In 2027, Apra turns 40! As we get ready to celebrate four decades of Apra and the prospect development profession, we’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to tell the story of 40 years. 

 There are, of course, the milestones we can find in Apra’s records: conferences, programs, awards, chapters, Board leadership, partnerships and the many ways our organization has grown and evolved over time. 

 But that’s only part of the story. 

 Apra’s history also lives in the experiences of the people who built this community: the volunteers, colleagues, chapter leaders, mentors and members who shared what they knew, brought people together and helped shape the way we approach our work. 

 And Apra’s story extends far beyond any one chapter, region or country. Colleagues around the world have helped shape both this community and the profession in different ways, and we want those experiences to be part of the history we tell. 

 The two of us have personally experienced only a small part of an organization whose history spans four decades. There are stories we weren’t here for, people whose impact we may not yet know and moments that may never have made it into Apra’s official records. 

 And, as prospect development professionals, we all know there’s nothing we love more than a little research! 

 So, that’s exactly what we’re going to do! 

 The Road to 40 

In the coming months, we’re going to do some digging into Apra’s history and share what we find along the way–the people, communities, moments and ideas that have shaped Apra and our profession over the past four decades. 

We want to hear from past and present leaders, volunteers, mentors, chapters and members, while also looking at how our community–and the tools, technology and ideas behind our work–have changed over time. 

Of course, we’ll do some digging through the archives, too – old photos, publications, conference programs, artifacts and hopefully a few things that we’ve completely forgotten about along the way. 

But we need your help. 

40 Years of ____. 
How would you fill in the blank? 
Connection? Curiosity? Mentorship? Leadership? Friendship? Discovery? 
For four decades, Apra has meant different things to different people. As we travel the Road to 40, we want to hear what Apra has meant to you. 
40 Years of ____. What's your word? 

Instead of a word, perhaps you have a specific memory to share? A person we should talk to? A milestone we shouldn’t miss? A photo, artifact or piece of Apra history we need to see?  

Maybe it was your first Apra conference. A mentor who changed the course of your career. A chapter gathering where you found your professional community. A person whose contributions deserve to be remembered. A moment that changed how you approached the work. Or an old PD conference program, photograph, publication, piece of swag or other artifact you’ve held onto over the years. Big or small, we want to hear it! 

Whether you’ve been part of Apra for decades or found this community recently, your perspective can help us tell a fuller story of how we got here. 

 We invite you to share your words, stories and memories with us. Tell us here: connections@aprahome.org. You can also share on social media using #Apra40.  

Built on Insight. Shaping the Future. 

The Road to 40 isn’t only about looking back. 

This anniversary also gives us an opportunity to think about what comes next. How is our profession changing? What are we learning from one another? And what might prospect development look like 10, 20 or even 40 years from now? 

That connection between where we’ve been and where we’re going is at the heart of our 40th anniversary theme: Built on Insight. Shaping the Future. 

There’s a lot worth celebrating in 40 years of Apra, but there’s also a lot we can learn from that history as we think about where our profession may go next. Throughout our Road to 40, we’ll be doing both: celebrating the people and ideas that brought us here while imagining what the next 40 years might hold for Apra and our profession. 

The Road to 40 belongs to all of us. We hope you’ll help us tell the story.