Apra-IL upcoming events

Apra-IL: Post-Apra PD Happy Hour! (Thu, August 13, 2026)

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Attention Illinois colleagues who will be attending this year's edition of the Apra PD conference in Chicago...

Join us at First Draft on Thursday, August 13th from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM for a post-conference day Apra-IL meetup!

This happy hour is open to Apra-IL members and to Illinois-based prospect research professionals who are attending Apra PD26. Drinks and appetizers provided by the Apra-IL board will be on hand. First Draft is just a ten-minute walk away from the Hilton Chicago conference location (see directions below).

Please make sure to register ahead of time so we can have an accurate headcount before the event. We hope to see you there!

Apra-IL Webinar: Abductive Reasoning in Prospect Research - Critical Thinking and the Logic of the Best Guess (Wed, August 26, 2026)

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Apra-IL Webinar: Abductive Reasoning in Prospect Research - Critical Thinking and the Logic of the Best Guess

Abductive reasoning is a form of logic which research and non-profit professionals utilize everyday. Distinct from both deductive and inductive logic, abductive reasoning is also known as the "Logic of the Maybe" and involves forming conclusions from the information and data that is known. It is also the ideal kind of logical reasoning for making new discoveries. Through sharpening your critical thinking and abductive skills, you can bring a brand-new level of value to the conclusions and consultations you provide as a prospect research professional. Through easy to understand, yet fascinating examples, and a surprising amount of humor, this presentation gives you all the tools you need to energize, inform and re-think your approach to prospect research.

Speaker Bios:

Cayden Ferrin: Cayden currently serves as the Director of Prospect Research, Management and Data Analytics at the University of Wyoming Foundation in Laramie, Wyoming. In this role he leads all elements of the Prospect Development Department in supporting the UW Foundation’s fundraising mission in efforts related to Major, Planned, Principal and Leadership Annual Giving. He previously served as the Associate Director of the Department, and as Prospect Research Analyst for the UWF for over 4 years.

Cayden has served with the Apra-Rocky Mountains Chapter Board for nearly 6 years and

currently serves as the Vice President and Programs Directors for the Chapter.

Cayden earned both a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master of Arts in Political Science from

the University of Montana (UM) in 2016, and 2018, respectively. He thoroughly enjoys

opportunities for public speaking and connecting with peers in the Prospect

Development community.

Apra-IL Webinar: Maximizing Strategic Impact with Data & Analytics — Doing More with Less (Wed, September 16, 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Apra-IL Webinar:

Maximizing Strategic Impact with Data & Analytics — Doing More with Less

Philanthropy teams can elevate their prospect development programs by applying a focused, data‑driven approach - even with limited time, staff, or budget. This session walks through how to move from data to insights to strategy to action using tools already available in most development offices. Participants will explore practical methods for prioritizing prospects and portfolios, building lightweight analytics, and partnering with frontline fundraisers to turn information into meaningful results. You will leave with a clear roadmap for maximizing impact while doing more with less.

Learning Objectives

Strategize with simple, scalable methods that support fundraising decision‑making in resource‑limited environments.
Apply a data‑informed lens to convert raw data into actionable insights aligned with organizational mission.

Target Audience

Professionals in prospect development working in small or mid‑sized development teams, particularly those newer to intermediate in their roles. Ideal for teams navigating limited resources, competing priorities, growing expectations, and/or minimal analytics capacity. This session is designed for anyone eager to elevate their prospect development program within a tactical, resource‑savvy framework.

Speaker Bio

Priya Balachandran is a passionate nonprofit professional and strategic researcher with versatile expertise across the social service, education, and healthcare sectors. She is a Senior Researcher and Development Analyst at Northern Illinois Food Bank, where she leads and executes all aspects of prospect development. She has established structured approaches to prospect research, spearheaded the implementation of a new prospect management process, and designed real-time metrics dashboards to enhance philanthropy operations. Priya is an active leader in key philanthropic associations, including a board member of Apra Illinois, an incoming board member and Fundamentals faculty of Apra International, and a board member and vice president of the Continuous Learning Council, Association of Fundraising Professionals Chicago. Priya also serves on the Executive Committee of the Association of Certified Nonprofit Professionals and has played a key role in launching and driving Feeding America’s PhilOps and Prospect Research Community of Practice. She has presented for Apra, AFP, Feeding America Network, and the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, among others.

Apra-IL Fall Symposium 2026 - Save the Date! (Fri, October 02, 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

2026 Apra-IL Fall Symposium - Save the Date!

Friday, October 2, 2026

Art Institute of Chicago, Nichols Trustee Suite

159 E. Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60603

Interested in presenting at our 2026 Symposium? Our 2026 Speaker Application is now open exclusively for Apra-IL members until Monday, June 1st, 2026. The application will then open up to non-members from June 1st until Friday, July 3rd. Got an idea you've been hoping to share with our community? We'd love to have you as part of our program!

Access the speaker application link here.

Apra-IL Webinar: Decision Intelligence - Designing Analytics That Drive Action (Thu, October 22, 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Apra-IL Webinar:

Decision Intelligence - Designing Analytics That Drive Action

Organizations today are richer in data and more advanced in analytics than ever before, yet many of the most important decisions still stall or fail to translate into action. The challenge is rarely a lack of insight. It is the gap between insight and decision-making.

This session introduces a decision-centered framework for analytics that integrates game theory, human-centered design, behavioral science, and prescriptive analytics to better understand how decisions are actually made within organizations. Rather than treating analytics as a purely technical function, we explore it as a system shaped by incentives, trust, interpretation, and organizational behavior.

Attendees will learn how to move beyond descriptive and predictive analytics toward a more complete decision-support model that addresses not only what is likely to happen, but how stakeholders will respond and what should be done next. We will examine how incentives and competing priorities influence behavior (game theory), how design thinking improves trust and usability of insights (human-centered analytics), and how prescriptive analytics and scenario modeling can translate analysis into clear, actionable recommendations.

The session also introduces the concept of a “decision-making stack,” a layered framework that connects data, prediction, behavior, recommendation, and action. Using real-world examples from advancement analytics, we will explore why organizations often fail to act on good ideas and how analytics teams can design systems that reduce friction, clarify choices, and improve decision velocity.

Attendees will leave with practical strategies for building analytics systems that do more than inform. They enable better, faster, and more aligned decisions across their fundraising function.

Speaker Bios:

Palak Vora is the Senior Associate Director of Financial Analytics at the University of Chicago, where she leads the development of forecasting models, performance analytics, and decision-support systems for Advancement. Her work focuses on transforming complex data into actionable insights that help leaders make faster, more informed strategic decisions.

Drawing on expertise in business intelligence and data analytics, Palak develops analytical solutions that enable leaders to make more confident and effective decisions. Her work extends beyond measurement and reporting to creating models and frameworks that clarify trade-offs, anticipate outcomes, and help organizations translate analysis into strategy. Her interests lie in advancing decision support through thoughtful design, practical modeling, and a deep understanding of organizational behavior.

Palak holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Mumbai and both an MBA and an MS in Business Analytics from the University of Illinois Chicago. She is a frequent speaker on advancement analytics and decision intelligence.