Meet AFP Austin Member Miranda Roberts

Two and half years. There is really so much benefit to being an AFP member if you choose to dive into it. There are so many opportunities you can take advantage of from the sidelines and diving in is where I’ve learned the most. There’s cultivating relationships with other fundraisers and seeing what’s worked and taking it to the table of fundraising. 

Started really a career in the nonprofit world by volunteering in a lot of different organizations and finding what I liked and what I didn’t like – in the process found that I love working around the chronically disabled homeless.

I started volunteering for a certain organization and then applied for a Volunteer Coordinator and took the position. By working closely with the Development Director I realized that everyone is a fundraiser. 

The primary reason is the relationships with other fundraisers and being able to learn about other organizations that are in Austin. Also, being able to see the needs of the community.

I love learning about donors themselves – where they are coming from and understanding the reason for why they give. After the gift is made and understanding the why of the gift, I think that’s how you can create change in the community. 

And to be able to carry that into creating diversity. We are in a pivotal point where diversity is so needed and being able to give my time and the skills that have been instilled in me is how I believe change is created.

• Tell us about your volunteer experience - the role(s) you’ve been involved with.
  
  I started volunteering for Philanthropy Day 2020 on the Communications Committee. I got involved through attending a networking breakfast – Robin Bradford started talking about all the ways you could be involved and they were looking for volunteers that wanted to be involved – knowing my skills and that I’m good at organizing I decided to give my time. Philanthropy Day really opened the door to understanding what being a philanthropist means. 

Communications Co-Chair for the 2021 Philanthropy Day – taking this role stretched me due to COVID and made me more creative and more involved in the community. 

Philanthropy Day has been an amazing space for me to use skills that I have and cultivate them with so many people that are so smart and amazing fundraisers – it’s been more of a professional investment than anything I’ve done in the past. 

Jump in and try it out for a year, there is nothing that you’ll lose from volunteering and there is so much experience to gain from it.

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About the Interviewer:

Sydney Smith
AFP Austin Communications Committee Member
Grants Coordinator, Caritas of Austin