
About Jeff Bagel, CFRE
Jeff is Managing Principal of eAdvancement Consulting and is a sought-after speaker for conferences, webinars, and symposiums due to his informative and engaging sessions. His extensive experience in providing fundraising counsel leads organizations to maximize their philanthropic potential by providing his clients with:
- A personalized approach specific to their opportunities
- Practical solutions
- Engagement strategies for donors and prospects
- Ways to optimize philanthropy with minimal resources
- The tools and best practices needed for short-and long-term success
- Results that exceed expectations
Jeff’s first book, "Annual Fundraising Plans Made Simple: A Road Map for Community Colleges and Small Development Shops,” was released in the fall of 2016 by CASE Publishing. It has been sold in more than 30 countries and has become a solid resource for fundraising professionals across the globe. His highly anticipated 2nd edition (CASE 2024) provides practical guidance with adaptable resources and:
- Easy to use templates for institutions in any sector and size
- A new chapter and insights from leading practitioners
- Wisdom to guide and inspire work for years to come
Prior to joining eAdvancement Consulting, Jeff was a fundraising practitioner for more than 30 years in the education, arts and cultural, and healthcare sectors. Jeff’s career in leading small development shops includes securing first-time gifts of more than $1 million for three organizations and the successful development and completion of multiple capital campaigns and major gift initiatives.
Jeff believes in supporting and providing leadership to organizations that educate and train fundraising professionals on best practices. Jeff served on the Exam Committee for CFRE International and has been a contributing author for the annual giving module in the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ “Fundamentals of Fundraising Course” Participants Manual, which is distributed worldwide to students enrolled in the program.
Jeff was honored as 2012’s Western New York Fundraising Executive of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and has served as an adjunct faculty member in Canisius University’s Fundamentals of Fundraising program. A graduate of the Executive Leadership Institute at the Center of Philanthropy at Indiana University, Jeff was one of four people nationally selected to serve as a facilitator at the Executive Leadership Institute in 2000.
Jeff is involved in numerous community organizations and activities. He currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors at The Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies and is the Past President of Musicalfare Theatre and Past President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Western New York Chapter. His long history of community service includes serving as a Director on the boards of: The Taste of Buffalo, Meals on Wheels, Crisis Services of WNY, the Erie County Youth Board, the FBI Citizen’s Academy, and Mental Health Advocates of Western New York.
Jeff resides in Williamsville, New York with his wife Maryalice. He’s always excited to talk about philanthropy, rescue dogs, the Buffalo Bills and New York Yankees, the Flintstones, and the magical island of Aruba.
Jeff's book, Annual Fundraising Plans Made Simple
If you are one of the many talented, dedicated people who tend to rush from one urgent deadline to the next, then Jeff Bagel, CFRE has thrown you a lifeline. Jeff makes a compelling case for developing a realistic annual fundraising plan and provides specific practical guidance and templates adaptable to institutions of any size and facing any set of circumstances. Jeff shows how proper planning can optimize your performance and that of your fundraising operation, as well as improve relationships with your supervisor, board members and colleagues. His book, now in its second edition, has become a solid resource for fundraising professional across the globe.
Jeff in Action ...
“Gifts from the Heart” is a television program that aired multiple times on WBBZ TV. Jeff created the concept for “Gifts from the Heart” and also served as a producer of the show. Jeff provided in-studio analysis, discussing both the impact philanthropy has on a community and the ethics of professional fundraising. The program won the New York State Broadcasters Award for Best Community Service Program.
Jeff Bagel, Author: Annual Fundraising Plans Made Simple -- Lemur Studios Presents Episode 008
Jeff explains why it's so important for your organization to have an annual fundraising plan. His best selling book teaches how to get organized and maintain meaningful relationships with donors to your organization.
As a Speaker ...
Ask Jeff to speak at your next conference, retreat or symposium or to develop and present a dynamic and engaging webinar.
Here’s what organizers say about Jeff:
“Jeff regularly speaks on fundraising and alumni relations at both regional and national CASE conferences. He consistently receives high ratings by attendees who specifically appreciate the way he engages his audience, injects humor into his presentations and breaks complex concepts and strategies into step-by-step processes.”
Marc Westenburg
Director, Center for Community College Advancement
CASE
“Jeff was the highest-rated speaker at our 2017 Fundraising Symposium. Due to member interest, we brought him back to kickoff our fall program series.”
Pamela Witter, CFRE
President
AFP, WNY Chapter
"Jeff conducted a webinar for our clients that was great because the attendees walked away understanding clear next steps they could take in order to succeed. We heard from several of the attendees that Jeff’s webinar helped provide a new perspective to their fundraising and annual planning.”
Brooke Grimes
Director of Marketing, AcademicWorks
Here’s what participants say about Jeff:
- “This session was worth the whole cost of the conference”
- “By far the best presentation all week. Jeff provided applicable information that I could take back and adapt and use easily. Awesome presentation skill. Totally engaging. I would have been happy to sit in his classes for three straight days because his information was so valuable.”
- “This was a great session. Jeff was engaging as a presenter and gave solid, takeaway information that can be implemented immediately.”
- “This session was exceptional for its substantive, tangible content. Jeff is a humorous, knowledgeable presenter who covers material thoroughly and is responsive to questions from participants.”
Here’s an audio snippet from a CASE webinar:

Associations and Affiliations
CFRE International certifies experienced fundraising professionals aspiring to the highest standards of ethics, competence and service to the philanthropic sector. Jeff Bagel, CFRE earned his designation in 1999 and was most recently recertified in 2017.
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is one of the world’s largest nonprofit educational associations. It has more than 3,670 members institutions and serves nearly 81,000 professionals. In addition to being a CASE published author, Jeff Bagel, CFRE is also a frequent speaker at CASE conferences and webinars.
The Authors Guild is the nation’s oldest and largest professional organization for writers. Since its beginnings over a century ago, the Authors Guild has served as the collective voice of American Authors. Jeff Bagel, CFRE became eligible for membership and joined the Authors Guild in 2015.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents more than 30,000 members in more than 230 chapters throughout the world, working to advance philanthropy and promote high ethical standards in the fundraising profession. Jeff Bagel, CFRE received the 2012 Fundraising Executive of the Year award from the AFP WNY Chapter. He currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the WNY Chapter and is a frequent speaker at AFP meetings and conferences. In 2017, Jeff was a contributing author for the annual giving module in the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (AFP) “Fundamentals of Fundraising Course” Participants Manual, which is distributed worldwide to students enrolled in the program.