Course Overview

Learning Options for the Certificate in Professional Fundraising

We offer the Certificate in Professional Fundraising in two formats to suit your learning preferences:

Self-Paced eLearning

Complete all three core mandatory and elective modules at your own pace through the FIA Learning Hub.

Blended Learning (Zoom + eLearning)

Attend live, interactive Zoom sessions with a tutor over three Fridays (one session per month) for the three core mandatory modules.

Complete the three elective modules through self-paced eLearning.

Choose the format that best suits your schedule and learning style. Continue reading for details on the Self-Paced eLearning option, or click here for information about the Blended Learning (Zoom + eLearning) format.

Course Format
This 6-month online eLearning course provides flexible, self-paced learning with tutor support via email and phone. Each module requires approximately eight hours of study and includes graded assessment tasks. You’ll also use a required textbook to support your learning and deepen your understanding of key concepts.

The Certificate in Professional Fundraising is an excellent opportunity to advance your fundraising career. This comprehensive program covers key aspects of fundraising and is designed for new and early-career fundraisers seeking to build a strong foundation in the field.

The course includes three mandatory core modules:

1. The Fundraising Environment
2. Building a Fundraising Program
3. Understanding Your Donors

You’ll also select three electives from a diverse range of topics, including:

• Fundraising Management
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
• Major Gifts
• Corporate Sector Fundraising
• Fundraising Events
• Digital Fundraising Strategies

Additional elective modules will be available in early 2025.

The Fundraising Environment 

• Understand the distinctions between philanthropy, charity, development, and fundraising.
• Gain an overview of donation trends in Australia.
• Differentiate the roles of federal legislators and state regulators.
• Learn about tax concessions for charitable organizations.
• Understand data privacy laws relevant to charities.
• Explore ethical obligations in fundraising practices.

Building a Fundraising Program

• Identify the components of a comprehensive development program.
• Understand the multistep process of the fundraising cycle.
• Assess strengths and weaknesses in fundraising strategies.
• Appreciate the importance of data in fundraising efficiency.

Understanding Your Donors

• Develop strategic approaches to donor engagement.
• Apply models to aid fundraising planning.
• Enrich your case for support with compelling stories.
• Evaluate financial considerations such as cost/income ratio and donor lifetime value.
• Build stronger donor relationships.

You’ll also select three electives from the topics listed above.

Textbook

The required textbook for this course is Achieving Excellence in Fundraising (5th Edition).

You can purchase the book from any bookshop; however, FIA members can enjoy a 25% discount through Wiley.

To access the discount:

1. Visit Wiley’s website.
2. Enter the code FIA25 at checkout when purchasing your eBook or print copy.

Meet the tutors

Click here to read the tutor bios:

Ellaine Hislop

Maisa Lopes Gomes

Heiko Plange-Korndoerfer

Guidelines for enrollment

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

CFRE

Full participation in the Certificate in Professional Fundraising is applicable for up to 60 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, 3.0 Ethical conduct, 4.0 Conduct towards Donors, 5.0 Conduct towards Beneficiaries and 6.0 Conduct in Supplier relationships.