Course overview

Improve your writing skills and connect with your audience on a personal level. This course for new copywriters teaches you how prepare compelling communications to engage, inspire and motivate your donors.

Learn to craft copy specifically for breakthrough fundraising in this interactive, supportive workshop delivered online over two half days.

What you'll learn

• The techniques and mechanics of writing effectively
• How to write clearly and concisely with a specific audience in mind
• How to craft letters, emails, headlines and a ‘call to action’
• How to produce compelling copy for fundraising campaigns

Who is this course for?

• Anyone in fundraising who would like to improve their writing techniques to engage with donors and volunteers
• People already working in the not-for-profit sector but are new to copywriting for fundraising
• People who are new to the fundraising sector with little or no knowledge of copywriting techniques

Delivery

2 x 4hr sessions via Zoom.

Meet the facilitator

Read Natalie Khoo's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

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 Essentials 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

This course explores the adoption of AI in charities, focusing on its potential to revolutionise operations, improve efficiency, and deepen relationships with supporters. Drawing on public research and insights into public perceptions of AI, the session will provide a comprehensive understanding of how people view AI’s role in the charity sector. Participants will hear perspectives from a CEO, organisation expert, and fundraisers, gaining valuable insights into real-world applications, public trust, and the ethical implications of AI in charity operations.

What you'll learn

By the end of this session, you will:

• Understand how AI is reshaping operations, supporter engagement, and fundraising strategies within charities
• Gain practical insights from sector leaders on AI adoption in diverse charity contexts
• Be aware of key organisational and ethical considerations

Key topics and speakers

• Overview of AI trends in the charity sector - Karen Armstrong
• Executive insights from a CEO’s perspective - Dale Cleaver - Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
• Panel discussion with charity sector leaders on AI applications - Lyrian Fleming-Parsley - Cancer Council Victoria and Kristina Warne - The Smith Family
• Organisational and ethical implications of AI - Gavin Coopey - More Strategic and Angela Dunbar - Australian Red Cross

Who is this course for?

• Charity leaders, fundraising managers, and professionals
• Individuals interested in applying AI responsibly within their organisations
• Entry to intermediate-level participants looking to enhance their strategic understanding of AI

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom.

Materials

• Case studies on AI applications in the charity sector
• Recommended resources for further exploration

This course won't explore 

In-depth technical tutorials on AI tools

Prerequisite knowledge

Basic knowledge of charity operations, fundraising, or supporter engagement principles

Facilitator bios

Read Karen Armstrong's bio

Read Gavin Coopey's bio

Panel bios

Our experienced panel brings diverse insights from across the sector:

• Dale Cleaver
• Lyrian Fleming-Parsley
• Kristina Warne
• Angela Dunbar

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 1.5 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.

Course overview

From exclusive gala balls to counting steps

Virtual events are one of the forces driving the democratisation of philanthropy, a movement to decolonise fundraising by breaking down traditional barriers and giving everyone a chance to contribute.

The past 15 years have been transformative for digital, social giving and virtual events. This has forced a change in the charity ‘mailbox’ mentality. Moving away from the overreliance on the predictable, traditional Direct Marketing programs – to the more flexible, agile, scalable, and risky landscape of community events in digital.

Digital, social media, P2P platforms, data, tracking cookies, and AI have brought new and extraordinary ways to expand charities’ reach by tapping into supporters’ networks. These new and emerging technologies enhance multi-channel experiences, grow productivity, and connect supporters of similar values with the deep level of involvement only charity events can offer.

This one-day course aims to help charity workers of all seniority improve their virtual events and digital expertise and feel more engaged with this revolutionary change.

What you'll learn

• Understand the basics of Virtual Fundraising via Streaming, social media and P2P.
• Learn the basics and foundations of Digital, Data, User Journeys, Channels and AI in the Virtual Events context.
• Workshop on how Digital Experiences can be used to create memorable moments & level up involvement for existing and new supporters via Virtual Events.
• Learn how digital-first planning, KPI setting, and tracking can help your charity achieve its best for your mission cost-efficiently with virtual events.

Who is this course for?

Entry-level from a Digital and virtual Events knowledge point, all levels of Fundraising and Marketing expertise are welcome to join.

• Charity workers who would like to kick-start their Virtual Events.
• Fundraisers and Marketers of all levels of seniority who would like to skill up in Digital Fundraising for Events.
• Professionals of all areas in Fundraising who would like to become more comfortable with digital channels, data, technology, AI, tracking and digital experiences in the context of Virtual Events.

Delivery

1 x 6hr session 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

Read Maisa Lopes Gomes bio (PDF).

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 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

This comprehensive program delivered as 2 x 4hr sessions is designed to equip you with a deep understanding of data privacy regulations and the processes and practices that help ensure compliance and reduce risk, covering key aspects of privacy, including the Privacy Act in Australia and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the European Union. It also delves into data management processes and practices aimed at minimising privacy risks and ensuring compliance with data protection laws. By the end of this course, you will be well-prepared to navigate the complex landscape of data privacy, safeguard sensitive information, and adopt best practices for data management in an increasingly interconnected world.

Why is this important?

In 2023, the government responded to the review of the Privacy Act, flagging changes that would impact all organisations that collect, store, and use personal information. Driving the change is an overwhelming desire for individuals to have greater control over their information. In a recent survey 83% wanted more control and choice over how their personal information is collected and used. With recent high-profile data breaches in our sector, it has never been more important to understand the privacy regulations and how best to comply.

What you'll learn

Session 1 – Understanding the regulations

• Defining personal & sensitive information
• Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• California Consumer Privacy Act
• Notifiable data breach scheme
• Proposed changes to the Privacy Act

Session 2 – Complying with regulation

• Mapping flow of personal information
• Data governance & classification
• Privacy impact assessments
• Simple approach to security
• Privacy Policy & notifications
• Staff training
• Privacy Data Management framework

Who is this for?

Anyone who needs to understand the regulations governing the use of personal information and how to minimise the risk of a breach of those regulations, but who is not necessarily a data 'technician'.

• Executive leaders who need to understand the potential risks
• Data managers responsible for protecting personal information
• Operations team using and managing personal information
• IT teams responsible for preventing unwanted access to personal information

Delivery

2 x 4hr sessions via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Read Richard Harris's bio (PDF).

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 Data-Privacy for Fundraisers 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 3.0 Ethical conduct.

Course overview

This practical and engaging course is designed specifically for fundraising leaders navigating the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. Learn how AI is being used in donor engagement, campaign planning, and supporter services, and build the confidence to assess and govern AI tools responsibly. Through real-life examples, governance templates, and a clear, non-technical framework, participants will gain the ability to ensure their use of AI is ethical, privacy-compliant and aligned with donor trust principles

Discover how to confidently and ethically use AI in your fundraising work. This hands-on course gives you real-life tools to evaluate AI tools, safeguard donor trust and develop a governance model that fits your organisation. Learn how to unlock the power of AI—safely.

Course aim

The course aims to give fundraising professionals the knowledge and tools to confidently evaluate, implement and oversee AI tools in their operations. By demystifying AI and grounding it in Australian best practice frameworks, participants will leave with a practical checklist, risk assessment model and implementation plan that can be used immediately to enhance donor trust, data safety and organisational impact.

What you’ll learn

• Identify the different types of AI used in fundraising (embedded AI, generative AI, predictive AI)
• Evaluate potential use cases and their associated risks and benefits
• Apply ethical and legal frameworks including privacy and bias mitigation principles
• Use a simplified AI risk assessment tool to make go/no-go decisions
• Create an implementation plan for AI adoption or oversight in their organisation
• Define key governance roles, policy needs and post-deployment monitoring strategies

Targeted skills

1. AI use case evaluation
2. Risk and ethical decision-making
3. Governance planning
4. Privacy awareness in data-driven tools
5. Responsible adoption of digital technologies
6. Social Media Marketing

Participant level

Entry - Intermediate

Who is this course for?

Fundraising directors, marketing managers, advancement managers, and senior fundraising staff working in charities and non-profits who are exploring or already using AI tools in donor engagement, campaign optimisation or supporter communications.

Prerequisite knowledge

Participants should have basic familiarity with fundraising operations and digital tools (e.g. CRM, campaign software). Prior exposure to AI (such as using ChatGPT or CRM-based AI features) is helpful but not required.

This session won’t explore

• This course will not teach participants how to build AI systems or cover technical topics such as model development, coding or engineering.
• It does not provide legal advice.

Delivery

2 x 4hr sessions via Zoom

Meet the facilitator

Read Richard Harris's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

1. 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 Data-Privacy for Fundraisers is applicable for up to 2.5 continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code

FIA Code of Conduct Integration

• Section 2.0 Compliance: Covers privacy, data governance and compliance with AI ethics principles
• Section 3.0 Ethical Conduct: Focuses on fairness, transparency and accountability in the use of AI
• Section 4.0 Conduct Towards Donors: Emphasises protection of donor rights, consent and data use boundaries
• Section 5.0 Conduct Towards Beneficiaries: Addresses equitable service delivery using AI tools
• Section 6.0 Supplier Relationships: Includes criteria for ethical vendor and tool selection

Course overview

Building on the foundations of donor journey mapping, this advanced program takes a deeper dive into designing, testing, and optimising donor journeys for long-term fundraising success. Through an interactive, face-to-face workshop, participants will work on their own donor journeys—focusing on acquisition or retention/engagement strategies—and collaborate with peers to refine and validate their approaches. A dedicated session on audience segmentation and donor insights ensures participants build journeys grounded in data and donor understanding.

Level up your donor journey mapping in this advanced face-to-face workshop. Gain skills in segmentation and donor insights, work on your own acquisition or retention journey, and collaborate with peers to create strategies you can apply immediately.

Course aim

Equip fundraisers and marketers with advanced tools to refine and enhance donor journeys. Participants will gain the confidence to assess their current approaches, identify gaps, and design more impactful, data-informed journeys that improve donor retention and campaign outcomes.

What you’ll learn

• Analyse and critique existing donor journeys to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Apply audience segmentation techniques and donor insights to inform journey design.
• Map donor experiences across multiple touchpoints with a focus on acquisition or retention/engagement.
• Integrate multi-channel strategies into donor journeys.
• Test, evaluate, and refine donor journeys using peer feedback and performance metrics.
• Translate donor insights into actionable strategies for fundraising and marketing campaigns.

Targeted skills

1. Audience segmentation
2. Donor insights
3. Journey mapping
4. Turning ideas into actions

Participant level

Intermediate–Advanced

Who is this course for?

Fundraising and marketing managers, donor engagement specialists, and fundraisers responsible for donor acquisition, retention, or campaign strategy who already understand the basics of donor journey mapping.

Prerequisite knowledge

Foundational understanding of donor journey mapping (e.g. completion of the introductory FIA Donor Journey Mapping course or equivalent experience).

This session won’t explore

Step-by-step configuration in specific CRMs or marketing automation platforms (platform-specific build and technical setup).

Delivery

In-person. 8-hour (full-day).  Sydney venue to be advised.

Meet the facilitator

Read Mike Zeederberg's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.

You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.

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

CFRE

FIA Code

Full participation in Donor Journey Mapping is applicable for up to 2.5 continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

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. 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

If you are a more experienced marketer or a UX professional, this course is also for you. There are generally a number of key insights you get through the course, and it helps validate your current knowledge and round out what is often on-the-job experience. 

Delivery

2 x 4hr sessions via Zoom.

This course won't explore

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.

Meet the facilitator

Read Mike Zeederberg's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.

You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.

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

This course aims to enable fundraisers to understand the regulatory environment in which you 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 4hr sessions via Zoom.

Meet the facilitator

Read Heiko Plange-Korndoerfer's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.

You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.

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

CFRE

Full participation in Navigating the Fundraising Regulatory Environment is applicable for up to 7.0 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

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 3hr session via Zoom.

Meet the facilitator

Read Dr Cassandra Chapman's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.

You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.

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 3.0 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

Learn the latest insights from the science of philanthropy and fundraising. Complementing Donor Psychology 101, and covering new and emerging topics, this course will introduce participants to new insights from donor psychology and fundraising research. 

Topics covered will include: 

• Incentives for charitable giving (e.g., matches, rebates, thank you gifts, recognition): Which offers should work and which may backfire 

• Social norms and how they can be leveraged in fundraising appeals 

• The potential and risks of face-to-face fundraising 

• Emotional appeals: When making donors feel either positive emotions (e.g., joy, pride, gratitude) or negative emotions (e.g., sadness, guilt, anger) can promote giving 

The half-way workshop will be interactive. After introducing the latest research on each topic there will be time for group reflection and discussion. Time will also be left at the end for general Q&A.

Course aim

The course aims to introduce key insights from the latest research on fundraising and donor psychology. Participants will leave with a broader range of ideas to help develop their fundraising strategy and creative.

What you’ll learn

• Understand what social norms are and how they can be used in fundraising
• Select from an inventory of potential incentive offers that could be deployed in fundraising appeals
• Consider the use of emotion (whether positive or negative) in fundraising appeals and the common impacts on donor generosity
• Identify images that are most likely to be perceived as promoting perceptions of beneficiary need and strength and know the likely fundraising outcomes of using each

Targeted skills

1. Donor Psychology
2. Strategy
3. Creative development

Participant level

Intermediate

Who is this course for?

The course should be of value to all fundraisers at any point in their career and across most sectors. However, it will be especially relevant to those working in individual giving.

Prerequisite knowledge

None. Donor Psychology 101 is complementary and is not a pre-requisite for attending this course.

This session won’t explore

Topics other than the ones listed.

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom.

Meet the facilitator

Dr Cassandra Chapman’s bio (PDF)

Guidelines for enrolment

Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.

You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.

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

CFRE

FIA Code

FIA Code 4. Conduct towards donors. 

All content is presented in a way that is reflective of these ethical practices, especially conduct toward both donors and beneficiaries. Some content (e.g., on emotional appeals, face-to-face fundraising) engage directly with these topics.

Course Overview

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.

What you'll learn

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.

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.

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.

Delivery

3 x 5hr sessions via Zoom.

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.

Meet the facilitator

Read Martin Paul's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrollment

Make sure you have a login for the FIA Learning Hub. Click "Sign In" or "Forgot Password" if needed.

You can enrol a staff member if they already have a login.

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.

Course overview

If you want to acquire your first digital donors or communicate with your existing donor pool through online mediums to maximise value, then you’re in the right place.

This course is designed for beginners in digital fundraising and will equip you with frameworks to help you progress from idea to delivery of a performing digital campaign. Whether you are looking to develop a digital fundraising program or have already started but are seeing lacklustre results, the team from Digital Ninjas, will help you put the frameworks in place to begin moving your digital fundraising activity towards scale. It covers the different types of campaigns and channels and shows you how to start scaling the results and measuring and reporting campaign performance.

What you'll learn

As somebody who might not have much experience in running digital marketing/fundraising campaigns by the end of this course, you will be able to plan and execute a digital fundraising campaign across a range of fundraising objectives – whether you want to grow your one-off donor base, acquire more regular givers, deliver a peer2peer campaign or generate leads for telefundraising or Gifts in Wills campaigns, whilst being conscious of some of the common pitfalls.

Key topics

• Digital Landscape – we’ll cover some facts and figures to help you build a business case and communicate the digital opportunity internally.
• Tracking & measuring for success – we’ll discuss what and how you need to measure to ensure you’re set up for success.
• Types of digital fundraising campaigns and give you some tips on approaching each type of campaign from a digital perspective.
• Digital Channel selection covers earned, owned, and paid media.
• How to start scaling digital results.
• Planning and scaling your internal digital capacity – when to use agencies, when to build a team.
• Avoiding magpie syndrome – what to do about all the new shiny things and how to prioritise for success.

Who is this course for?

• Fundraisers who are just getting started on developing a digital journey.
• Fundraisers who are new to digital fundraising and marketing.

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom

This course won't explore

• This session won’t cover how to use individual digital media platforms; for example, we won’t cover in-depth training on how to use Google or Facebook Ads.
• Detailed configuration for Google Analytics or platform tracking pixels.

Meet the facilitator

Read the Digital Ninja's bios. (PDF)

Guidelines for enrolment

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 Accelerate Your Digital Fundraising Results 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 4.10 and 4.11 Conduct towards Donors by considering how elements of digital fundraising apply to fundraising.

Course overview

This course will teach you the importance of keeping new donors through strategic initiatives in donor centricity and retention. With more than half of new donors failing to make a second gift, it is imperative that Australian fundraisers focus on this core deficit.

Industry wide, 2022 saw donor retention fall to 42 per cent, the lowest retention rate ever. Bringing in new donors is one of the hardest tasks of fundraising. Typically, a mailing to prospective donors will result in only a 1 or 2 per cent return. Given the difficulty of this task, losing more than half of new givers right off the bat is a travesty. Why is retention so lousy? Because too many fail to properly thank new donors and show them the impact of their gifts. With no evidence that their gifts are appreciated and achieving positive results, it is unsurprising that giving ceases.

This course will look at current retention trends and show how donor-centricity can result in a dramatic improvement. You will learn methods of properly thanking, cultivating and stewarding donors so they are ready to give each time they are asked. You will be involved in collaborative discussions of donor attrition scenarios and recommend concrete steps to help donors feel welcome, appreciated and fulfilled.

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom.

Meet the facilitator

Read John Greenhoe's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

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 Avoiding the Churn & Burn Results is applicable for up to 2.5 continuing education points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

Course overview

Creating an effective data management framework is essential for organisations that now rely on data as their primary asset for fundraising and creating insight to help improve operations.

Poor-quality data and a lack of proper governance can result in poor outcomes and increase risk. Complying with legislation to ensure the organisation can use data while protecting it from risk is an organisational-wide requirement.

This course aims to help those responsible for managing data understand the fundamental components of a data management framework so that they can build a plan that the whole organisation can understand and implement.

What you'll learn

• Understand the key components of a data management framework
• Be able to create a data management plan that the entire organisation can understand
• Be able to identify areas of key risk to the organisation
• The value of data – how data can be used to improve key organisational outcomes:
• Risk – where there is a risk to the organisation for poorly managed data
• Components of a Data Management Framework
• DataOps function
• Low-impact data management

Key Topics

• Data Strategy
• Data Governance
• Data Quality
• Data Operations
• Technology

Delivery

2 x 4hr sessions via Zoom.

This course won't explore

• Specific technologies
• Privacy legislation

Prerequisite

Familiar with everyday uses of data

Meet the facilitator

Read Richard Harris's bio (PDF).

Guidelines for enrolment

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 Building Data Frameworks 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 2.0 Compliance FIA Code 3.0 Ethical Conduct FIA Code 4.0 Conduct towards Donors

Course overview

This course equips fundraising professionals with the tools to confidently attract, secure, and sustain meaningful corporate partnerships. Participants will learn how to identify and engage the right partners, negotiate and manage contracts effectively, and apply best-practice relationship management techniques that drive long-term impact. The course also explores critical decision-making skills, knowing when to say yes or no, and defines the qualities that make a partnership truly successful. By the end, you will walk away with a clear framework for building mutually beneficial relationships that deliver value for both parties.

Course aim

• Enhance knowledge of strategic philanthropy trends and best practices for partnerships, enabling you to make informed decisions
• Develop practical skills in prospecting, partner engagement, storytelling, negotiation, and contract management that can be applied immediately
• Build confidence to approach, pitch, and manage relationships with current and prospective partners.
• Strengthen decision-making by applying clear frameworks to evaluate opportunities and determine when to say yes or no.
• Walk away with a refined organisational value proposition, an ideal partner profile and a personal action plan tailored to their role.
• Make a tangible difference by fostering stronger, more aligned partnerships that increase impact and reduce risk in day-to-day fundraising work.

What you'll learn

• Attract the right partners by positioning their organisation’s unique value and aligning with a partner’s goals.
• Engage partners effectively through storytelling, co-design, and impact-driven conversations.
• Apply relationship management techniques that build trust, deepen engagement, and strengthen long-term collaboration.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with confidence, ensuring clarity, accountability, and mutual benefit.
• Evaluate partnership opportunities and make informed decisions about when to say yes or walk away.
• Define what makes a great partner and use this as a guiding framework in all engagement.

Targeted skills

• Problem-solving for attracting and retaining partnerships
• Active listening, communication and storytelling
• Planning for engagement and negotiation

Who is this course for?

Corporate partnerships professionals with a new or established corporate partnerships program. This course is designed for anyone managing a new or established corporate program, especially those with limited support, such as small teams or no in-house partnership colleagues.

Delivery

2 x 3hr sessions via Zoom.

This course won’t explore

• Organisation specific consulting or deep dives into organisation specific programs.
• In depth prospecting or qualifying processes.
• In depth pitching or proposal templates.

Participant level

 Intermediate

Prerequisite knowledge

Although the principals in this program can be applied to many different relationships in an organisation, ideally participants would come with some experience in corporate partnerships (at least 1 year) and the start of a new corporate partnerships program or an established program.

Meet the facilitator

Read Georgina McKenzie's bio (PDF).

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 Building Powerful Partnerships - Strategic Philanthropy and Relationship Management in Fundraising is applicable for up to 2.25 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:

Acting openly, honestly and with transparency: clearly communicating the purpose, delivery and outcomes for participants, providing pre and post work, designing the program in consultation with other Orange Sky colleagues to ensure holistic best practice is represented Protecting dignity and privacy: For both participants and corporate partnerships highlighted in the course content, all interactions are grounded in respect and choice. Personal stories and images are only shared with full, informed consent. Complying with all legal obligations: ensuring contract or MoU agreement advice is based on anecdotal learnings and is clearly not formal legal advice or guidance of any kind. All participants will be recommended to seek external counsel to ensure clauses and inclusions are correctly represented.

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.

What you'll learn

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

Key topics

• language and definitions of brand strategy
• brand strategy toolkit
• diagnosing areas of weakness and how those impact fundraising

Targeted skills

• influence
• leadership
• communication strategy

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.

Delivery

1 x 3hrs session via Zoom

Materials

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

This course won't explore

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

Meet the facilitator

Read Dan Geaves' bio (PDF).

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 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 4. Conduct towards donors.

Course overview

Fundraising success doesn’t stop at a signed agreement. This course equips you with the knowledge and confidence to manage contracts and partnerships effectively, ensuring strong, sustainable relationships with funders and sponsors.

Through case studies and practical tools, you will learn how to negotiate, manage risk, and maintain trust so that both parties benefit from the relationship.

You will walk away with practical skills in reading, negotiating, and managing contracts, as well as strategies to nurture and grow funder and partner relationships. The program emphasises building confidence and clarity in managing the “business side” of fundraising, helping participants protect their organisation, deliver on obligations, and maximise long-term impact.

What you'll learn

• Recognise common risks in fundraising partnerships and know how to mitigate them.
• Negotiate contract terms that align with organisational capacity and strategy.
• Implement systems for tracking deliverables and compliance.
• Strengthen relationships with funders and sponsors through proactive communication and reporting.

Targeted skills

• Contract literacy and negotiation
• Risk management
• Compliance tracking
• Relationship management
• Stakeholder communication

Who is this course for?

Fundraising managers, executives, partnerships managers, and nonprofit staff responsible for negotiating or managing funding agreements. This may be specific to grants, partnerships or sponsorships.

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom.

This course won’t explore:

• In-depth legal drafting of contracts – this is not a substitute for legal advice
• Non-fundraising procurement or commercial supplier contracts
• Technical financial accounting

Participant level

Entry to Intermediate.

Meet the facilitator

Read Caitlin Boucher's bio. (PDF)

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 Contracts and Relationship Management in Fundraising is applicable for up to 1.5 continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code

The course reinforces the FIA Code of Conduct by highlighting compliance (2.0), ethical conduct in partnerships (3.0), responsible stewardship of donor and partner resources (4.0), transparent communication with stakeholders (5.0), and fair conduct in supplier and partner relationships (6.0).

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 7hr session via Zoom.

Meet the facilitator

Read Mary-Anne Plummer's bio. (PDF)

Guidelines for enrolment

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 Impact 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 4.0 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 5.0 Conduct towards Beneficiaries by considering scenarios where this conduct may be challenged, and support attendees to navigate any challenges ethically and appropriately.