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

2 x half-days 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

Bringing together the principles of customer journeys, learn the theory behind donor journeys and how they can be used to drive great fundraising outcomes. You will create your own bespoke journey for your donors and participate in the hands-on construction of a donor journey, working in groups to create an assumptive donor journey map in class.

The course is designed to provide insights and value to beginners and more seasoned practitioners, starting with the basics of what customer journeys are and why we use them and then progressing rapidly to hands-on workshops where participants apply the knowledge immediately against scenarios. We regularly get more experienced marketers and even UX professionals on the course, and the feedback has been really positive from these people – whilst not all the material is new, there are generally a number of key insights they get through the course, and it helps validate their current knowledge and round out what is often on-the-job experience. The feedback on the course is very positive, no matter the starting skill level, indicating that it seems to provide value across the board. Where participants have already existing journeys, we often discuss those and provide insights on how those can be improved and evolved to the next level. 

What you’ll learn

• Why donor journeys have become so important
• Why you need to develop them for your donors
• How to run a customer journey for your donors
• Techniques for understanding your donors and creating the journeys
• How journeys can be used to determine marketing, digital and fundraising strategy

Who is this course for?

• Fundraising and marketing managers
• Fundraising event organisers
• Gifts in Wills donor managers
• Fundraisers responsible for donor engagement, retention and acquisition

What the course won't cover

• Whilst the course will discuss the implementation of communications frameworks into marketing systems based on a detailed understanding of the donor journey, it does not explicitly go through the implementation of marketing automations and engagement sequences at granular level within a CRM given the wide variance of technology capabilities and platforms utilised by fundraisers

Delivery

2 x half-days via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Mike Zeederberg'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 Journey Mapping 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 Conduct towards Donors by considering scenarios where this conduct may be challenged and discuss how to navigate any challenges in ethical and appropriate ways.

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.

Course Overview

Fundraisers interact with a diverse range of people, including those experiencing vulnerability due to various personal, financial, or social circumstances. Ethical fundraising practices require sensitivity, awareness, and adherence to best practices that ensure donors in vulnerable circumstances are treated with dignity and respect.

Familiarise yourself with factors that contribute to vulnerability, recognise potential vulnerability and learn a range of best-practice approaches to responding to a donor experiencing vulnerability.  Explore ways to manage vulnerability so that you can raise and manage a donor’s gift ethically and transparently.

This training module explores the practical skills needed to recognise, respond to, and comply with ethical standards when engaging with individuals in vulnerable circumstances. By aligning with the FIA Code and best-practice guidelines, fundraisers will be empowered to conduct their work transparently and ethically, fostering public trust and ensuring sustainable donor relationships.

Participants will be provided with a learner guide to help them understand the key learning concepts, take notes, and answer questions to understand, respond to, and manage vulnerability effectively.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the concept of vulnerability and what constitutes vulnerable circumstances

• Identify key drivers of vulnerability and assess their impact on fundraising interactions

• Recognise verbal and non-verbal cues that may indicate a donor is in a vulnerable circumstance

• Apply the FIA Code and relevant practice notes to fundraising scenarios

• Demonstrate appropriate responses to ensure ethical engagement with donors in vulnerable circumstances

• Develop and implement best-practice organisational strategies to support ethical fundraising

Delivery

2 hrs via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Heiko Plange-Korndoerfer'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 Managing Vulnerability is applicable for up to 2.0 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 may be the most important training you will ever participate in as a fundraiser. Understanding the discovery call – getting to know very high-net-worth individuals – is essential to generating transformational gifts for your charity. Research clearly indicates that major gifts methodologies are by far the most effective method of raising funds, but these gifts are not possible without the discovery call. While research also shows that discovery calls are often the most difficult tasks fundraisers face, it doesn’t have to be that way. This short course will define the discovery call and introduce best practices to help charities get to know their largest potential givers. If you would like to dramatically increase your fundraising revenue most effectively, this is the course for you! 

This course is delivered by a presenter from and living in the U.S.

This session covers the following:

1. A step-by-step process through which a discovery call can be conducted. 
   
2. Open forum discussion on a case study and pre-course survey. 
   
3. Review methods to prioritise prospects and determine the next steps following the discovery call. 

Who is this course for?

All fundraisers will benefit. However, those who find time in their schedules for one-on-one meetings with prospects will gain the most. 

While all audiences will benefit, the entry and intermediate levels may find the most useful. This is because entry/intermediate level fundraisers are typically called upon to do the “heavy lifting” in the discovery call process. 

Participants would benefit from understanding the difference between an annual/sustaining gift and a large/major gift.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, you will: 

1. Understand what a discovery call is and what it is not. 

2. Take away recommended step-by-step procedures for conducting the successful discovery call. 

3. Grasp the best methods for initial outreach to set up a meeting with a potential major donor. 

4. Understand ways to prioritise major donor prospects – in other words, who to see first. 

What the session won’t cover

More well-known fundraising methods, including direct mail, face-to-face, events, etc. – we will focus on building personal relationships with our largest potential givers. 

While the session will touch on the topic (prioritising which prospective donors to see), the workshop is not intended as a training on prospect research

Targeted skills 

1. Relationship building through written communication, phone/virtual calls and personal meetings. 

2. Relaxing/being comfortable when starting new relationships. 

Delivery

1 x half-day via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to 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 Mastering the Discovery Call: Opening the Door to Your Largest 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 interactive workshop is a mix of information sharing and practical hands-on activities that takes participants through the fundamentals of a mid-value donor program.  It includes why we need to focus on mid-donors, industry benchmarks and the key steps to a successful program. It also features examples and case studies of programs where mid-value donors have been successfully leveraged via mid-value donor clubs, ‘loosely’ tied funds and matched asks. 

More Strategic will share their research outcomes on what makes these donors different from standard donors and what motivates them.

Who is this course for?

Intermediate to advanced fundraisers ready to move into a new and relatively immature donor market and who want to understand how to set up and drive a best practice program.

Delivery

2 x half-days via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Ruth Wicks'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 Mid-Value Donors – the cream in the Oreo biscuit 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

This course aims to enable fundraisers to understand the regulatory environment in which they operate and to meet all regulatory requirements relevant to fundraising activities at the state and federal levels. Learn to differentiate between legal and ethical responsibilities to build best-practice fundraising programs and activities as well as guidelines for developing an effective compliance program for your charity. 

What you’ll learn 

• understand the Australian regulatory environment for fundraising 
• differentiate and understand various state fundraising requirements for licensing, financial reporting and record-keeping 
• how Australian Consumer Law applies to fundraising 
• the importance of proper data management and donor privacy concerning relevant privacy laws 
• fundamental ethical fundraising principles and apply these to fundraising practice

Who is this course for? 

• fundraisers and fundraising managers  
• charity and fundraising managers managing compliance requirements 
• board directors and general managers who have oversight of fundraising for their organisation 
• voluntary fundraisers and fundraising managers looking after fundraising activities 
  
  

Delivery

2 x half-days via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Heiko Plange-Korndoerfer'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 Navigating the Fundraising Regulatory Environment 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 3.0 Ethical conduct.

Course Overview

Learning outcomes

By the end of the session, you will: 

• Recognise problems in brand communication 
• Identify story types from the BeliefonomicsTM framework that are relevant to your brand and personal brand journey 
• Apply storytelling structure and techniques to your brand and personal brand communication 
• Develop a story bank for realistic scenarios 

Who should attend

Organisation Leaders and senior managers who seek to influence stakeholder decisions.

Delivery

3hrs via Zoom

Meet the facilitators

Click here to read Mark's bio.

Click here to read Kate'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 Storytelling for Impact 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 4.10 and 4.11 Conduct towards Donors by considering how elements of digital fundraising apply to fundraising.

Course Overview

Fri  7, 14, 21 November, 10am-3pm AEDT

Learn how to prepare a 3-year plan to drive sustainable fundraising growth.

This practical, hands-on masterclass will equip you to create an effective fundraising strategy. The session builds on valuable pre-work with interactive tools, group discussion, case studies, research findings and masses of experience to help you confidently craft the outline of your strategy. Working through our 6-step process, we examine the fundraising market, your organisational culture, donor motivations, your fundraising portfolio, how to influence donor behaviour and the enablers of success. The session draws on analysis of the drivers of fundraising success from surveys with over 700 fundraisers, more than 25 years of developing strategies for 100 organisations and acclaimed sessions run at IFC in Asia and Europe.

Who is this course for?

Fundraisers either at entry or intermediate level.

Designed for fundraisers wanting to take their approach to the “next level” this course is designed for anyone with responsibility or interest in developing overall or program specific fundraising strategies.

Ambitious fundraisers aiming to step up to leadership roles.

Those new to the fundraising sector are looking for valuable context and insights from CEOs or board members of organisations with emerging fundraising programs or strategies that need refreshing.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand the strategic planning process and be ready to apply it within your organisation
• Have created an outline plan and identified key issues to address in your fundraising program
• Understand the trends and influences on fundraising in Australia and what that might mean for your organisation
• Have applied key benchmarks to your fundraising program to see where future returns can come from
• Have access to a suite of tools to assist with strategic planning.
  

Key Topics

Understanding the market: political, economic, social, and technological factors influencing fundraising; fundraising trends; and how to assess competitors.

Understand your organisation – fundraising culture (including survey results); ambitions and internal enablers.

Understand your audiences – your need, brand, proposition, and donor motivations for giving to you.

Manage your portfolio – review key drivers and the associated effort and reward for each type of fundraising, including key financial benchmarks and trends.

Influence donor behaviour – the importance of research, nudges and journeys.

Enabling success means creating a culture of innovation, making a case for investment, managing and mitigating risks, knowing what to measure, and understanding how to create synergy.

Course Materials

Pre-work: Top-line benchmarking report. A fundraising success survey will be used to ascertain your fundraising readiness.

Take away: Business canvass with an outline plan and issues.

Content: Evidence-based benchmarks, case studies, examples, and research outcomes.

Delivery

3 x full days via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Click here to read Martin Paul'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 Strategic Planning for Fundraising is applicable for up to 14 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 4.10 and 4.11 Conduct towards Donors.