Professional development

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Professional Organisations: Advancing Your Fundraising Career

man in black crew neck t shirt sitting beside woman in gray crew neck t shirt

In the dynamic and evolving world of charitable fundraising, staying connected, and continuously learning is essential for professional growth and success. Professional organisation memberships in the charitable fundraising sector offer numerous benefits, including networking opportunities, access to industry insights, professional development resources, and the chance to make a positive impact in the community. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of joining professional organisations in the charitable fundraising sector and how they can propel your fundraising career forward.

I rejoined Fundraising Institute Australia this past week. Doing so makes me part of a collective voice across the sector. I will also renew my CFRE credential at the end of this year.

Benefits of Professional Organisations

  1. Networking Opportunities: Professional organisations provide invaluable networking opportunities within the charity fundraising sector. They bring together like-minded professionals, including experienced fundraisers, industry leaders, and individuals passionate about making a difference. Networking events, conferences, and workshops organized by these organizations allow you to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and establish meaningful relationships. Building a strong professional network not only expands your knowledge base but also opens doors to collaboration, mentorship, and career advancement opportunities.
  2. Access to Industry Insights and Best Practices: Being part of a professional organisation grants you access to the latest trends, research findings, and best practices in the charitable fundraising sector. These organisations often provide publications, webinars, and resources that offer insights into effective fundraising strategies, donor engagement techniques, and innovative approaches to fundraising. By staying informed about industry trends, you can adapt your fundraising efforts, stay ahead of the curve, and achieve better results for the causes you support.
  3. Continuous Learning and Professional Development: Professional organisations in the charitable fundraising sector offer a wealth of professional development opportunities. They organise workshops, seminars, and training programs that help fundraisers enhance their skills, stay updated on emerging practices, and acquire new knowledge. From courses on major gifts and bequests to seminars on digital fundraising and data analytics, these organisations provide a platform for ongoing learning and skill enhancement. Engaging in continuous professional development keeps you abreast of the latest strategies and techniques, making you a more effective and well-rounded fundraiser.
  4. Advocacy and Support: Professional organisations often serve as advocates for the charitable fundraising sector. They actively promote the interests of fundraisers, engage in public policy discussions, and advocate for the importance of philanthropy. By joining these organisations, you contribute to a collective voice that shapes the future of charitable fundraising. Additionally, professional organisations can provide support and guidance in navigating challenges specific to the sector, such as donor stewardship, regulatory compliance, and ethical considerations. Being part of a community that understands your unique challenges and offers support is invaluable in fostering personal and professional growth.
  5. Recognition and Credibility: Membership in a professional organisation demonstrates your commitment to the fundraising profession and showcases your dedication to ethical practices and continuous improvement. It enhances your professional credibility and can be a valuable asset in career advancement. Many professional organisations offer certifications or designations that validate your expertise and set you apart in the job market. Employers often value candidates with active involvement in professional organisations, recognising their commitment to staying current and contributing to the field.

Embrace the opportunity to join a professional organisation, invest in your professional development, and unlock new possibilities in your fundraising journey.

Sharing knowledge

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Maximise conference attendance by sharing your knowledge


Attending a conference can be an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest trends, technologies, and practices in your industry. However, sharing the knowledge you gained with your colleagues can be just as important as attending the conference itself. Here are some tips on how to transfer knowledge gained at a conference to your colleagues in the office.

Sharing knowledge

Ways to share knowledge with colleague

  1. Take detailed notes During the conference
    • Take detailed notes on the topics discussed, ideas shared, and any new tools or strategies presented
    • Be sure to write down the names and contact information of any speakers or industry leaders you meet
    • These notes will be useful when sharing the information with your colleagues and can serve as a reference for future projects
  2. Plan a presentation
    • Once you have returned to the office, plan a presentation to share what you learned with your colleagues
    • This could be a formal presentation or a more informal meeting
    • Consider the most important topics you learned about, and tailor your presentation to your colleagues’ interests and needs
  3. Use visuals
    • To make your presentation more engaging, use visuals such as graphs, images, and videos
    • This will help your colleagues better understand the concepts you are presenting and keep them interested in the topic
  4. Incorporate group discussions
    • After your presentation, encourage your colleagues to discuss the topics you presented
    • This will help them understand the information better and allow them to ask any questions
    • This will also allow you to learn from your colleagues and get their perspectives on the topics discussed
  5. Share resources
    • During your presentation, be sure to share any resources you have gathered during the conference, such as handouts, websites, or contact information
    • This will allow your colleagues to learn more about the topics discussed and explore them further on their own
  6. Follow up
    • After your presentation, follow up with your colleagues to see if they have any questions or need further clarification on any of the topics discussed
    • This will help ensure that the information you presented is fully understood and can be applied in their work

Sharing your knowledge is one way to maximise the investment your organisation made by sending you to the conference. It is also one way to ensure you get permission to attend future professional development opportunities.

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Fundraising conference – maximising your experience

Attending a fundraising conference can be an incredibly valuable experience for anyone in the fundraising profession. With so many talented and experienced individuals in one place, it’s a unique opportunity to network, learn, and grow. It is important you follow some key points to maximise your attendance at any fundraising conference.

Tips for making the most out of a fundraising conference experience

  1. Network, network, network!
    • Take advantage of the opportunity to meet and connect with other fundraisers from across the country
    • Attend networking events, and be sure to bring business cards or another means to exchange contact details with other attendees
  2. Plan ahead
    • Before the conference, research the speakers and sessions to determine which ones will be the most beneficial for your needs and goals
    • Make a schedule and stick to it, so you can make the most of your time at the conference
    • Use the conference app to plan your experience
  3. Participate in sessions
    • Don’t be afraid to ask questions and engage with the speakers and other attendees
    • This is a great opportunity to learn from experienced fundraisers and to get insights and ideas that you can take back to your own organisation
  4. Take notes
    • Keep a notebook with you to jot down important insights and ideas that you hear during sessions
    • This will help you remember what you learned and will give you a reference to look back on after the conference is over
  5. Volunteer
    • Many conferences offer opportunities to volunteer, such as helping with registration or working at the information booth
    • Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, get involved in the conference, and show your support for the organisation
  6. Follow up
    • After the conference, follow up with the people you met and the connections you made
    • Send a quick email or LinkedIn message to reconnect and continue the conversation

Attending a fundraising conference is a valuable investment in your professional development. By taking advantage of the opportunities available and following these tips, you can make the most out of your conference experience and come away with new insights, ideas, and connections that will benefit your fundraising efforts for years to come.

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Stephen Mally offers professional development

Stephen Mally CFRE FFIAThroughout the course of the year, FundraisingForce staff are asked to speak at a large number of conferences and other venues. 2017 is taking shape to be a busy year of presentations to assist people in their professional development. Stephen Mally CFRE FFIA will be making the following planned speaking engagements in 2017 (to date).

Professional Development Appearances

Blackbaud Conference (bbcon)

bbcon is one of Blackbaud’s premier must attend fundraising events of the year. From technology insights and innovation through to a blend of inspiring keynotes, breakout sessions and real life stories. This year’s bbcon promises to be even bigger and better than last year. A unique opportunity to network with your peers, share best practice and meet the industry’s key thought leaders and experts. Register today

  • 22 – 23 August 2017, International Conference Center Sydney

Fundraising Institute Australia Essentials in Fundraising

Fundraising Essentials is the ‘101’ of fundraising – a big picture overview containing practical tools to help get you started. No fundraising course will give you so many of the basic principles in one day. The online version is also designed to be taken in a similar time-frame. Register today

  • 28 April – Brisbane
  • 31 July – Brisbane
  • 9 August – Sydney

Fundraising Institute Australia It Starts with a Plan – a Fundraising strategic plan masterclass

We plan for holidays, plan for the kids’ school year, and we also plan many of our workdays. But most not-for-profits in Australia fail to plan for the next three years. In fact, many not-for-profits don’t plan. Does your organisation lack a fundraising strategic plan? Do you have a plan, which needs new life? Or do you want to know how to prepare a plan? Then this one-day course may be for you! Register today

  • 8 June – Brisbane
  • 14 June – Melbourne
  • 16 June – Sydney
  • 19 July – Canberra

Register today for these, and other, professional development opportunities.

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Abundant professional development opportunities – with Fundraising Institute Australia

Snip20160504_29If you are an Australian fundraiser, there are ample professional development opportunities to satisfy your appetite and to ensure you are on top of current trends. In fact, the choice can be overwhelming.

While there are a variety of opportunities for you to choose from, FundraisingForce suggests you choose Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) as a one-stop shop for professional development. At FIA you may elect to participate in events coordinated locally or participate in courses produced by FIA on a national scale. FIA offers local events, as well as courses in the classroom or online. All angles, styles of learning, and topics are covered with FIA.

Becoming a member of the peak fundraising body also ensures discounted rates to attend all FIA events.

FundraisingForce are pleased to sponsor FIA NSW and a plethora of activity occurring in 2016.

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Abundant professional development opportunities in Australia

Having just attended the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) conference in Melbourne, I am reminded of the abundance of professional development opportunities we have available as fundraisers in this market. Here are a few upcoming conferences and learning opportunities available in Asia-Pacific.

National Conferences

FIA Conference

The FIA Conference happens annually in February or March and attracts more than 800 fundraisers, volunteers, and suppliers. Rich with content and networking opportunities, FIA Conference is the leading conference of its type in Asia Pacific. The 2016 conference offered 8 masterclasses, dozens of sessions across 6 tracks, and a wide range of networking over breakfast, lunch and cocktail receptions. FIA also hold the annual awards gala on the second night of conference. The 2017 Conference is scheduled for 22-24 Feb in the Gold Coast. Mark your schedule today.

Fundraising & Philanthropy Australasia Magazine (F&P)

In Sept or Oct of each year, F&P Magazine offer a conference, which is a two-day conference with rapid and sequential presentations. Rather than a track format, F&P offer everyone the same presenters with all participants gathered in one room. This format ensures you do not miss a single presentation. F&P also offer a host of other conference events throughout the year.

Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)

Focused on higher education, the CASE APAC is said to be the annual signature event in Asia-Pacific for advancement professionals from educational institutions working in alumni relations, fundraising, marketing and communications. This four-day conference is designed to equip delegates with knowledge, resources, best practices and to foster networking among like-minded professionals, exhibitors and sponsors in the educational industry. APAC is scheduled for 11-14 April in Hong Kong.

Fundraising Institute New Zealand (FINZ)

Quite similar to the FIA Conference, FINZ offer New Zealanders with opportunities to hear international and domestic speakers. The FINZ Conference is scheduled for 13-15 April in Auckland.

EducatePlus

There’s something for everyone who works in educational advancement in this Conference. Whether you work on our own, as part of a large team, or as a volunteer on a fundraising committee, this Conference is designed to open your eyes, inspire and guide you.

  • Fundraisers – School/Tertiary
  • Alumni Relations Professionals – School/Tertiary
  • Marketing & Communications Professionals – School/Tertiary
  • Enrolment/Admissions Officers – School
  • Community Engagement Professionals – School/Tertiary
  • Senior Leaders, Board Members and Foundation Committee members – School/Tertiary

The EducatePlus Conference will take place on 7-9 Sept in the Gold Coast.

Blackbaud Conference (BBCON)

Blackbaud have been holding conferences in Australia for a decade now. Many people believe BBCON is Blackbaud solely product focused. This is actually not the case. While one can certainly hear a lot about Blackbaud product at their conference, topics range from management, to fundraising, to data-focused. The Blackbaud Conference is scheduled for 1 and 2 August in Sydney.

Webinars

Webinars are a terrific and cost-effective means to gain knowledge on a topic without having to travel to another city or even leave your office or home. ConnectingUp and FIA offer regular webinars on a variety of topics and presented by international and Australian presenters.

State-based Professional Development

FIA

Each state FIA hold a plethora of professional development sessions. Most states have monthly events, which include breakfasts, lunches or evening networking events. These events are volunteer-driven and offer a wealth of content in 90 minutes.

Special Interest Groups

FIA and other organisations have special interest groups, which are fundraising area focused and offer an opportunity for fundraising specialists to gather to discuss successes and challenges in their area of the sector. Special interest groups focus on: Direct marketing, regular giving, major gifts, bequests, corporate partnerships, trusts and foundations, events, amongst other topic areas. You don’t see a special interest group focused on your focus area? Contact FIA and suggest one is started in your state.

Get out there! There are plenty of fundraising professional development opportunities to absorb and enjoy.

_MG_6056Stephen Mally, FundraisingForce, will be presenting in the following locations in 2016:

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Australia welcomes new Certified Fundraising Executives

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CFRE International announced four new Australians have received their Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential.

Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) have a CFRE Study Group, which meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month, to coach fundraisers through the application and exam process. The CFRE Study Group meets to review text in a “book club” format where participants read text and participants  are assigned to lead the discussion for various chapters. To date, nearly 100% of the participants have passed the exam on the first attempt.

The next CFRE Study Group kicks off on 27 January. If you are interested in participating, sign up by contacting Stephen Mally by email or call (04) 3050 0524.

Congratulations to the newest CFREs from Australia. We are a growing number and will welcome anyone to our study group in the New Year. Make CFRE a personal and professional goal in the New year!

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FIA Conference is fast approaching

Snip20151207_40In a little over a week’s time, fundraisers across Australia will be cleaning up their desks and preparing for the Christmas and New Year’s break. It’s a great time of the year – celebrating the end to a calendar year, preparing to launch plans for the New Year, and getting ready to enjoy about a two week break with friends and family.

There is one more important thing to do before you lock the office door…

…register for Fundraising Institute Australia Conference 2016 in Melbourne, 2-4 March. And, early bird registration closes in three short days. Save yourself and/or your organisation money by taking advantage of the early bird discounts. Reserve your spot at FIAConf2016 to set the platform for your professional development in the New Year.

There is something for everyone at #FIAConf2016 – small shop or large and those new to fundraising or the most seasoned professional. New this year is a scholarship specific to small organisations. Check this site to learn how you may qualify and apply for a conference scholarship.

Don’t start 2016 regretting you did not take a few moments to submit a registration before you left for the holiday break!

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Moving closing plenary at International Fundraising Congress

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I’ve written a lot about the importance of professional development – whether about attending a local seminar with the Fundraising Institute Australia NSW, the @FundInstituteAU conference, Fundraising & Philanthropy Forum, or another of the many terrific webinars, seminars, or conferences available. The fact is, we have an abundance of opportunities to continue our growth in the fundraising profession.

This last week, I had the good fortune to attend The Resource Alliance International Fundraising Congress in the Netherlands. I have heard, for years, about IFC. I am glad I finally took the advice of many to attend.

The IFC is a rich and unique experience. There are participants from dozens and dozens of countries, from a variety of types and sizes of organisations, and staff of all levels of experience. It truly is a melting pot of fundraisers!

You do not attend a conference and expect to walk out with a “masters degree”. I always believe I get value from any conference by picking up two or three nuggets of information and meeting several new people. At IFC, an overwhelming majority of sessions were rich with information. Speakers were of the highest calibre. And, the diverse attendees shared experiences, techniques, and challenges.

One speaker really stands out for me. He is a man named Mark Horvath, founder of a transformative storytelling platform “Invisible People”. Mark was the last presenter at the closing plenary at #IFC2015. Mark has gone through many challenges in life, including being homeless. While homeless, Mark applied his skills to create change for himself and others. He has become a crusader for the homeless and, as he put it, all he had was “a bag of socks, a phone, and a camera”. Mark used his mobile phone camera to record the experiences of other homeless individuals to tell their stories and create awareness and opportunity. Mark has done such a fantastic job telling the stories of the homeless that he has attracted over 23,ooo followers across social media, including Twitter, YouTube and other channels. Mark learned the power of social media and, again, using the only tools he had in his possession.

No one can tell the IFC story better than The Resource Alliance itself. Learn more about The Resource Alliance and the IFC here. Likewise, no one can tell Mark’s story better than Mark himself. Learn more about Mark and Invisible People and the good work Mark is doing to create awareness and change here.

Check out what Mark and Invisible People have done with social media. “People are being fed because I am Twittering”, Mark says. Thank you, Mark. Thank you, Resource Alliance and #IFC2015, for sharing Mark with us!

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How current is your LinkedIn profile?

 

How current is your LinkedIn profile? Do you have more than one profile? Are you two employers behind in terms of your employment history? Is all your information up to date, but you do not post routine updates or maintain contact with others via LinkedIn?

Think all this does not matter? It does.

As a small business owner, I can report that approximately 50% of my business comes via LinkedIn. The other half comes from word of mouth, the FundraisingForce Website, Google searches, and other sources.

Do not discount the importance of LinkedIn even as an employee of a non-profit organisation. Think of the ways LinkedIn is important to your charity and to you as a leading fundraiser:

  • Donors investigate leadership of organisations via LinkedIn. Whether donors are researching staff or board leadership, donors want to know who is involved and what experience those parties bring to your charity.
  • Prospective employers and executive recruiters are using LinkedIn as one of their top means to find new talent.
  • Professional and service organisations research committee members and leaders in order to surface leaders.

SEO Diagram Showing Use Of Keywords Links Titles And TagsEncourage your staff and colleagues to maintain a healthy LinkedIn profile. Ask staff to routinely update the profile in order to maintain a high ranking amongst the massive numbers of LinkedIn profiles. Link other social media accounts to update your LinkedIn profile, as well.
Above all, remember LinkedIn is not a casual social media website such as Facebook. Keep your posts processional and ensure your profile mirrors your professional brand. Adopt a social media policy for your employees and ensure staff adhere to the social media policy.

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