Course Overview

This workshop is an introduction to attracting major gifts. It explores the key elements of attracting major gifts—identifying, recognising, and connecting with major donors—and how to have a ‘major gifts conversation’. Through a series of practical exercises, you’ll learn how to tailor your approach to major gifts to your organisation.

Who is this course for?

Fundraising Managers/University/Education Development Managers wanting to add another skill to their skillset or hear about another approach to major gift fundraising.

Small non-profit CEOs/Board Members looking to understand what is involved in attracting major gifts.

 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, you will:

• Be able to identify and recognise a major donor for your organisation
• Be able to understand how to craft an approach to connect with a major donor
• Be able to understand how to have a ‘major gift’ conversation
• Be able to identify options for who in your organisation will work with potential major donors
• Have an action plan for implementing how you/your organisation can start to connect with major gift donors
• Understand how to apply the FIA Code of Ethics for your work with major gift donors

What the session won’t cover:

• Setting up and sustaining all aspects of a major gifts program for an organisation

Targeted skills

• How to have a major gifts conversation with a potential donor
• How to write a compelling email to reach out to a potential donor to obtain a meeting (zoom or face-to-face) to have the conversation
• How to identify and recognise potential major gift donors for your organisation
• Understand and apply the FIA Code of Ethics when working with major donors

Delivery

1 x half-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Kate Parson's bio.

Click here to read Abel Orellana's bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

Note: The FIA website provides access to both the Member Portal and the Learning Hub. These have separate logins — your username and password may be different for each.

New Staff Member

Please ask your organisation’s nominated contact to add you to the Member Portal or email members@fia.org.au. Your details will sync within two hours.

To Access the Learning Hub

Once you've been added to the Member Portal, click “Reset Password / New Staff Login” to activate your Learning Hub access.

If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Attracting Major Gifts is applicable for up to 3 continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code
This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 3.0 Ethical conduct.

Course Overview

This course has been designed to give fundraisers the confidence to wade into the murky waters of brand positioning so that they can positively shape a platform for longer-term growth. 

Learn the different ways that charity marketers, fundraisers and communication managers can ensure their for-purpose brand is fit for fundraising. 

From values to tone of voice and value propositions to distinctive assets, this workshop will help you navigate the landscape of brands, branding and brand building so you can protect your charity from positioning strategies and brand development that excludes fundraising managers and charity donors. 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, you will:

• develop a clear understanding of the role (and power) of brand positioning
• understand the language you need to engage senior leadership and communication team colleagues
• learn the practical skills needed to diagnose the gaps in their existing brand toolkit
• develop confidence in your ability to lead positioning conversations and drive brand development projects

What the session won’t cover

Developing your organisation’s brand strategy during the decision will not be feasible.

Who is this course for?

Communications managers looking to enable fundraising growth within their organisation.

Fundraising Managers and leaders looking to expand their influence and /or rile into Communications function.

Materials

Examples of brand work undertaken that is helpful vs unhelpful to fundraising. 

Delivery

1 x half-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here read Dan Geaves' bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

Note: The FIA website provides access to both the Member Portal and the Learning Hub. These have separate logins — your username and password may be different for each.

New Staff Member

Please ask your organisation’s nominated contact to add you to the Member Portal or email members@fia.org.au. Your details will sync within two hours.

To Access the Learning Hub

Once you've been added to the Member Portal, click “Reset Password / New Staff Login” to activate your Learning Hub access.

If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Charity Brand Strategy is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code

This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 4. Conduct towards donors.

Course Overview

Take your copywriting craft to the next level, emphasising fundraising and other direct response campaigns. 

Learn how to write clearly and emotionally to benefit your readers and your mission. You will also learn the real-world practicalities of writing copy to a deadline, for a specific audience and with your organisation's needs and complexities in mind, with the primary focus on direct response communication for appeals and activism campaigns.

What you’ll learn

• Understand how to prioritise information and audience needs
• Know what copy makes an audience respond or turn away 
• Understand the opportunities and restrictions of specific channels (e.g. digital, direct mail, video, outdoor advertising)
• Be better equipped to manage the needs of your organisation's donors, case studies, beneficiaries and internal stakeholders.

Who is this course for?

• Anyone who writes copy and contributes to messaging for fundraising, campaigning or other supporter communications
• Anyone working for a charity, not-for-profit or supplier to the fundraising sector who is responsible for writing copy and communications
• Anyone who’d like to be more confident when briefing or assessing copy provided by other writers.

Delivery

1 x full-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Mary-Anne Plummer's bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

Note: The FIA website provides access to both the Member Portal and the Learning Hub. These have separate logins — your username and password may be different for each.

New Staff Member

Please ask your organisation’s nominated contact to add you to the Member Portal or email members@fia.org.au. Your details will sync within two hours.

To Access the Learning Hub

Once you've been added to the Member Portal, click “Reset Password / New Staff Login” to activate your Learning Hub access.

If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Copywriting for Imact is applicable for up to 7.5 continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code

This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

• FIA Code 4 Conduct towards Donors by examining how communicators in the NFP sector can find themselves challenged to meet their ethical obligations to donors, and the needs of their employers.
• FIA Code 5 Conduct towards Beneficiaries by considering scenarios where this conduct may be challenged, and support attendees to navigate any challenges ethically and appropriately.

Course Overview

Corporate giving is estimated at $5 billion per annum. Would you like a slice of the pie?

Introduction to corporate partnerships. Ideal for fundraising managers or corporate partnership people (managers/ coordinators) with less than 3 years’ experience. This will provide the essential knowledge for making a strong start to partnerships. 

If you’re new to corporate partnerships or building a new program from scratch, learn the essential foundations for success.

Topics

1. What corporates are looking for from a charity partner 

2. The different types of partnership
   

3. How to manage and plan partnership activities 
   

4. Finding the right partners for you 
   

5. Leveraging your internal resources 
   

6. The typical time frames to success 

Learning Outcomes

Delivery

1 x 90 mins via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Linda Garnett and Sharon Dann from Stellar Partnerships bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

Note: The FIA website provides access to both the Member Portal and the Learning Hub. These have separate logins — your username and password may be different for each.

New Staff Member

Please ask your organisation’s nominated contact to add you to the Member Portal or email members@fia.org.au. Your details will sync within two hours.

To Access the Learning Hub

Once you've been added to the Member Portal, click “Reset Password / New Staff Login” to activate your Learning Hub access.

If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Corporate Partnerships 101 - Start Strong is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code
This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 3.0 Ethical conduct.

Course Overview

Today’s hypercompetitive market for charitable giving is more challenging than ever. Facing the daunting obstacle of information overload, how can charities stand out? Only through the creation of a compelling case for support that can be easily understood and communicated.

The case for support is the vital first step in motivating donors to give. Yet too many charities miss the mark when they put forward conflicting and confusing messages about their important work. Many do not take the time to properly and succinctly communicate their mission and fail to clearly show how financial support will support that mission.

In this interactive short course, John Greenhoe will show attendees how to create a great case to serve as a solid base for all fundraising. When completed, the case will explain, in a simple and compelling fashion, what you do, why it is critically important, and how donors can help NOW. Don’t miss this opportunity to cut through the noise and foster unprecedented levels of giving!

Learning Outcomes 

• Understand and be able to assemble a comprehensive fundraising case for support.
• Create “case statements” drawn from the overall case for support to fund specific projects.
• You should be able to use the case for support for various purposes, including website copy, multichannel appeals, and personal solicitations.

Key Topics

• Provide an overview of the essential elements of the case for support.
• Overview of how the case for support is created – who must provide input, research needed, etc.
• There will be an “Assignment” at the end of the first session for participants to create a “mini case” for discussion during the second day.
• Presentation of the production of case statements for individual/project-based fundraising efforts.

What the session won’t cover

Specific fundraising methods (how to write a fundraising letter, conduct a personal solicitation, etc.)

Prerequisite

Understanding how the charitable sector operates and core information about the mission of the charities participants work for.

Targeted Skills

• Writing for the fundraising audience.
• Creating multipurpose messaging that can be used in print, digital and “live” in-person presentations.

Who should attend this course?

Anyone involved in fundraising, including frontline and support personnel. Most suited to entry and intermediate-level participants.

Delivery

1 x half-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read John Greenhoe's bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.  
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Creating the Compelling Case for Support is applicable for up to 5.5 continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code

This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 4.0 Conduct towards Donors

Course Overview

Fundraising Evolution: From Mailboxes to Machine Learning

Chat GPT gave me that line… Well, not quite that line, but it was close!

The art of fundraising remains unchanged. Charities must connect supporters with their mission and be true to their word. Building meaningful relationships with donors will always be crucial.

Ethical and efficient fundraising is still fundamental to engaging with younger and older cohorts of donors.

The revolutionary change is how well charities can blend traditional and new ways of building relationships with their supporters and allies.

Digital, data, tracking cookies and AI have brought new and extraordinary ways to expand a charity’s reach, enhance multi-channel experiences, grow productivity, and connect supporters of similar values around the world. But all these aspects of 'digital' can sound daunting.

This one-day course aims to help fundraisers of all levels and seniority improve their digital expertise and become more engaged with digital fundraising.

The goal is for participants to:

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the basic foundations of Digital, Data, Tracking Cookies, Channels and AI in the Fundraising context.
  
  
• How those can be used to create memorable experiences for your supporters and amplify the impact of their mission.
  
  
• Learn how digital-first planning, KPI setting & tracking can lead your charity to achieve their strategic goals.
  
  
• Workshop ways to enhance your charity’s donor recruitment and retention lifecycle experiences across multiple fundraising programs.

Who is this course for?

At the entry level, from a digital knowledge point of view, all fundraising and marketing expertise levels are welcome to join.

• Charity workers who would like to kick-start their Digital Strategy.

• Fundraisers and marketers of all levels of seniority who would like to increase their skills in digital fundraising.
  
  
• Professionals in all areas of Fundraising who would like to become more comfortable with digital channels, data, technology, AI, tracking, and digital experiences.

Delivery

1 x full-day via Zoom

Online workshop session with digital collaboration whiteboard Miro, using AI tools and working group for ideation.

Please sign up and complete the two-factor authentication with Miro before the course day.

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Maisa Lopes Gomes bio.

Guidelines for enrolment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.  
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Digital Fundraising Essentials is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code
This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 3.0 Ethical conduct.

Course Overview

Learn how to acquire qualified gifts in Wills leads through digital channels. This course will cover formulating the perfect proposition, best practices for audience targeting, and some tips for creative and supporter journeys. You will also put all the theory into practice using Facebook and Google Ads – two of the most popular advertising platforms for digital fundraising. 

What you’ll learn 

• how to acquire gifts in Wills leads through digital channels 
• how to qualify the leads 
• formulating propositions for the target audience 
• using online platforms for digital fundraising 

Who is this course for? 

• people who are new to gifts in Wills fundraising with little or no knowledge of digital fundraising techniques and practice 
• people already working in gift in Wills fundraising but are new to digital lead acquisition 
• people who may be looking to start a digital gift in Wills fundraising program

Won't cover

• detailed digital platform training - Facebook/Google have week-long training courses for this
  
• gifts in Wills basics - you guys are the experts at this

Delivery

1 x half-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Jonathan Dawson, Mitchelle Katsande & Adam Brady's bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.  
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Digital Gifts in Wills is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code
This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 3.0 Ethical conduct.

Course Overview

In this session Dr Cassandra Chapman will introduce you to some of her latest research on the psychology of giving and evidence-based practices for fundraising, including:

·         Charitable Triad Theory: How donors, beneficiaries, and fundraisers all influence donations

·         Donor motivations: Which motivations are most important for giving (to different causes)

·         Identity and giving: How identities and social norms influence people’s charity preferences

·         Localised prosociality: How donors collate their charity portfolios around geographic concerns

·         Rage donations: Giving as a form of collective action

·         The Champion Effect: How fundraisers drive success in peer-to-peer campaigns

There will be an extended Q&A about donor psychology and how you can apply it in your fundraising strategy and campaigns.

Delivery

1 x half-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Dr Cassandra Chapman's bio.

Guidelines for enrolment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.  
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Donor psychology: Evidence-based insights to improve your fundraising is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code
This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 3.0 Ethical conduct.

Course Overview

Regular giving is a fantastic source of consistent, predictable income for your charity. Industry benchmarking reveals that amidst economic uncertainty, regular giving income has been consistent - growing 7% since 2019. 90% of the RG income comes from retained supporters.

Finding and keeping donors requires a combination of data insights, donor psychology and creativity.

This masterclass showcases:

-          How charities recruit regular givers

-          What factors help drive the retention of those new regular givers

-          What donor loyalty is

-          What successful donor retention is built upon

With examples from a range of Australian charities across multiple cause categories) this Masterclass provides practical guidance on how to build a successful regular giving program.

Who is this course for?

Employees with charities, fundraising team members, Regular Giving managers, Individual Giving Managers etc.

Learning Outcomes

In this session you will learn

●        Where Australian charities are finding regular givers

●        The metrics you should be looking at to measure the success of your RG program

●        Why donors stop giving

●        The fundamentals to ensuring donor loyalty

●        How to create a unique supporter experience that delivers

●        How to review your current RG program and offer

Key Topics

●        RG Product development

●        Acquisition of regular givers

●        Donor motivations and needs

●        Donor experience and journeys

●        Strategies and tactics to retain donors

Delivery

3 hrs via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read the bios of Dan Geaves and Jasmine Coronado from Marlin Communications.

Guidelines for enrollment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.  
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Finding and Keeping Regular Givers is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code
This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 4. Conduct towards donors. This masterclass will include strategies and examples of donor experience and ways to communicate with them to retain them and keep them happy and loyal.

Course Overview

Christmas is a great time of year to reach out to your community of supporters and invite them to give. But the best appeals don’t just rely on the season of goodwill. They consider who the right people to target will be, what channels they should use to reach them, and alongside when they will contact them they plan carefully what the right messaging will be.

This short course will step you through the creation of a plan for your Christmas 2025 appeal.

Don’t let compromises inhibit the potential of your next Christmas appeal. Get started on your festive plans early and ensure you can beat all your past records.

In this step-by-step session you will create a plan for your Christmas appeal. By following tips and techniques developed over 20+ years of creating Christmas appeals, you will walk away with:

●        A practical plan for who to target

●        A comms plan including channels and timings

●        A clear idea for the topic of your appeal and how it will influence the appeal proposition

●        Ideas for how to creatively engage the appeal audience

Key Topics

●        Audience segmentation and targeting

●        Donor motivations and needs

●        Storytelling and creativity in appeals

●        Strategies and tactics to improve response rates and average gifts

Learning Outcomes

In this session, you will learn

●        How Australian charities choose the best donors to target

●        Why donors give and how this should shape your approach

●        The fundamental communication touchpoints of an appeal

●        How to get ahead of the game and ensure your appeal is a success

Who is this course for?

Employees with charities, fundraising team members, major gifts managers, gift in Wills program Managers etc.

Delivery

2 x half-days via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Dan Geaves' bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Get Ready for Christmas is applicable for up to 7 continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code

This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

• FIA Code 4.0 Conduct towards donors by informing professional marketers and communicators in the NFP sector about their obligations when writing with the intention to achieve a particular outcome. FIA Code 5.0 Conduct towards Beneficiaries by considering what is acceptable, ethical, and effective copywriting.

Course Overview

 

Understanding the key motivators of prospective major donors is critical to the success of charitable organisations. Unfortunately, what potential benefactors tell us may be different than their actual behavior. So, what are we to do?

In “Inside the Major Donor Mind,” John Greenhoe, MA, CFRE, will provide an overview of how our largest benefactors often think and offer appropriate steps to serve their needs. Through behavioural psychology analysis, the use of best practices and examples from the real world, participants will take away techniques that will help unlock transformational gift opportunities.

 

This session covers the following:

1. Introduction to the Donor Mindset
2. Understanding and Implementing Donor-Centric Strategies
3. Application and Implementation of Plans Based on Donor Behavior Analysis

The course will employ sample donor personas and utilise participant role playing to provide tangible experiences that can be translated into the daily work of fundraisers.

Who is this course for?

The course provides benefits for all fundraisers. However, fundraisers of varying levels of involvement in current major gift work will likely gain the most benefit. The course aims to provide valid and feasible takeaways that can positively improve relations and outcomes with current and prospective major donors. Most attendees will find it helpful to have a basic understanding of the major-gift fundraising process before taking the course.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, you will: 

1. Be able to ask questions that uncover donor motivations.
2. Be able to “listen critically” during donor conversations in order to predict the donor’s future behaviour.
3. Be able to form donor-specific strategies that serve the personal needs of benefactors.

4. Be able to help donors find their true philanthropic purpose through patience, curiosity and flexibility.

What the session won’t cover

Specific fundraising techniques including the conducting of discovery calls and “how to” face to face solicitation methods. A basic understanding of the major gift fundraising process is a suggested pre-requisite for attendees.

Targeted skills 

1. “Soft” skills in relationship building, including donor focused listening.

2. Mastery of question asking to provide clues into a donor’s true motivations.
3. Ability to form strategies, through behavior analysis, that increase the odds of securing transformational gifts.

 

Delivery

1 x half-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read John Greehoe's bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Inside the Major Donor Mind is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

• FIA Code 4.10 and 4.11 Conduct towards Donors.

Overview

How to build a pipeline of prospective Gifts in Wills and then nurture them to create significant income for your charity.

Australia is on the brink of the biggest intergenerational transfer of wealth ever.  This short workshop has been developed to help share insights into how Australian charities build and convert a pipeline of Gifts in Wills prospects.

Leaving a gift in a will is a profound act with the potential to make an enormous impact. This masterclass showcases:

-          How charities position this special opportunity

-          How that relates to donor motivations and perspectives

-          The ways that the interest of prospects is pulled into a pipeline and how those prospects are then nurtured.

With examples from a range of Australian charities across multiple cause categories, this workshop provides practical guidance on how to build a successful Gifts in Wills program.

Learning Outcomes

In this session you will learn:

●        How Australian charities target donors as prospective bequestors

●        Why donors make gifts in their Wills and how this shapes invitations to consider this significant gift

●        The fundamental communication touchpoints of a GIW program

●        The interplay between direct response communications and personal relationship management

Who should attend this course

Employees with charities, fundraising team members, major gifts managers, gift in Wills program Managers etc.

Key Topics

●        GIW program development

●        Targeting prospects

●        Donor motivations and needs

●        Donor experience and journeys

●        Strategies and tactics to convert interest into intention

Delivery

90 mins via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Dan Geaves' bio.

Guidelines for enrollment

1. Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.
2. You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.  
3. If you require assistance, please email training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

Full participation in Google Looker Studio is applicable for up to TBA continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code
This course relates to the following aspects of the FIA Code of Conduct:

FIA Code 3.0 Ethical conduct.