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

2 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.

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!

What you'll learn

• 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.

Targeted skills

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

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.

Who should attend this course?

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

This course won't explore

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

Delivery

2 x 3hr sessions via Zoom.

Prerequisite

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

Meet the facilitator

Read John Greenhoe'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 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

Unlock new ways of thinking and overcome fundraising challenges with practical problem-solving tools. This highly interactive course equips fundraisers with creative strategies to tackle real-world issues, from donor engagement to campaign design, helping you shift from “stuck” to “solution-focused.”. 

You will leave with a practical toolkit to approach challenges with confidence, apply creative techniques to fundraising problems, and foster a culture of innovation within your teams.

What you'll learn

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Apply structured problem-solving frameworks to fundraising challenges.
• Use creative thinking methods to generate fresh solutions.
• Confidently test and refine new ideas in a low-risk way.
• Facilitate collaborative brainstorming and solution-finding in their teams.

Targeted skills

Creative thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, decision-making.

Who is this course for?

Fundraising professionals at all levels looking to enhance creativity and problem-solving in their role.

Delivery

2 x 3hr sessions via Zoom.

This course won’t explore

Technical grant-writing, CRM training, or legal/financial compliance.

Participant level

Intermediate, Advanced

Meet the facilitator

Read Rod Matthew'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 Creative Problem Solving in Fundraising Contexts 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:

Promoting ethical leadership and professional development (Section 3.0) Encouraging respectful collaboration and conduct towards colleagues and donors (Sections 4.0 and 6.0) Supporting integrity and accountability in fundraising practice (Section 2.0)

Course overview

Supporter Care teams often speak to more supporters than anyone else in an organisation, yet their role is frequently positioned as reactive or administrative.

This course reframes Supporter Care and relationship roles as strategic drivers of retention, trust and long-term value. It explores what supporters expect, what truly delights them, and how everyday conversations can strengthen loyalty. Drawing on Australian charity case studies and frontline experience, participants will learn how to design proactive engagement moments, improve conversations, and better articulate the measurable value of Supporter Care or Relationship Management actions internally. The session blends strategic thinking with practical application and is suitable for anyone responsible for supporter relationships.

Course aim

To equip charity professionals with the mindset, tools and strategic lens to elevate Supporter Care and relationship management from reactive service to proactive, measurable supporter engagement.

What you’ll learn

• Understand how Supporter Care contributes strategically to retention and supporter experience.
• Identify opportunities to move from reactive service to proactive engagement.
• Apply practical techniques to improve conversations and increase engagement.
• Develop simple ways to track and demonstrate the value of Supporter Care actions.

Targeted skills

1. Proactive stewardship design
2. Storytelling within frontline interactions
3. Internal influence and value articulation
4. Cross-team collaboration
5. Outcome tracking and performance framing

Participant level

Intermediate

Who is this course for?

• Supporter Care and Donor Services teams
• Relationship managers
• Supporter Experience leads
• Fundraising managers wanting to elevate frontline engagement
• Organisations looking to reset how relationship-building responsibility is shared across teams

We strongly encourage organisations to send two participants – one from Supporter Care and one from fundraising. Supporter Care teams hear directly from supporters every day, while fundraising teams design the strategies that shape those relationships. When both roles attend together, it creates powerful opportunities to connect frontline insight with fundraising strategy. In previous sessions, this approach helped teams break down internal silos and identify new ways to collaborate across programs.

Prerequisite knowledge

They should have had a conversation with a supporter before.

This session won’t explore

• Detailed CRM training
• Full marketing automation and journey design
• How to make an ask training (e.g. for Majors)
• Technical telemarketing compliance frameworks

Delivery

Online. 3-hour preference.

• PowerPoint presentation and case studies
• Sector examples
• Live reflection questions
• Breakout discussions
• Worksheets and action planning templates
• Optional dashboard examples for tracking Supporter Care impact

Where possible, a charity partner will join to share lived experience and implementation insights.

Meet the facilitator

Megan Maya's bio.

Kate Thorpe's bio.

Guidelines for enrolment

1. Bring one example of a good and bad supporter interaction.
2. TBC – could provide pre course survey to understand course participants and ensure we are tailoring content.
3. For questions about enrolment, contact training@fia.org.au.

CFRE

CFRE points pending confirmation.

FIA Code

FIA Code of Conduct Integration

• 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.

Watch Maisa Lopes Gomes explain the Digital Fundraising in Action course

The goal is for participants to:

• Understand the basic foundations of Digital, Data, Tracking Cookies, Channels and AI in the Fundraising context.
• Discuss how these 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 its strategic goals.
• Workshop ways to enhance your charity’s donor recruitment and retention lifecycle experiences across multiple fundraising programs.

What you'll learn

• 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 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

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 Digital Fundraising Essentials 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:

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 to 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

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom.

This course won't explore

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

Meet the facilitators

Read Jonathan Dawson's bio (PDF)

Read Fiona Hawley'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 Digital Gifts in Wills 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

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 course 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 course provides practical guidance on how to build a successful regular giving program.

What you'll learn

• Where Australian charities are finding regular givers
• The metrics you should be looking at to measure the success of your regular giving 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 regular giving program and offer

Key topics

• Regular giving product development
• Acquisition of regular givers
• Donor motivations and needs
• Donor experience and journeys
• Strategies and tactics to retain donors

Who is this course for?

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

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom.

Meet the facilitators

Read the bios of Dan Geaves and Jasmine Coronado from Marlin Communications.

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 Finding and Keeping Regular Givers 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 4. Conduct towards donors. This course 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

This course is designed to equip you with the tools and insights needed to develop a collaborative and evidence-based fundraising plan for success. Drawing on Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle theory, the framework helps you start with why - ensuring your strategy is anchored in purpose and values - before moving to how and what in practical, actionable terms. Building a strategy isn’t just about short-term gains – it’s about cultivating a vision that stands the test of time. This course will guide you in crafting strategies that are both effective and flexible, enabling you to adapt confidently to inevitable changes in the micro and macro environment.

The course is designed to directly enhance participants’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in developing and delivering long-term fundraising success.

Through real-world case studies and hands-on exercises, participants will walk away with a clear, practical framework for building and implementing a values-driven fundraising strategy. They will gain the skills to translate theory into action, the confidence to make evidence-based decisions, and the tools to monitor and adapt their strategies as circumstances change.

By the end of the program, participants will be equipped with:

• · A clear, practical framework for developing effective fundraising strategies
• · An understanding of why collaboration is best measured by team impact rather than individual effort
• · Insights into the critical connection between organisational culture and strategic success.

Most importantly, they will leave with a usable plan they can apply immediately in their day-to-day role, making a tangible difference to their fundraising effectiveness and organisational impact.

What you'll learn

A fundraising strategy is a focused, evidence-based plan to increase net revenue by retaining existing donors through exceptional supporter care, while inspiring a larger community of new supporters to invest in making a lasting impact for beneficiaries.

By the end of this masterclass, participants will be able to:

• · Develop a long-term, values-driven fundraising strategy tailored to their organisation’s goals and context.
• · Translate strategic principles into practical, actionable plans that drive measurable growth.
• · Apply evidence-based decision-making to design and refine fundraising activities.
• · Harness data insights to guide strategy, deepen donor engagement, and strengthen organisational learning.
• · Monitor, evaluate, and adapt strategies to respond effectively to changing internal and external environments.
• · Foster a culture of philanthropy that actively engages staff, board members, and stakeholders in advancing the mission.

Targeted skills

This course will build participants’ capabilities in:

• · Strategic Planning: Designing and implementing sustainable fundraising strategies.
• · Evidence-Based Decision-Making: Using data and research to guide fundraising priorities.
• · Practical Application: Turning strategy into day-to-day fundraising activities that resonate with donors.
• · Collaboration: Harnessing team and stakeholder insights for more effective outcomes.
• · Adaptive Thinking: Monitoring, evaluating, and adjusting strategies in dynamic environments.
• · Leadership & Influence: Inspiring a culture of philanthropy across the organisation.

Who is this course for?

This course is ideal for fundraising leaders, managers, and practitioners who want to develop a long-term, evidence-based fundraising strategy - whether at a departmental level or across an entire fundraising program. The framework is designed to be adaptable and practical, making it relevant for organisations of all sizes, from small teams to large, complex charities.

Delivery

1 x 8hr session.

In-person — Brisbane (venue to be advised)

This course is delivered in person in Brisbane only. It is not offered in other cities

This session won’t explore

Technical training on specific fundraising channels (e.g., direct mail, digital advertising, events, or major gifts)

Participant level

Intermediate/Advanced

Prerequisite Knowledge

This session is designed for individuals who are currently responsible for, or are developing the capability to, design and implement strategy at the program, department, or organisational level.

Meet the facilitator

Read Jim Green'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 From Plan to Impact: A Fundraising Strategy Framework is applicable for up to 2.75 continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

FIA Code

The course would be grounded in the principles of the FIA Code of Conduct and would demonstrate how ethical practice underpins effective, sustainable fundraising strategy.

Compliance (Section 2.0): Design strategies that reflect legal and regulatory requirements while embedding accountability and transparency. ·
Ethical Conduct (Section 3.0): Ensure decision-making is guided by organisational values and professional integrity, drawing on frameworks like Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle to anchor fundraising in why.
Conduct Towards Donors (Section 4.0): Build donor engagement strategies that respect donor intent, prioritise trust, and cultivate long-term relationships. ·
Conduct Towards Beneficiaries (Section 5.0): Keep the interests of beneficiaries at the heart of fundraising by aligning strategies with mission and impact.
Conduct in Supplier Relationships (Section 6.0): Apply collaborative and evidence-based approaches to supplier partnerships, ensuring they reflect both value for money and shared ethical standards.

Course overview

There are two reasons why practising ethics in fundraising might turn out to be harder than you think it is. First, because so often ethics is reduced to simply complying with the code, even though the ethics of any profession can never simply be reduced to a few provisions in a code of practice. And second, because there have been few ideas and frameworks developed specifically to help fundraisers resolve the ethical dilemmas they’ll encounter in their jobs.

This interactive course will introduce delegates to the theories, ‘lenses’ and frameworks developed at Rogare – The Fundraising Think Tank, and practise using these to resolve real-life ethical dilemmas in fundraising. In doing so, it will demonstrate how an understanding of professional ethics can enhance compliance with the code of practice.

We’ll then move on to consider further ethical issues, including:

• Appropriate ways to ‘frame’ beneficiaries in fundraising materials
• Ethical use of AI
• Ethics of refusing donations.

This course will enhance fundraisers’ ethical literacy by introducing you to the tools, ideas, and frameworks you'll need to resolve the ethical dilemmas you’ll encounter in your professional practice, dilemmas that for the most part can’t be sorted simply be referring to a code of practice. It will also give you the confidence to justify your ethical decisions to stakeholders who might be critical of them; and to help fundraisers articulate the best ethical advocacy of fundraising practices and the fundraising profession.

What you'll learn

• Gain a basic knowledge and understanding of ethical theory to better contextualise ethical issues in fundraising
• Understand what an ethical dilemma in fundraising is and identify and describe such ethical dilemmas
• Identify and describe different normative ‘lenses’ of fundraising ethics and understand how to apply these in professional practice
• Apply these ethical lenses to actual ethical dilemmas in fundraising using a bespoke decision-making framework
• Make better ethical justifications for the actions they choose to take, or choose not to take, to the media, board, donors and other stakeholders
• Understand the relationship between ethics and codes of practice, and how to apply this knowledge to make ethical decisions; and to critique codes of practice from an ethical perspective.

Targeted skills

• Ethical literacy
• Critical thinking and reasoning
• Advocacy

Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone, in any role, at any stage of their career, who wants to improve their understanding of the ethics of fundraising and enhance their ethical literacy.

Delivery

2 x 3hr sessions via Zoom.

This session won’t explore

This session won’t be a ‘surgery’ for fundraisers to bring their ethical problems and expect to get a solution.

This is a space that welcomes thoughtful and constructive discussion about fundraising practices, with a focus on learning and improvement, rather than personal complaints.

While the course will touch on the issues of power and privilege and the ideas promoted by the Community-Centric Fundraising movement, this will not be a major focus (not because they are not important, but because we can’t cover everything).

Participant level

Intermediate, Advanced

Prerequisite knowledge

Students should have a foundational competence and understanding of fundraising practices and processes. In other words, they should know how to do their jobs competently.

No prior knowledge of ethics is required.

Meet the facilitator

Read Ian MacQuillin'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 Fundraising ethics – going beyond the code to resolve ethical dilemmas and why doing that might be harder than you think 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:

Ethical conduct (3.0). The enhanced ethical literacy this course will bring will allow students to better critically reflect on the stipulations contained in this section, and then how to justify the decisions they make. For example, how “open” (s3.6) should a fundraiser be about how funds are raised, especially in the use of AI?

Conduct towards donors (4.0). The course looks in detail at the ethics of the relationships that fundraisers build with donors and what duties fundraisers have to donors; but it also explores problems and challenges these ethics throw up.
The course will also consider the ethics of refusing donations, and so will also enhance the understanding an application of the code’s sections (4.8 and 4.9) relating to this issue.

Conduct towards beneficiaries (5.0). The course will specifically cover the ethics of beneficiary framing.

Conduct in supplier relationships (6.0). Enhancing fundraisers’ ethical literacy through this course will empower and enable them to have better expectations of the ethical requirements of suppliers and how to hold them accountable for those ethical requirements.

Course Overview

The fundraising profession is under constant scrutiny from our supporters, the media, and the general public to act ethically. Yet the reality is that fundraising involves inherent ethical tension driven by the need to act in the interest of diverse stakeholders (especially donors, beneficiaries, and the nonprofits we work for). In this workshop, we will discuss the ethical landscape of fundraising work and learn how other professionals navigate it. We will explore different professional codes of conduct and organisation-level ethical approaches, and learn about the latest research findings on what donors consider ethical and how fundraisers navigate ethical tensions. Finally, we will workshop sensible approaches to ethical fundraising practice. Participants will gain a richer understanding of the ethical dimensions of fundraising work, learn from examples of ethical best practices, and come away with frameworks for making more ethical decisions in their work.

To understand the key ethical considerations relevant to fundraising and gain knowledge to help you navigate fundraising ethics more confidently.

What you'll learn

• Understand and discuss key ethical concerns in fundraising
• Develop ethical guidelines for your own fundraising, informed by industry best practices and latest research

Targeted skills

Critical thinking
Sectoral awareness
Ethical fundraising

Who is this course for?

This should be relevant to all fundraisers, and especially those raising money for human beneficiaries or dealing with donors who may have objectives beyond social/environmental impact.

Participant level

Relevant to all levels; especially intermediate, advanced, and leadership.

Prerequisite knowledge

Participants should ideally have worked in fundraising for 6+ months, to have some awareness of the ethical decision-making involved in fundraising.

Delivery

1 x 3hr session via Zoom.

This course won’t explore:

Ethics are not black or white. In fact, one of the challenges in fundraising is that what is seen to be most ethical depends on whose perspective is prioritised. Participants will not be given one size fits all solutions to ethical fundraising. Instead, they will be given knowledge and opportunities to discuss nuances in order to more confidently navigate ethical decisions in the future.

Meet the facilitator

Read Cassandra Chapman'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 Fundraising Ethics: Walking the Tightrope 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:

We will discuss elements of the FIA Code of Conduct, alongside other org- and national-level codes of conduct for fundraising ethics.

Course Overview

The world in which Fundraising exists is evolving rapidly. This course explores how to harness innovation, emerging trends, and fresh models of engagement to future-proof fundraising strategies and maximise impact for your cause.

Participants will gain the confidence to identify and apply innovative approaches to fundraising, balance risk and reward, and shape strategies that deliver long-term donor engagement and organisational resilience.

What you'll learn

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Understand the forces reshaping fundraising locally and globally.
• Apply tools to foster innovation in fundraising campaigns.
• Design donor experiences that stand out in a competitive environment.
• Assess and manage risks when testing new ideas.

Targeted skills

Innovation, strategic thinking, trend analysis, risk management.

Who is this course for?

Fundraising managers, team leaders, and professionals seeking to expand their strategic toolkit.

Participant level

Fundraising managers, team leaders, and professionals seeking to expand their strategic toolkit.

This course won’t explore

Detailed technical skills include database management, grant applications, and tax regulations.

Delivery

1 x 6hr session via Zoom.

Meet the facilitator

Read Rod Matthew'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 Fundraising Forward – Innovating for Impact 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.

Course Overview

CRM systems are more than databases—they are the backbone of a successful fundraising strategy. This course provides fundraisers with the skills to align CRM capabilities with organisational strategy, harness donor data for segmentation and journeys, and use insights to drive decisions. Delivered in two half-day online sessions, it balances strategy and execution: from designing data-driven journeys and automations, to choosing, integrating, and managing CRM platforms.

The program equips fundraisers with both strategic understanding and practical tools to unlock the value of CRM systems and donor data. Participants will gain confidence in aligning CRM with fundraising goals, applying segmentation frameworks, designing automated journeys, and making evidence-based decisions through dashboards and reports.

What you'll learn

• Align CRM capabilities with organisational fundraising strategy.
• Apply segmentation frameworks and donor insights to shape campaign design.
• Conceptualise automation flows that enhance acquisition and retention journeys.
• Evaluate CRM platform options using structured selection criteria.
• Map integrations between CRM and Finance, Marketing, and other systems.
• Plan and manage a CRM migration, including data cleansing and change management.
• Establish ongoing data governance practices.
• Interpret dashboards and reports to translate data into fundraising actions.

Targeted skills

CRM strategy; Donor segmentation; Journey mapping; Data-driven decision making; Data governance; Platform evaluation

Participant level

Intermediate–Advanced

Who is this course for?

Fundraising and marketing managers, donor engagement specialists, database managers, and fundraisers responsible for strategy, donor acquisition, or retention who want to make better use of CRM and data insights.

Prerequisite knowledge

Basic familiarity with donor data and CRM use in fundraising (not necessarily advanced technical knowledge).

This course won’t explore

This course will not provide hands-on training in specific CRM platforms or system configurations. Platform-specific technical setup is out of scope.

Delivery

2 x 4hr sessions via Zoom,

Meet the facilitator

Read Mike Zeederberg'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 Fundraising Success with CRM and Data Insights is applicable for up to 2.75 continuing education points in Category 1. B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.