interest of the membership in an initiative that will more formally link the most experienced VAFRE members with those members seeking to learn from their experiences. P3 will offer VAFRE members an annual opportunity to develop more extensive professional skills and understanding through an optional and self-supporting program that will organize small groups (the Partners) which meet periodically with two highly experienced facilitators (the Leaders).

Each group will meet a minimum for 4 times between October 1 and May 31 under the guidance of the Leaders. Additional sessions may be arranged at the discretion of the Leaders. The purpose of each P3 group is to encourage discussion and comment on those job-related concerns of greatest interest to each group. Issues and topics for each session will be solicited in advance and facilitated by the Leaders. Because of the rather informal nature of this program, it is not expected that participation will qualify for accreditation required for the CFRE certificate. The administrative and operational expenses of PPP will be underwritten by a non-refundable annual participation fee paid by Partners; such fees will be paid to VAFRE and will not benefit Leaders, except in providing reimbursement for expenses associated with group sessions.

P3 Organization:

Under the auspices of VAFRE, 2-3 teams of Leaders will be identified and selected. Each team would consist of 2 individuals who are specifically chosen from the VAFRE membership for their demonstrated experience and success in conducting fundraising activities on behalf of at least two (2) recognized non-profit organizations/institutions and have achieved the position of chief advancement officer, that person ultimately responsible for the direction and success of all fundraising activities. Each Leader team will bring relevant experience, including both specific fundraising program direction and management responsibility. The emphasis in selecting Leaders is to favor those who have had extensive front-line (in the trenches) fundraising and management experience.

The Leaders will be responsible to VAFRE for organizing and directing 4 group sessions annually with their assigned Partners. Leaders may exercise their discretion over the time, duration and venue of such sessions, but they will be separate from VAFRE’s established membership meetings. Individual meetings and consultations between Leaders and Participants is solely at the discretion of the Leader, but are not included under the program’s auspices.

P3 Partners will be expected to apply for Program participation annually, with the completion of a short on-line application provided by VAFRE. Such application will detail the applicants’ interests and desired expectations for P3 participation. There will be no more than 8 Partners per team.

Fees:

In consideration of their participation, Partners will pay a non-refundable $75 annual fee (discounted to $50 prior to July 31), payable to VAFRE, to underwrite the administrative and meeting expenses of each group. The fee must be paid in full in advance of the first group session. They will not be charged any additional fees for their participation. P3 Leaders will not be compensated for their service to VAFRE in this capacity, but can secure reimbursement of reasonable meeting expenses.

P3 Graduation Celebration (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

On Tuesday, June 23rd from 4:00 - 6:00 PM we will celebrate a thirteenth successful class of P3 participants and their leaders in a gathering at Special Olympics Virginia.

Please register if you plan to attend this free event. We look forward to celebrating with you!

This event is for P3 participants, leaders, alumni and Board members.

Thanks to our P3 Sponsor!

Brown Bag Lunch: Development Speed Dating (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Our Program

New to development, miss chatting with your development friends, or want to make more connections? Well, have we got the brown bag event for you!

Get to know your fellow fundraisers with this speed-dating-esque session at Shineforth (formerly UMFS) on Tuesday, July 14, from noon to 1:15 p.m. You'll have five minutes with 5-10 random folks for an opportunity to get to know some new peers or reunite and finally plan that coffee with a friend. We promise you'll walk away with even more people to chat with or sit by at regular sessions, and some practice in those cold conversations we all love. Don't forget to bring your lunch (or order a lunch through VAFRE) and your business cards! Register Today!

There is no fee to participate in a Brown Bag luncheon (unless you opt to purchase a box lunch), so bring a friend you think would benefit from becoming a VAFRE member!

Our Schedule

11:30 a.m. Registration begins
12 p.m. Program begins
1:15 p.m. Adjourn

Registration Fees

There is no fee to participate in a Brown Bag luncheon unless you opt to purchase a box lunch (specify your selection during registration).