Course overview

How do we make the most of the time we have? Everyone has the same amount of time, but not everyone knows how to make it work better for them. In this interactive online course, learn practical strategies and fresh ways of thinking to manage your time effectively. Invest the time to shift your thinking, update your approach, and unlock new levels of success in your fundraising.

Here’s what you’ll be able to put into practice after the course.  You start with a full list, then use the tools from the course to choose one clear priority, sort the rest using a simple decision framework, and match high-energy tasks like donor calls to your best time of day. By Friday, the important work is done, the urgent admin has been contained, and you have a realistic plan for next week without needing extra hours.

Course aim

In short, you’ll learn to focus on the work that matters most, protect your energy, and deliver stronger fundraising outcomes without extending your working hours.

This time management course will equip you with the thinking and skills needed to do more good every day. You will learn about what time management actually looks like, how to better divide your tasks, and how to multiply your efforts (not multitask). This approach to time management means more time to do the work that matters, plan for success, work more effectively with your donors, collaborate more successfully, and sustain excellent funding outcomes.

What you’ll learn

These are four key areas to develop to achieve lasting improvements in time management.

• Fundraisers need time management that protects energy and focus, not more hours in the “do until it’s done” culture.
• This starts with fresh understandings: spotting the assumptions driving overwork and adopting a more experimental, think-before-do mindset.
• Next, drop the usual myths like multitasking and delay, and learn what actually works, including mapping your energy patterns and using them well.
• Then use proven tools to clarify priorities and plan smarter, so you multiply your impact with the same hours by better sorting, using decision frameworks, and taking practical next steps.

Targeted skills

1. Time management — the primary focus is to help participants use their time more effectively.
2. Collaboration — delegation and working with others to focus on the most important tasks.
3. Project management — managing the projects that make up your program of work.

Participant level

Any level

Who is this course for?

Anyone working in fundraising roles in any organisation.

Prerequisite knowledge

Nothing is required other than a standard level of English comprehension and an understanding of your own challenges with time management.

This course won’t explore

• AI or automation, and how to make bots do things for you.
• Management practices for getting people to do things for you (aside from delegation).
• Negotiation tactics to avoid doing things.

Delivery

2 × 3-hour sessions via Zoom, including:

• Chat box for interactive activities like Chatterfall and questions.
• Live polls for pre, interim, and post-session knowledge checks.
• Breakout rooms for discussions.

Meet the facilitator

Read Sam Shlansky’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 Same Hours Done Different: Time Management for Fundraisers 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 aligns with the FIA Code of Conduct section Conduct Towards Donors (Section 4.0). Examples include:

• Ensuring prompt replies and compliance with donors’ refusals or requests by learning how to manage time to reply quickly.
• Providing donors’ required information—communications opt-out, charity information, how details are collected, and more—through better organisation and planning.
• Supporting fundraisers to be courteous and well-mannered (no intimidation, coercion, or other disallowed behaviours) because good time management improves mood and reduces pressure to perform.