Creating meaningful connections between students and nonprofit leaders is central to Columbia University’s M.S. in Nonprofit Management (NOPM) program. Through partnerships, industry events, and practitioner-led engagement, the program extends learning beyond the classroom and into the broader philanthropic sector.
This past fall, NOPM co-sponsored the AFP LEAD 2025 Conference, an annual gathering hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). The event convenes leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across the nonprofit and philanthropic fields to explore emerging trends and strengthen professional networks.
AFP Global, one of the world’s largest associations of fundraising and development professionals, represents more than 30,000 members in over 240 chapters worldwide. NOPM lecturer Art Taylor was recently installed as AFP’s president and chief executive officer, underscoring the program’s deep ties to leadership in the profession.
Held over three days in Atlanta, Georgia, AFP LEAD 2025 featured an engaging lineup of keynote addresses, interactive workshops, and networking sessions that encouraged attendees to explore the evolving dynamics of philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. The event fostered a collaborative atmosphere in which sector professionals could exchange insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Discussions centered around emerging trends in donor engagement, technological innovation in fundraising, and strategies for building more resilient, inclusive, and adaptive organizations.
As a national platform for leadership, professional development, and cross-sector collaboration in advancing effective fundraising, the event created beneficial connections and networks. Danielle Herring, a student in the NOPM program, represented the program at the conference and engaged in a wide variety of sessions focused on leadership, development, and the evolving landscape of philanthropy.
“I had an excellent time at the AFP Lead Conference,” Herring said. “There were so many outstanding sessions and workshops concerning development, fundraising, major gifts, financial sustainability, and the political landscape directly affecting both philanthropy and the nonprofit space in the U.S.”
Herring attended a range of sessions, including “Advocacy at a Crossroads—What the Big Beautiful Bill Means for the Future of Fundraising (and Philanthropy)” and “Social Impact Design.”
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and elevate my ability to bring these critical strategies, frameworks, and design elements to my work that—challenging me to evaluate my own impact within the sector,” Herring said.
The NOPM program is proud to support events like the AFP LEAD conference, which connect students and professionals with innovative, dynamic ideas and collaborative networks, and provide transformative tools for shaping the future of the nonprofit sector.
About the Program
Columbia University’s M.S. in Nonprofit Management prepares graduates for leadership roles within mission-driven organizations in a wide variety of contexts, including global and community nonprofits, foundations, education, healthcare, the arts, or as fundraising and development experts.
Learn more about the program here. The program is available part-time, full-time, on-campus, and online.
